Title:
Green Electricity from Biomass - Evaluation of Environmental Impacts of Different Biomass Conversion Technologies for Electricity Generation by Means of Life Cycle Assessment
Author(s):
Siegl, S., Laaber, M., Holubar, P.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
The presented study analyzes the whole process chain of electricity generation from biomass in Austria by means of life cycle assessment. It concludes that the introduction of almost all investigated plant types leads to emission-savings in the impact categories GWP, ADP, ODP, TAETP and MAETP. Concerning AP, EP, POCP and LUC results depend on the conversion technology. In the impact categories HTP and FAETP emissions remain even after the consideration of indirect environmental impacts arising from the replacement of conventional reference systems. The following potentials of environmental improvement could be identified: for anaerobic digestion (AD) plants: a high concentration of methane in the biogas, the gas-tight construction of the digestate storage facility and the spreading of digestate with the trail hose method; for combustion and gasification plants: an extended flue gas cleaning; for all plant types: an increased utilization of the co-product heat. A comparison based on an unweighed aggregation of all impact assessment results is led by gasification of wood chips followed by the AD plant type using mainly residues and the small AD plant type (<50kW). The next best technologies are AD using mainly manure and combustion of wood chips, followed by other AD plant types.
Keywords:
anaerobic digestion, combustion, electricity, gasification, life cycle assessment (LCA)
Topic:
Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability
Subtopic:
Sustainability assessment and criteria
Event:
19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
VP5.2.4
Pages:
2563 - 2571
ISBN-13:
978-88-89407-55-4
ISBN-10:
88-89407-55-7
Paper DOI:
10.5071/19thEUBCE2011-VP5.2.4
Price:
FREE
