Ecological Impact of Renewable Resource-Based Energy Technologies

Renewable resource-based energy technologies are currently gaining a strong interest, particularly in the light of global climate change and volatile energy markets. A major argument for their use is their ecological advantage. The paper will compare the ecological impact of various biofuel technologies, technologies providing electricity and heat on the base of different resources, both biogenic and direct as well as indirect solar energy. Sustainable Process Index (SPI) is used to compare on the same level with an consistent methodology, a comprehensive and sensitive ecological measure addressing resource provision as well as emissions and global warming with a consistent methodology. The paper will analyze different aspects of the ecological impacts of energy technologies and biofuels. On the base of this analysis, conclusions will be drawn regarding the most important factors influencing the ecological performance as well as unresolved questions for a solid evaluation for these technologies.

[1]  Göran Finnveden,et al.  Environmental systems analysis tools – an overview , 2005 .

[2]  Aldo Roberto Ometto,et al.  Atmospheric impacts of the life cycle emissions of fuel ethanol in Brazil: based on chemical exergy. , 2010 .

[3]  Mark A. J. Huijbregts,et al.  Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel demand and solar energy conversion efficiency in European bioethanol production for automotive purposes , 2007 .

[4]  Aie.  World Energy Outlook 2009 , 2000 .

[5]  G. Ohlin.  The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development , 1968, International Organization.

[6]  Michael Narodoslawsky,et al.  Utilising renewable resources economically: new challenges and chances for process development , 2004 .

[7]  Gernot Stöglehner,et al.  Ecological footprint — a tool for assessing sustainable energy supplies , 2003 .

[8]  Brenda Chang,et al.  Estimating life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from corn–ethanol: a critical review of current U.S. practices , 2009 .

[9]  Michael Narodoslawsky,et al.  Ecological evaluation of processes based on by-products or waste from Agriculture : Life cycle assessment of biodiesel from tallow and used vegetableoil , 2006 .

[10]  Michael Narodoslawsky,et al.  SPIonExcel—Fast and easy calculation of the Sustainable Process Index via computer , 2007 .

[11]  Michael Narodoslawsky,et al.  The Sustainable Process Index (SPI) , 2006 .

[12]  Henrik Wenzel,et al.  Life cycle assessment of an advanced bioethanol technology in the perspective of constrained biomass availability. , 2008, Environmental science & technology.

[13]  Tadeusz Fijał,et al.  An environmental assessment method for cleaner production technologies , 2007 .

[14]  Michael Narodoslawsky,et al.  The sustainable process index (SPI): evaluating processes according to environmental compatibility , 1995 .

[15]  R. Heijungs,et al.  Environmental life cycle assessment of products , 1992 .