Assessing the triple-bottom-line impacts of crop straw-based bio-natural gas production in China: An input‒output-based hybrid LCA model

Bio-natural gas (BNG) represents a viable alternative to traditional natural gas. To ensure its large-scale adoption, a comprehensive evaluation of its economic, social, and environmental impacts —commonly referred to as the triple bottom line (TBL) —is essential. This study employed a hybrid life-cycle assessment approach, integrating data from a representative straw-based BNG project in China with a 2018 input‒output table to quantify TBL impacts, including economic stimulus, job creation, and CO2 emissionsThe findings demonstrated that every million yuan of BNG production could drive 2.55 million yuan in economic output, create 1.91 full-time equivalent jobs, and reduce life-cycle CO2 emissions by 504.11 tonnes, highlighting its considerable overall benefits. Upstream sectors, particularly agriculture, electricity, and equipment manufacturing, emerged as major contributors to these impacts, emphasising the necessity for effective supply chain management. Sensitivity analysis revealed that anaerobic digestion efficiency, biogas purification performance, and feedstock transportation distances significantly affect the TBL outcomes, offering guidance for policies aimed at fostering the sustainable growth of the BNG sector. This study establishes a methodological framework for evaluating the TBL impacts in emerging industries and pinpoints key opportunities to enhance the sustainability of BNG production in China.