IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v7y2015i10p12974-12987d56319.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Power Generation from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Author

Listed:
  • Xinhua Shen

    (NSF CREST Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA
    Current Address: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614, USA.)

  • Raghava R. Kommalapati

    (NSF CREST Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA
    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA)

  • Ziaul Huque

    (NSF CREST Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA
    Department of Mechanical Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA)

Abstract

In order to solve the energy crisis and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), renewable energy resources are exploited for power generation. Because lignocellulosic biomass resources are abundant and renewable, various technologies are applied to using lignocellulosic biomass to derive biofuel and electricity. This paper focuses on power generation from lignocellulosic biomass and comparison of the effects of different feedstocks, transportation, and power generation technologies evaluated through life cycle assessment (LCA). The inputs and boundaries of LCA vary with different feedstocks, such as forestry wood, agricultural residues, and fast-growing grass. For agricultural residues and fast-growing grass, the transportation cost from field to power plant is more critical. Three technologies for power generation are analyzed both with and without pelletization of lignocellulosic biomass. The GHG emissions also vary with different feedstocks and depend on burning technologies at different plant scales. The daily criteria pollutant emissions of power generation from different lignocellulosic biomass were evaluated with a life cycle assessment model of GREET.net 2014. It is concluded that bio-power generation is critical with the urgency of greenhouse effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Xinhua Shen & Raghava R. Kommalapati & Ziaul Huque, 2015. "The Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Power Generation from Lignocellulosic Biomass," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:10:p:12974-12987:d:56319
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/10/12974/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/10/12974/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gomes, Marcos Sebastião de Paula & Muylaert de Araújo, Maria Silvia, 2009. "Bio-fuels production and the environmental indicators," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(8), pages 2201-2204, October.
    2. Njakou Djomo, S. & Ac, A. & Zenone, T. & De Groote, T. & Bergante, S. & Facciotto, G. & Sixto, H. & Ciria Ciria, P. & Weger, J. & Ceulemans, R., 2015. "Energy performances of intensive and extensive short rotation cropping systems for woody biomass production in the EU," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 845-854.
    3. Anderson, Jan-Olof & Toffolo, Andrea, 2013. "Improving energy efficiency of sawmill industrial sites by integration with pellet and CHP plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 791-800.
    4. Jerome A. Ramirez & Richard J. Brown & Thomas J. Rainey, 2015. "A Review of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Bio-Crude Properties and Prospects for Upgrading to Transportation Fuels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-30, July.
    5. González-García, Sara & Iribarren, Diego & Susmozas, Ana & Dufour, Javier & Murphy, Richard J., 2012. "Life cycle assessment of two alternative bioenergy systems involving Salix spp. biomass: Bioethanol production and power generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 111-122.
    6. Gustavsson, Leif & Madlener, Reinhard, 2003. "CO2 mitigation costs of large-scale bioenergy technologies in competitive electricity markets," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(14), pages 1405-1425.
    7. Selvarani Radhakrishnan & Joel O. Paz & Fei Yu & Sandra Eksioglu & Donald L. Grebner, 2013. "Assessment of Potential Capacity Increases at Combined Heat and Power Facilities Based on Available Corn Stover and Forest Logging Residues," Energies, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-11, August.
    8. Hu, Ming-Che & Huang, An-Lei & Wen, Tzai-Hung, 2013. "GIS-based biomass resource utilization for rice straw cofiring in the Taiwanese power market," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 354-360.
    9. Heller, Martin C & Keoleian, Gregory A & Mann, Margaret K & Volk, Timothy A, 2004. "Life cycle energy and environmental benefits of generating electricity from willow biomass," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1023-1042.
    10. Uslu, Ayla & Faaij, André P.C. & Bergman, P.C.A., 2008. "Pre-treatment technologies, and their effect on international bioenergy supply chain logistics. Techno-economic evaluation of torrefaction, fast pyrolysis and pelletisation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(8), pages 1206-1223.
    11. Hansson, Julia & Berndes, Gran & Johnsson, Filip & Kjrstad, Jan, 2009. "Co-firing biomass with coal for electricity generation--An assessment of the potential in EU27," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1444-1455, April.
    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. Sota Makino & Takeshi Onishi & Akika Itoh & Issei Sato & Tomohumi Huzita & Chihiro Kayo, 2021. "Sustainable Campus: Reducing Environmental and Financial Burdens by Using Pruned Branches for On-Campus Energy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Dariusz Mikielewicz & Krzysztof Kosowski & Karol Tucki & Marian Piwowarski & Robert Stępień & Olga Orynycz & Wojciech Włodarski, 2019. "Gas Turbine Cycle with External Combustion Chamber for Prosumer and Distributed Energy Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-19, September.
    3. Vance, C. & Sweeney, J. & Murphy, F., 2022. "Space, time, and sustainability: The status and future of life cycle assessment frameworks for novel biorefinery systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    4. Montse Meneses & Henry Concepción & Ramon Vilanova, 2016. "Joint Environmental and Economical Analysis of Wastewater Treatment Plants Control Strategies: A Benchmark Scenario Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Xia Yang & Qiong Zhang & Sarina J. Ergas, 2023. "Enhancement of System and Environmental Performance of High Solids Anaerobic Digestion of Lignocellulosic Banana Waste by Biochar Addition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Sueli De Fátima de Oliveira Miranda Santos & Cassiano Moro Piekarski & Cássia Maria Lie Ugaya & Danilo Barros Donato & Aldo Braghini Júnior & Antonio Carlos De Francisco & Ana Márcia Macedo Ladeira Ca, 2017. "Life Cycle Analysis of Charcoal Production in Masonry Kilns with and without Carbonization Process Generated Gas Combustion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-20, September.
    7. João Paulo Guerra & Fernando Henrique Cardoso & Alex Nogueira & Luiz Kulay, 2018. "Thermodynamic and Environmental Analysis of Scaling up Cogeneration Units Driven by Sugarcane Biomass to Enhance Power Exports," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, January.
    8. Chihiro Kayo & Ryu Noda, 2018. "Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Wood Use in Civil Engineering in Japan Based on Life-Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, February.
    9. Unrean, Pornkamol & Lai Fui, Bridgid Chin & Rianawati, Elisabeth & Acda, Menandro, 2018. "Comparative techno-economic assessment and environmental impacts of rice husk-to-fuel conversion technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 581-593.
    10. Dariusz Mikielewicz & Krzysztof Kosowski & Karol Tucki & Marian Piwowarski & Robert Stępień & Olga Orynycz & Wojciech Włodarski, 2019. "Influence of Different Biofuels on the Efficiency of Gas Turbine Cycles for Prosumer and Distributed Energy Power Plants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-21, August.
    11. Cyril Anak John & Lian See Tan & Jully Tan & Peck Loo Kiew & Azmi Mohd Shariff & Hairul Nazirah Abdul Halim, 2021. "Selection of Renewable Energy in Rural Area Via Life Cycle Assessment-Analytical Hierarchy Process (LCA-AHP): A Case Study of Tatau, Sarawak," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, October.

    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. Roni, Md.S. & Eksioglu, Sandra D. & Searcy, Erin & Jha, Krishna, 2014. "A supply chain network design model for biomass co-firing in coal-fired power plants," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 115-134.
    2. Jean Nepomuscene Ntihuga & Thomas Senn & Peter Gschwind & Reinhard Kohlus, 2013. "Estimating Energy- and Eco-Balances for Continuous Bio-Ethanol Production Using a Blenke Cascade System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-19, April.
    3. Joselin Herbert, G.M. & Unni Krishnan, A., 2016. "Quantifying environmental performance of biomass energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 292-308.
    4. Restrepo, Álvaro & Bazzo, Edson, 2016. "Co-firing: An exergoenvironmental analysis applied to power plants modified for burning coal and rice straw," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 107-119.
    5. Rugani, Benedetto & Golkowska, Katarzyna & Vázquez-Rowe, Ian & Koster, Daniel & Benetto, Enrico & Verdonckt, Pieter, 2015. "Simulation of environmental impact scores within the life cycle of mixed wood chips from alternative short rotation coppice systems in Flanders (Belgium)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 449-464.
    6. Dias, Goretty M. & Ayer, Nathan W. & Kariyapperuma, Kumudinie & Thevathasan, Naresh & Gordon, Andrew & Sidders, Derek & Johannesson, Gudmundur H., 2017. "Life cycle assessment of thermal energy production from short-rotation willow biomass in Southern Ontario, Canada," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 343-352.
    7. Elodie Le Cadre & Frederic Lantz & Pierre-André Jouvet, 2011. "The bioenergies development: the role of biofuels and the C02 price," Working Papers hal-02505389, HAL.
    8. Muench, Stefan & Guenther, Edeltraud, 2013. "A systematic review of bioenergy life cycle assessments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 257-273.
    9. Lamers, Patrick & Junginger, Martin & Hamelinck, Carlo & Faaij, André, 2012. "Developments in international solid biofuel trade—An analysis of volumes, policies, and market factors," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 3176-3199.
    10. Ericsson, Niclas & Nordberg, Åke & Sundberg, Cecilia & Ahlgren, Serina & Hansson, Per-Anders, 2014. "Climate impact and energy efficiency from electricity generation through anaerobic digestion or direct combustion of short rotation coppice willow," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 86-98.
    11. Beagle, E. & Belmont, E., 2019. "Comparative life cycle assessment of biomass utilization for electricity generation in the European Union and the United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 267-275.
    12. Bertrand, Vincent & Dequiedt, Benjamin & Le Cadre, Elodie, 2014. "Biomass for electricity in the EU-27: Potential demand, CO2 abatements and breakeven prices for co-firing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 631-644.
    13. Suopajärvi, Hannu & Umeki, Kentaro & Mousa, Elsayed & Hedayati, Ali & Romar, Henrik & Kemppainen, Antti & Wang, Chuan & Phounglamcheik, Aekjuthon & Tuomikoski, Sari & Norberg, Nicklas & Andefors, Alf , 2018. "Use of biomass in integrated steelmaking – Status quo, future needs and comparison to other low-CO2 steel production technologies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 384-407.
    14. Tabata, Tomohiro & Okuda, Takaaki, 2012. "Life cycle assessment of woody biomass energy utilization: Case study in Gifu Prefecture, Japan," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 944-951.
    15. Shafie, S.M. & Mahlia, T.M.I. & Masjuki, H.H., 2013. "Life cycle assessment of rice straw co-firing with coal power generation in Malaysia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 284-294.
    16. Hoefnagels, Ric & Banse, Martin & Dornburg, Veronika & Faaij, André, 2013. "Macro-economic impact of large-scale deployment of biomass resources for energy and materials on a national level—A combined approach for the Netherlands," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 727-744.
    17. Maung, Thein A. & McCarl, Bruce A., 2013. "Economic factors influencing potential use of cellulosic crop residues for electricity generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 81-91.
    18. Leino, M. & Uusitalo, V. & Grönman, A. & Nerg, J. & Horttanainen, M. & Soukka, R. & Pyrhönen, J., 2016. "Economics and greenhouse gas balance of distributed electricity production at sawmills using hermetic turbogenerator," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 102-111.
    19. Chai, Li & Saffron, Christopher M., 2016. "Comparing pelletization and torrefaction depots: Optimization of depot capacity and biomass moisture to determine the minimum production cost," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 387-395.
    20. Sun, Zeyi & Li, Lin & Bego, Andres & Dababneh, Fadwa, 2015. "Customer-side electricity load management for sustainable manufacturing systems utilizing combined heat and power generation system," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 112-119.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:10:p:12974-12987:d:56319. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.