A life cycle assessment of options for producing synthetic fuel via pyrolysis

D. N. Vienescu; J. Wang; A. Le-Gresley; Jonathan Nixon

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069

A life cycle assessment of options for producing synthetic fuel via pyrolysis

D. N. Vienescu, J. Wang, A. Le-Gresley, Jonathan Nixon

Kingston University

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62 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the sustainability of producing synthetic fuels from biomass using thermochemical processing and different upgrading pathways. Life cycle assessment (LCA) models consisting of biomass collection, transportation, pre-treatment, pyrolysis and upgrading stages were developed. To reveal the environmental impacts associated with greater post-processing to achieve higher quality fuels, six different bio-oil upgrading scenarios were analysed and included esterification, ketonisation, hydrotreating and hydrocracking. Furthermore, to take into account the possible ranges in LCA inventory data, expected, optimistic and pessimistic values for producing and upgrading pyrolysis oils were evaluated. We found that the expected carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be as high 6000 gCO2e/kg of upgraded fuel, which is greater than the emissions arising from the use of diesel fuel. Other environmental impacts occurring from the fuel production process are outlined, such as resource depletion, acidification and eutrophication.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	626-634
Journal	Bioresource Technology
Volume	249
Early online date	20 Oct 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069
Publication status	Published - Feb 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Statement: NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Bioresource Technology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Bioresource Technology, [(in press), (2017)] DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069

© 2017, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

Keywords

Biofuel
Environmental impact
Thermochemical conversion
Bio-oil upgrading
Global warming potential (GWP)
Life cycle assessment (LCA)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069

Post-PrintAccepted author manuscript, 1.56 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Jonathan Nixon
- Senior Research Management Group - Associate Director for Research and Engagement
Person: Teaching and Research

Cite this

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title = "A life cycle assessment of options for producing synthetic fuel via pyrolysis",

abstract = "The aim of this study was to investigate the sustainability of producing synthetic fuels from biomass using thermochemical processing and different upgrading pathways. Life cycle assessment (LCA) models consisting of biomass collection, transportation, pre-treatment, pyrolysis and upgrading stages were developed. To reveal the environmental impacts associated with greater post-processing to achieve higher quality fuels, six different bio-oil upgrading scenarios were analysed and included esterification, ketonisation, hydrotreating and hydrocracking. Furthermore, to take into account the possible ranges in LCA inventory data, expected, optimistic and pessimistic values for producing and upgrading pyrolysis oils were evaluated. We found that the expected carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be as high 6000 gCO2e/kg of upgraded fuel, which is greater than the emissions arising from the use of diesel fuel. Other environmental impacts occurring from the fuel production process are outlined, such as resource depletion, acidification and eutrophication.",

keywords = "Biofuel, Environmental impact, Thermochemical conversion, Bio-oil upgrading, Global warming potential (GWP), Life cycle assessment (LCA)",

author = "Vienescu, {D. N.} and J. Wang and A. Le-Gresley and Jonathan Nixon",

note = "Publisher Statement: NOTICE: this is the author{\textquoteright}s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Bioresource Technology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Bioresource Technology, [(in press), (2017)] DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069 {\textcopyright} 2017, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0",

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doi = "10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069",

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AU - Vienescu, D. N.

AU - Wang, J.

AU - Le-Gresley, A.

AU - Nixon, Jonathan

N1 - Publisher Statement: NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Bioresource Technology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Bioresource Technology, [(in press), (2017)] DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069 © 2017, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

PY - 2018/2

Y1 - 2018/2

N2 - The aim of this study was to investigate the sustainability of producing synthetic fuels from biomass using thermochemical processing and different upgrading pathways. Life cycle assessment (LCA) models consisting of biomass collection, transportation, pre-treatment, pyrolysis and upgrading stages were developed. To reveal the environmental impacts associated with greater post-processing to achieve higher quality fuels, six different bio-oil upgrading scenarios were analysed and included esterification, ketonisation, hydrotreating and hydrocracking. Furthermore, to take into account the possible ranges in LCA inventory data, expected, optimistic and pessimistic values for producing and upgrading pyrolysis oils were evaluated. We found that the expected carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be as high 6000 gCO2e/kg of upgraded fuel, which is greater than the emissions arising from the use of diesel fuel. Other environmental impacts occurring from the fuel production process are outlined, such as resource depletion, acidification and eutrophication.

AB - The aim of this study was to investigate the sustainability of producing synthetic fuels from biomass using thermochemical processing and different upgrading pathways. Life cycle assessment (LCA) models consisting of biomass collection, transportation, pre-treatment, pyrolysis and upgrading stages were developed. To reveal the environmental impacts associated with greater post-processing to achieve higher quality fuels, six different bio-oil upgrading scenarios were analysed and included esterification, ketonisation, hydrotreating and hydrocracking. Furthermore, to take into account the possible ranges in LCA inventory data, expected, optimistic and pessimistic values for producing and upgrading pyrolysis oils were evaluated. We found that the expected carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be as high 6000 gCO2e/kg of upgraded fuel, which is greater than the emissions arising from the use of diesel fuel. Other environmental impacts occurring from the fuel production process are outlined, such as resource depletion, acidification and eutrophication.

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KW - Thermochemical conversion

KW - Bio-oil upgrading

KW - Global warming potential (GWP)

KW - Life cycle assessment (LCA)

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DO - 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.069

M3 - Article

SN - 0960-8524

VL - 249

SP - 626

EP - 634

JO - Bioresource Technology

JF - Bioresource Technology

ER -

A life cycle assessment of options for producing synthetic fuel via pyrolysis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Jonathan Nixon

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