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Title
Assessment of sustainability based on LCA - Case of woody biomass
Authors
MARIA EMILIANA FORTUNA ISABELA MARIA SIMION AND MARIA GAVRILESCU
Published
Volume 46 Issue 7-8 September-October
Keywords
biomass, bioelectricity, biofuel, life cycle assessment, sustainability indicators
Abstract
Biomass represents both the dominant source of feedstock for biotechnological processes and the renewable
foreseeable sustainable source of organic fuels, chemicals, and other materials. In particular, woody biomass is one of
the most efficient sources for renewable energy on a large scale. Converting biomass to fuels, pulp and paper,
chemicals, power, and/or feed is essential to be analyzed in terms of economic viability, as well as environmental
friendliness. The benefits of using biomass as feedstock for bioenergy may include: the reduction of the use of nonrenewable fuels, less dependence on foreign fuels, stabilization of income in rural areas, and reduced carbon dioxide
emissions into the atmosphere.
Taking into account the current data in the literature and some Romanian practices, an analysis was developed
considering woody biomass use. The paper discusses some stages of the biomass life cycle: extraction of forestry
biomass–transport–biomass valorization. The way the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach was further applied to
assess the environmental impacts associated with the production of electricity and biofuels, starting from resource
extraction until the end-of-life, is addressed. LCA has been discussed in relation to the estimation of biomass
distribution on the land together with an evaluation of different chains, including harvesting, biomass transport, and
final utilization through combustion and biorefining. System boundaries address cradle-to-gate, gate-to-gate and cradleto-grave approaches.
The results of the analysis based on LCA allowed for the identification of some environmental indicators that make
sustainability criteria measurable, and also the assessment of the potential for sustainable valorization of biomass,
together with benefits and drawbacks from the economic, environmental and managerial points of view. The most
relevant indicator analyzed was the climate change potential, in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It was
found that woody biomass can often be associated with positive environmental impacts, since CO2 emissions have
biogenic character.
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