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Life cycle human health and ecosystem quality implication of biomass-based strategies to climate change mitigation

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  • Weldu, Yemane W.

Abstract

Exposure to air pollution claimed the lives of about seven million people worldwide in 2010, largely from combustion of solid biomass fuels. Bioenergy is an alternative renewable source which can mitigate a climate change. Little is known about the human health and ecosystem effects of bioenergy, mainly in the electricity sector. This research applied a life cycle assessment approach to examine the human health and ecosystem effects of four bioenergy pathways: direct combustion of wood biomass, direct combustion of forest residue, direct combustion of pellets, and biomass integrated gasification and combined cycle (BIGCC). All pathways showed some variability of impacts; therefore, no single bioenergy pathway was the best absolute option. With the exception of the slightly higher human health impact, BIGCC has the least impact for all impact categories. However, all bioenergy systems implied lower ecosystem impact but higher human health impact as compared to climate change impact. Electricity generation from wood-biomass would improve the environmental sustainability of Alberta's electricity grid system because it reduces the human health and ecosystem impacts, as compared to the existing electricity production mix of the province.

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  • Weldu, Yemane W., 2017. "Life cycle human health and ecosystem quality implication of biomass-based strategies to climate change mitigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 11-18.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:108:y:2017:i:c:p:11-18
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2017.02.046
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Casas-Ledón, Yannay & Flores, Mauricio & Jiménez, Romel & Ronsse, Frederik & Dewulf, Jo & Arteaga-Pérez, Luis E., 2019. "On the environmental and economic issues associated with the forestry residues-to-heat and electricity route in Chile: Sawdust gasification as a case study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 763-776.
    3. Zang, Guiyan & Zhang, Jianan & Jia, Junxi & Lora, Electo Silva & Ratner, Albert, 2020. "Life cycle assessment of power-generation systems based on biomass integrated gasification combined cycles," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 336-346.
    4. Xu, Jiuping & Huang, Qian & Lv, Chengwei & Feng, Qing & Wang, Fengjuan, 2018. "Carbon emissions reductions oriented dynamic equilibrium strategy using biomass-coal co-firing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 184-197.
    5. Martín-Gamboa, Mario & Marques, Pedro & Freire, Fausto & Arroja, Luís & Dias, Ana Cláudia, 2020. "Life cycle assessment of biomass pellets: A review of methodological choices and results," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    6. Alharthi, Majed & Hanif, Imran & Alamoudi, Hawazen, 2022. "Impact of environmental pollution on human health and financial status of households in MENA countries: Future of using renewable energy to eliminate the environmental pollution," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 338-346.

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