Comparative cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of wood pellet production with torrefaction

Torrefaction is a thermal pre-treatment process for upgrading raw biomass into a more energy dense fuel. Torrefied biomass is combined with a densification process to increase its bulk density similar to conventional wood-pelleting production. This paper identifies the significant environmental impacts associated with production and delivery of these two fuels, using cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment. A feedstock of Scots Pine is modelled for a localised torrefaction/wood pellet plant located in Norway, with the products from each facility delivered to a power station in the UK.

[1]  Animesh Dutta,et al.  A review on advances of torrefaction technologies for biomass processing , 2012 .

[2]  A. Power.  Ecosystem services and agriculture: tradeoffs and synergies , 2010, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

[3]  Lei Shang,et al.  Recent developments in biomass pelletization – A review , 2012, BioResources.

[4]  J. R. Hess,et al.  REVIEW: A review on biomass torrefaction process and product properties for energy applications , 2011 .

[5]  Jonas Dahl,et al.  Pelletizing properties of torrefied wheat straw , 2013 .

[6]  J. Kiel,et al.  Torrefaction for biomass upgrading , 2005 .

[7]  Alice Bows,et al.  Understanding Greenhouse Gas Balances of Bioenergy Systems , 2013 .

[8]  John J. Reap,et al.  A survey of unresolved problems in life cycle assessment , 2008 .

[9]  Patrick Lamers,et al.  Developments in international solid biofuel trade—An analysis of volumes, policies, and market factors , 2012 .

[10]  R. Newman.  Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources , 2014 .

[11]  R. Frischknecht,et al.  Implementation of Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methods. ecoinvent report No. 3, v2.2 , 2010 .

[12]  S. Mani,et al.  Impact of torrefaction on the grindability and fuel characteristics of forest biomass. , 2011, Bioresource technology.

[13]  A. Sarvaramini,et al.  Integrated biomass torrefaction – Chemical looping combustion as a method to recover torrefaction volatiles energy , 2014 .

[14]  J. Gil,et al.  Torrefied versus conventional pellet production – A comparative study on energy and emission balance based on pilot-plant data and EU sustainability criteria , 2015 .

[15]  N. Soponpongpipat,et al.  Torrefaction Reactors , 2013 .

[16]  J. Koppejan,et al.  Status overview of torrefaction technologies , 2012 .

[17]  André Faaij,et al.  Pre-treatment technologies, and their effect on international bioenergy supply chain logistics. Techno-economic evaluation of torrefaction, fast pyrolysis and pelletisation , 2008 .

[18]  Malcolm Slesser,et al.  Energy in the economy , 1978 .

[19]  N. Krajnc.  Wood fuels handbook , 2015 .

[20]  P.C.A. Bergman,et al.  Torrefaction for biomass co-firing in existing coal-fired power stations BIOCOAL , 2005 .

[21]  Animesh Dutta,et al.  Effects of Reactor Design on the Torrefaction of Biomass , 2012 .

[22]  D. Ciolkosz,et al.  A review of torrefaction for bioenergy feedstock production , 2011 .

[23]  R. Raiko,et al.  Comparing the energy required for fine grinding torrefied and fast heat treated pine. , 2012 .

[24]  Geoffrey P. Hammond,et al.  Barriers to and drivers for UK bioenergy development , 2011 .

[25]  Hans-Jürgen Dr. Klüppel,et al.  The Revision of ISO Standards 14040-3 - ISO 14040: Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework - ISO 14044: Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Requirements and guidelines , 2005 .

[26]  Göran Berndes,et al.  Bioenergy, land use change and climate change mitigation. , 2011 .

[27]  Amit Kumar,et al.  Comparison of the energy and environmental performances of nine biomass/coal co-firing pathways. , 2012, Bioresource technology.

[28]  Kj Krzysztof Ptasinski,et al.  Biomass upgrading by torrefaction for the production of biofuels: A review , 2011 .

[29]  Marcelle C. McManus,et al.  Small-scale biomass gasification CHP utilisation in industry: Energy and environmental evaluation , 2014 .

[30]  André Faaij,et al.  Bioenergy potentials from forestry in 2050 , 2007 .

[31]  A. Faaij,et al.  Biomass torrefaction technology: Techno-economic status and future prospects , 2013 .

[32]  F. Roberts.  The aims, methods and uses of energy accounting , 1978 .

[33]  M. Saier,et al.  Climate Change, 2007 , 2007 .

[34]  Siyu Chen,et al.  Life Cycle Assessment of Wood Pellet , 2009 .

[35]  Kj Krzysztof Ptasinski,et al.  Torrefaction of wood: Part 1. Weight loss kinetics , 2006 .

[36]  Kj Krzysztof Ptasinski,et al.  Torrefaction of wood: Part 2. Analysis of products , 2006 .

[37]  Frederic P. Miller,et al.  IPCC fourth assessment report , 2009 .