Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Woodchip Uses in Pyrolysis and Combined Heat and Power Production in Latvia

Abstract The objective of this study is to perform a comparative estimation of the life cycle environmental performance of biochar from woodchip pyrolysis, and woodchip combined heat and power production. The wood processing industry draws up over 14% of the whole industrial sector turnover, making the wood industry one of the most valuable players in the Latvian economy. Woodchips are valuable logging residues integrated in the energy sector. The environmental performance is analyzed through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is performed according to the methodology described in the ISO 14040:2006 standards using the SimaPro 8.1.0.60 software and the Ecoinvent 3.1. database.

[1]  Dagnija Blumberga,et al.  Energy and Exergy Analysis of Wood-based CHP. Case Study , 2016 .

[2]  Andra Blumberga,et al.  Green Energy Strategy 2050 for Latvia: a Pathway towards a Low Carbon Society , 2014 .

[3]  N. Scarlat,et al.  The role of biomass and bioenergy in a future bioeconomy: Policies and facts , 2015 .

[4]  Manuele Margni,et al.  IMPACT 2002+: User Guide , 2015 .

[5]  Dagnija Blumberga,et al.  SWOT Analysis Approach for Advancement of Waste-to-energy Cluster in Latvia☆ , 2015 .

[6]  Jian Zhao,et al.  Life cycle assessment of lignite pyrolysis: a case study in China , 2016 .

[7]  Dagnija Blumberga,et al.  Analysis of Wood Fuel CHP Operational Experience , 2015 .

[8]  Simone Manfredi,et al.  Environmental sustainability assessment of bioeconomy value chains , 2016 .

[9]  J. Valverde,et al.  Life cycle assessment of swine and dairy manure: pyrolysis and combustion processes. , 2015, Bioresource technology.

[10]  Haiping Yang,et al.  Effects of binders on the properties of bio-char pellets , 2015 .

[11]  Stefan Zerbe,et al.  Influence of agricultural residues interpretation and allocation procedures on the environmental performance of bioelectricity production – A case study on woodchips from apple orchards , 2015 .

[12]  Stefan Zerbe,et al.  Life cycle assessment of bioenergy production from orchards woody residues in Northern Italy , 2016 .

[13]  Dagnija Blumberga,et al.  Sustainable Development of Biomass CHP in Latvia , 2016 .

[14]  Ottar Michelsen,et al.  Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass‐based Combined Heat and Power Plants , 2011 .

[15]  Y.‐H.P. Zhang,et al.  New biorefineries and sustainable agriculture: Increased food, biofuels, and ecosystem security , 2015 .

[16]  D. Blumberga,et al.  Emergy Analysis of Biomass CHP. Case Study , 2016 .