Title:
Life Cycle Approach for Energy and Environmental Analysis of Biomass and Coal Co-Firing in Different Large Scale Co-Generation Units
Author(s):
Zuwala, J.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
Research described in this paper focuses on the life cycle analysis for hard coal and two biomass sorts of different origin (willow crops chips and forest wood chips) requiring a diverse approach for their upstream inventory of non-renewable energy resources depletion and GHG emission. It has been assumed, that these fuels can be co-combusted in large scale combined heat and power plants for generation of electricity and heat. As in the case of cogeneration process, it was necessary to allocate the harmful effects between both energy carriers, and the principle of the avoided process has been proposed for this aim. The empirical correlations concerning the electricity consumption of boiler auxiliaries’ and boiler energy efficiency along with the increasing share of biomass in the fuel blend were applied in the calculations after they have been elaborated basing on long term operation of biomass co-firing units. The functional units chosen to compare the results were 1 TJ of heat and 1 MWh of electricity. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to bring the final conclusions and recommendations. The conducted research revealed that both environmental burdens (non-renewable resources depletion and the greenhouse effect) are depending on the share of biomass in the combusted fuel mix. It was proved, that the partial substitution of coal with biomass (in the considered range of 0-20% energy share of biomass in the fuel mix) leads to the decrease of the total life-cycle non-renewable energy resources depletion and cumulative GHG emissions for generation and supply of 1 MJ of heat (functional unit) and 1 MWh of electricity generated during multifunctional process of combined heat and power generation.
Keywords:
biomass, co-firing, co-generation technologies, life cycle assessment analysis
Topic:
Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability
Subtopic:
Environmental impacts of bioenergy
Event:
25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
4AV.2.9
Pages:
1707 - 1716
ISBN:
978-88-89407-17-2
Paper DOI:
10.5071/25thEUBCE2017-4AV.2.9
Price:
FREE
