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Reference and functional unit can change bioenergy pathway choices

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment volume 19, pages 796–805 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to compare the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of two cellulosic bioenergy pathways (i.e., bioethanol and bioelectricity) using different references and functional units. It also aims to address uncertainties associated with a comparative life cycle analysis (LCA) for the two bioenergy pathways.

Methods

We develop a stochastic, comparative life cycle GHG analysis model for a switchgrass-based bioenergy system. Life cycle GHG offsets of the biofuel and bioelectricity pathways for cellulosic bioenergy are compared. The reference system for bioethanol is the equivalent amount of gasoline to provide the same transportation utility (e.g., vehicle driving for certain distance) as bioethanol does. We use multiple reference systems for bioelectricity, including the average US grid, regional grid in the USA according to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), and average coal-fired power generation, on the basis of providing the same transportation utility. The functional unit is one unit of energy content (MJ). GHG offsets of bioethanol and bioelectricity relative to reference systems are compared in both grams carbon dioxide equivalents per hectare of land per year (g CO2-eq/ha-yr) and grams carbon dioxide equivalents per vehicle kilometer traveled (g CO2-eq/km). For the latter, we include vehicle cycle to make the comparison meaningful. To address uncertainty and variability, we derive life cycle GHG emissions based on probability distributions of individual parameters representing various unit processes in the life cycle of bioenergy pathways.

Results and discussion

Our results show the choice of reference system and functional unit significantly changes the competition between switchgrass-based bioethanol and bioelectricity. In particular, our results show that the bioethanol pathway produces more life cycle GHG emissions than the bioelectricity pathway on a per unit energy content or a per unit area of crop land basis. However, the bioethanol pathway can offer more GHG offsets than the bioelectricity pathway on a per vehicle kilometer traveled basis when using bioethanol and bioelectricity for vehicle operation. Given the current energy mix of regional grids, bioethanol can potentially offset more GHG emissions than bioelectricity in all grid regions of the USA.

Conclusions

The reference and functional unit can change bioenergy pathway choices. The comparative LCA of bioenergy systems is most useful for decision support only when it is spatially explicit to address regional specifics and differences. The difference of GHG offsets from bioethanol and bioelectricity will change as the grid evolves. When the grids get cleaner over time, the favorability of bioethanol for GHG offsets increases.

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1132581. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. S.C. also thanks the support provided by the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan. S.L. thanks the support from the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1041, USA

    Sonika Choudhary, Sai Liang, Hua Cai, Gregory A. Keoleian, Shelie A. Miller, Jarod Kelly & Ming Xu

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2125, USA

    Hua Cai, Gregory A. Keoleian, Shelie A. Miller & Ming Xu

Authors
  1. Sonika Choudhary
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  2. Sai Liang
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  3. Hua Cai
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  4. Gregory A. Keoleian
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  5. Shelie A. Miller
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  6. Jarod Kelly
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  7. Ming Xu
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Correspondence to Ming Xu.

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Responsible editor: Thomas Koellner

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11367_2013_692_MOESM1_ESM.doc

Detailed description of methods, assumptions, and data, and supplementary figures and tables presenting the results of LCA and sensitivity analysis (DOC 588 kb).

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Choudhary, S., Liang, S., Cai, H. et al. Reference and functional unit can change bioenergy pathway choices. Int J Life Cycle Assess 19, 796–805 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-013-0692-z

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