IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v114y2014icp837-844.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Environmental life-cycle assessment of rapeseed-based biodiesel: Alternative cultivation systems and locations

Author

Listed:
  • Malça, João
  • Coelho, António
  • Freire, Fausto

Abstract

This article presents an assessment of the environmental performance of rapeseed-based biodiesel, addressing alternative geographical locations and cultivation systems for rapeseed (in Spain, France, Germany and Canada). Four environmental impact categories have been assessed using the CML 2001 life-cycle impact assessment method: abiotic depletion; global warming; acidification; and eutrophication. Results show that rapeseed cultivation has the highest contribution to all the environmental impact categories evaluated, with a share between 40% (abiotic depletion, Germany) and 98% (eutrophication, Spain). The use of fertilizers and associated soil emissions are the main contributions to the environmental impacts of cultivation. Soil carbon changes due to different agricultural practices are particularly important in terms of the global warming impact of rapeseed-based biodiesel. The use of fossil methanol in biodiesel production has significant impacts in terms of abiotic depletion and the consumption of heavy fuel oil in transoceanic transportation is an important contributor to acidification.

Suggested Citation

  • Malça, João & Coelho, António & Freire, Fausto, 2014. "Environmental life-cycle assessment of rapeseed-based biodiesel: Alternative cultivation systems and locations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 837-844.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:114:y:2014:i:c:p:837-844
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.06.048
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261913005552
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.06.048?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Koponen, Kati & Soimakallio, Sampo & Tsupari, Eemeli & Thun, Rabbe & Antikainen, Riina, 2013. "GHG emission performance of various liquid transportation biofuels in Finland in accordance with the EU sustainability criteria," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 440-448.
    2. Shen, Wei & Han, Weijian & Chock, David & Chai, Qinhu & Zhang, Aling, 2012. "Well-to-wheels life-cycle analysis of alternative fuels and vehicle technologies in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 296-307.
    3. Iriarte, Alfredo & Rieradevall, Joan & Gabarrell, Xavier, 2012. "Transition towards a more environmentally sustainable biodiesel in South America: The case of Chile," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 263-273.
    4. Malça, João & Freire, Fausto, 2006. "Renewability and life-cycle energy efficiency of bioethanol and bio-ethyl tertiary butyl ether (bioETBE): Assessing the implications of allocation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(15), pages 3362-3380.
    5. Thamsiriroj, Thanasit & Murphy, Jerry D., 2011. "A critical review of the applicability of biodiesel and grass biomethane as biofuels to satisfy both biofuel targets and sustainability criteria," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 1008-1019, April.
    6. João Malça & Fausto Freire, 2010. "Uncertainty Analysis in Biofuel Systems," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 14(2), pages 322-334, March.
    7. Malça, João & Freire, Fausto, 2011. "Life-cycle studies of biodiesel in Europe: A review addressing the variability of results and modeling issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 338-351, January.
    8. Global Energy Assessment Writing Team,, 2012. "Global Energy Assessment," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107005198.
    9. Tonini, Davide & Astrup, Thomas, 2012. "LCA of biomass-based energy systems: A case study for Denmark," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 234-246.
    10. Hennecke, Anna M. & Faist, Mireille & Reinhardt, Jürgen & Junquera, Victoria & Neeft, John & Fehrenbach, Horst, 2013. "Biofuel greenhouse gas calculations under the European Renewable Energy Directive – A comparison of the BioGrace tool vs. the tool of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 55-62.
    11. Global Energy Assessment Writing Team,, 2012. "Global Energy Assessment," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521182935.
    12. Demirbas, Ayhan, 2009. "Political, economic and environmental impacts of biofuels: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(Supplemen), pages 108-117, November.
    13. Milazzo, M.F. & Spina, F. & Vinci, A. & Espro, C. & Bart, J.C.J., 2013. "Brassica biodiesels: Past, present and future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 350-389.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Caldeira, Carla & Swei, Omar & Freire, Fausto & Dias, Luis C. & Olivetti, Elsa A. & Kirchain, Randolph, 2019. "Planning strategies to address operational and price uncertainty in biodiesel production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 1573-1581.
    2. Daniele Cocco & Paola A. Deligios & Luigi Ledda & Leonardo Sulas & Adriana Virdis & Gianluca Carboni, 2014. "LCA Study of Oleaginous Bioenergy Chains in a Mediterranean Environment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-24, September.
    3. Isler-Kaya, Asli & Karaosmanoglu, Filiz, 2022. "Life cycle assessment of safflower and sugar beet molasses-based biofuels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P1), pages 1127-1138.
    4. Anda Fridrihsone & Francesco Romagnoli & Ugis Cabulis, 2020. "Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Rapeseed and Rapeseed Oil Produced in Northern Europe: A Latvian Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-21, July.
    5. Wang, Zhiwei & Li, Zaifeng & Lei, Tingzhou & Yang, Miao & Qi, Tian & Lin, Lu & Xin, Xiaofei & Ajayebi, Atta & Yang, Yantao & He, Xiaofeng & Yan, Xiaoyu, 2016. "Life cycle assessment of energy consumption and environmental emissions for cornstalk-based ethyl levulinate," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 170-181.
    6. Batista, T. & Freire, F. & Silva, C.M., 2015. "Vehicle environmental rating methodologies: Overview and application to light-duty vehicles," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 192-206.
    7. Sofia Dahlgren & Jonas Ammenberg, 2021. "Sustainability Assessment of Public Transport, Part II—Applying a Multi-Criteria Assessment Method to Compare Different Bus Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-30, January.
    8. Chan-Joong Kim & Taehoon Hong & Jimin Kim & Daeho Kim & Dong-yeon Seo, 2015. "A Process for the Implementation of New Renewable Energy Systems in a Building by Considering Environmental and Economic Effect," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-21, September.
    9. Collet, Pierre & Lardon, Laurent & Hélias, Arnaud & Bricout, Stéphanie & Lombaert-Valot, Isabelle & Perrier, Béatrice & Lépine, Olivier & Steyer, Jean-Philippe & Bernard, Olivier, 2014. "Biodiesel from microalgae – Life cycle assessment and recommendations for potential improvements," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 525-533.
    10. Dzikuć Maciej, 2015. "Environmental management with the use of LCA in the Polish energy system," Management, Sciendo, vol. 19(1), pages 89-97, May.
    11. Aga, Wondwosen S. & Fantaye, Solomon K. & Jabasingh, S. Anuradha, 2020. "Biodiesel production from Ethiopian ‘Besana’- Croton macrostachyus seed: Characterization and optimization," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 574-584.
    12. Caldeira, Carla & Queirós, João & Noshadravan, Arash & Freire, Fausto, 2016. "Incorporating uncertainty in the life cycle assessment of biodiesel from waste cooking oil addressing different collection systems," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 83-92.
    13. Paola A. Deligios & Gianluca Carboni & Roberta Farci & Stefania Solinas & Luigi Ledda, 2018. "Low-Input Herbicide Management: Effects on Rapeseed Production and Profitability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-16, June.
    14. Daeho Kim & Jimin Kim & Choongwan Koo & Taehoon Hong, 2014. "An Economic and Environmental Assessment Model for Selecting the Optimal Implementation Strategy of Fuel Cell Systems—A Focus on Building Energy Policy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-22, August.
    15. Piotr Bórawski & Lisa Holden & Marek Bartłomiej Bórawski & Bartosz Mickiewicz, 2022. "Perspectives of Biodiesel Development in Poland against the Background of the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, June.
    16. Luigi Pari & Alessandro Suardi & Walter Stefanoni & Francesco Latterini & Nadia Palmieri, 2020. "Environmental and Economic Assessment of Castor Oil Supply Chain: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-16, August.
    17. Luis C. Dias & Carolina Passeira & João Malça & Fausto Freire, 2022. "Integrating life-cycle assessment and multi-criteria decision analysis to compare alternative biodiesel chains," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 312(2), pages 1359-1374, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Geraldes Castanheira, Érica & Grisoli, Renata & Freire, Fausto & Pecora, Vanessa & Coelho, Suani Teixeira, 2014. "Environmental sustainability of biodiesel in Brazil," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 680-691.
    2. Archer, Sophie A. & Murphy, Richard J. & Steinberger-Wilckens, Robert, 2018. "Methodological analysis of palm oil biodiesel life cycle studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 694-704.
    3. Sastre, C.M. & Maletta, E. & González-Arechavala, Y. & Ciria, P. & Santos, A.M. & del Val, A. & Pérez, P. & Carrasco, J., 2014. "Centralised electricity production from winter cereals biomass grown under central-northern Spain conditions: Global warming and energy yield assessments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 737-748.
    4. Milazzo, M.F. & Spina, F. & Vinci, A. & Espro, C. & Bart, J.C.J., 2013. "Brassica biodiesels: Past, present and future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 350-389.
    5. Malça, João & Freire, Fausto, 2011. "Life-cycle studies of biodiesel in Europe: A review addressing the variability of results and modeling issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 338-351, January.
    6. Malça, João & Freire, Fausto, 2012. "Addressing land use change and uncertainty in the life-cycle assessment of wheat-based bioethanol," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 519-527.
    7. Carneiro, Maria Luisa N.M. & Pradelle, Florian & Braga, Sergio L. & Gomes, Marcos Sebastião P. & Martins, Ana Rosa F.A. & Turkovics, Franck & Pradelle, Renata N.C., 2017. "Potential of biofuels from algae: Comparison with fossil fuels, ethanol and biodiesel in Europe and Brazil through life cycle assessment (LCA)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 632-653.
    8. O'Keeffe, S. & Majer, S. & Drache, C. & Franko, U. & Thrän, D., 2017. "Modelling biodiesel production within a regional context – A comparison with RED Benchmark," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 355-370.
    9. Månsson, André & Sanches-Pereira, Alessandro & Hermann, Sebastian, 2014. "Biofuels for road transport: Analysing evolving supply chains in Sweden from an energy security perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 349-357.
    10. Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2013. "Energy policymaking in Denmark: Implications for global energy security and sustainability," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 829-839.
    11. Han, Xiaoye & Yang, Zhenyi & Wang, Meiping & Tjong, Jimi & Zheng, Ming, 2017. "Clean combustion of n-butanol as a next generation biofuel for diesel engines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 347-359.
    12. Anne-Maree Dowd & Michelle Rodriguez & Talia Jeanneret, 2015. "Social Science Insights for the BioCCS Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-19, May.
    13. Fankhauser, Samuel & Jotzo, Frank, 2017. "Economic growth and development with low-carbon energy," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 86850, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. Tilmann Rave, 2013. "Innovation Indicators on Global Climate Change – R&D Expenditure and Patents," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 66(15), pages 34-41, August.
    15. Daniel Moran & Richard Wood, 2014. "Convergence Between The Eora, Wiod, Exiobase, And Openeu'S Consumption-Based Carbon Accounts," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(3), pages 245-261, September.
    16. Lykke E. Andersen & Luis Carlos Jemio, 2016. "Decentralization and poverty reduction in Bolivia: Challenges and opportunities," Development Research Working Paper Series 01/2016, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    17. Chen, Han & Huang, Ye & Shen, Huizhong & Chen, Yilin & Ru, Muye & Chen, Yuanchen & Lin, Nan & Su, Shu & Zhuo, Shaojie & Zhong, Qirui & Wang, Xilong & Liu, Junfeng & Li, Bengang & Tao, Shu, 2016. "Modeling temporal variations in global residential energy consumption and pollutant emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 820-829.
    18. Inglesi-Lotz, Roula, 2017. "Social rate of return to R&D on various energy technologies: Where should we invest more? A study of G7 countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 521-525.
    19. Tom Mikunda & Tom Kober & Heleen de Coninck & Morgan Bazilian & Hilke R�sler & Bob van der Zwaan, 2014. "Designing policy for deployment of CCS in industry," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(5), pages 665-676, September.
    20. Li, Yating & Fei, Yinxin & Zhang, Xiao-Bing & Qin, Ping, 2019. "Household appliance ownership and income inequality: Evidence from micro data in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1-1.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:114:y:2014:i:c:p:837-844. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.