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Assessing the sustainability of biofuels: A logic-based model

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  • Gnansounou, Edgard

Abstract

Over the last decade, the production and consumption of biofuels increased rapidly worldwide, in an attempt to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, diversify transportation fuels, promote renewable energy, and create or maintain employment, especially in rural areas and developing countries. Although policy instruments being currently implemented in industrialized regions focus on sustainable biofuels, the definition and assessment of sustainability remains a highly debated issue. Several countries have adopted compulsory targets or financial incentives for promoting biofuels, and only a few countries have accounted for sustainability certification schemes for those biofuels within their policy framework. In this paper, a logic-based model for assessing the sustainability of biofuels is presented. The model uses a hierarchical structure to link multiple factors from the more specific variables to the most general one, sustainability performance. The strengths and limitations of the model are discussed and the anticipated improvements are provided.

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  • Gnansounou, Edgard, 2011. "Assessing the sustainability of biofuels: A logic-based model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 2089-2096.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:36:y:2011:i:4:p:2089-2096
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2010.04.027
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    2. da Silva César, Aldara & Conejero, Marco Antonio & Barros Ribeiro, Eliene Cristina & Batalha, Mário Otávio, 2019. "Competitiveness analysis of “social soybeans” in biodiesel production in Brazil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 1147-1157.
    3. Pena-Levano, L. & Taheripour, F. & Tyner, W., 2018. "Cost comparison of climate change mitigation options," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277417, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. César, Aldara da Silva & Batalha, Mário Otávio & Zopelari, André Luiz Miranda Silva, 2013. "Oil palm biodiesel: Brazil's main challenges," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 485-491.
    5. Baudry, Gino & Macharis, Cathy & Vallée, Thomas, 2018. "Can microalgae biodiesel contribute to achieve the sustainability objectives in the transport sector in France by 2030? A comparison between first, second and third generation biofuels though a range-," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 1032-1046.
    6. Baudry, Gino & Delrue, Florian & Legrand, Jack & Pruvost, Jérémy & Vallée, Thomas, 2017. "The challenge of measuring biofuel sustainability: A stakeholder-driven approach applied to the French case," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 933-947.
    7. Parisa Rafiaani & Zoumpolia Dikopoulou & Miet Dael & Tom Kuppens & Hossein Azadi & Philippe Lebailly & Steven Passel, 2020. "Identifying Social Indicators for Sustainability Assessment of CCU Technologies: A Modified Multi-criteria Decision Making," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(1), pages 15-44, January.
    8. Heyne, Stefan & Harvey, Simon, 2013. "Assessment of the energy and economic performance of second generation biofuel production processes using energy market scenarios," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 203-212.
    9. Mendiburu, Andrés Z. & Lauermann, Carlos H. & Hayashi, Thamy C. & Mariños, Diego J. & Rodrigues da Costa, Roberto Berlini & Coronado, Christian J.R. & Roberts, Justo J. & de Carvalho, João A., 2022. "Ethanol as a renewable biofuel: Combustion characteristics and application in engines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    10. García, Carlos A. & Manzini, Fabio & Islas, Jorge M., 2017. "Sustainability assessment of ethanol production from two crops in Mexico," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1199-1207.
    11. Ziolkowska, Jadwiga R., 2014. "Optimizing biofuels production in an uncertain decision environment: Conventional vs. advanced technologies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 366-376.
    12. César, Aldara da Silva & Batalha, Mário Otávio, 2013. "Brazilian biodiesel: The case of the palm's social projects," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 165-174.
    13. Trumbo, Jennifer L. & Tonn, Bruce E., 2016. "Biofuels: A sustainable choice for the United States' energy future?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 147-161.
    14. Ren, Jingzheng & Dong, Liang & Sun, Lu & Evan Goodsite, Michael & Dong, Lichun & Luo, Xiao & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2015. "“Supply push” or “demand pull?”: Strategic recommendations for the responsible development of biofuel in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 382-392.

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