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Decarbonizing university campuses through the production of biogas from food waste: An LCA analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Zhou, Hewen
  • Yang, Qing
  • Gul, Eid
  • Shi, Mengmeng
  • Li, Jiashuo
  • Yang, Minjiao
  • Yang, Haiping
  • Chen, Bin
  • Zhao, Haibo
  • Yan, Yunjun
  • Erdoğan, Güneş
  • Bartocci, Pietro
  • Fantozzi, Francesco

Abstract

The amount of food waste production in China catering industry is approximately 17–18 Mt per year. This sector accounts for about 20% of the total food losses in China. China's National Development and Reform commission has ratified 100 pilot cities in five batches to implement food waste treatment projects. Almost the 80% of these projects is based on anaerobic digestion. So, it is very important to understand clearly which is the environmental impact of these new bioenergy, or waste to energy, chains (especially at a small scale). For this reason, a Life Cycle Assessment case study is presented in this work, based on an anaerobic digestion plant, fed with the non edible food waste produced by 29 canteens, which operate inside the campus of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). The analyzed impacts are: Climate Change, Acidification, Eutrophication, and Photochemical Oxidation. The functional unit is represented by 1 kWh of produced electricity. This work demonstrates that small scale biogas plants can be realized inside big Chinese University campuses and can efficiently reduce the environmental impact of food waste management, especially if the pyrolysis process is coupled to dispose the digestate.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhou, Hewen & Yang, Qing & Gul, Eid & Shi, Mengmeng & Li, Jiashuo & Yang, Minjiao & Yang, Haiping & Chen, Bin & Zhao, Haibo & Yan, Yunjun & Erdoğan, Güneş & Bartocci, Pietro & Fantozzi, Francesco, 2021. "Decarbonizing university campuses through the production of biogas from food waste: An LCA analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 565-578.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:176:y:2021:i:c:p:565-578
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.05.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Amit Kumar Jaglan & Venkata Ravi Sankar Cheela & Mansi Vinaik & Brajesh Dubey, 2022. "Environmental Impact Evaluation of University Integrated Waste Management System in India Using Life Cycle Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Izabela Samson-Bręk & Marlena Owczuk & Anna Matuszewska & Krzysztof Biernat, 2022. "Environmental Assessment of the Life Cycle of Electricity Generation from Biogas in Polish Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-22, August.
    4. Walter Leal Filho & Priscilla Cristina Cabral Ribeiro & Andréia Faraoni Freitas Setti & Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam & Ismaila Rimi Abubakar & Julen Castillo-Apraiz & Unai Tamayo & Pinar Gokcin Özuyar, 2024. "Toward food waste reduction at universities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(7), pages 16585-16606, July.
    5. González, Ruben & García-Cascallana, José & Gómez, Xiomar, 2023. "Energetic valorization of biogas. A comparison between centralized and decentralized approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    6. Chen, Minzi & Zhang, Shuping & Su, Yinhai & Niu, Xin & Zhu, Shuguang & Liu, Xinzhi, 2022. "Catalytic co-pyrolysis of food waste digestate and corn husk with CaO catalyst for upgrading bio-oil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 105-114.
    7. Tian, Xueyu & Zhou, Yilun & Morris, Brianna & You, Fengqi, 2022. "Sustainable design of Cornell University campus energy systems toward climate neutrality and 100% renewables," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    8. Zhang, Qifan & Wang, Shiya & Sun, Hangyu & Arhin, Samuel Gyebi & Yang, Ziyi & Liu, Guangqing & Tong, Yen Wah & Tian, Hailin & Wang, Wen, 2024. "Anaerobic digestion + pyrolysis integrated system for food waste treatment achieving both environmental and economic benefits," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    9. D'Aquino, Camila A. & Santos, Samantha C. & Sauer, Ildo L., 2022. "Biogas as an alternative source of decentralized bioelectricity for large waste producers: An assessment framework at the University of São Paulo," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PD).
    10. Hollas, C.E. & Bolsan, A.C. & Chini, A. & Venturin, B. & Bonassa, G. & Cândido, D. & Antes, F.G. & Steinmetz, R.L.R. & Prado, N.V. & Kunz, A., 2021. "Effects of swine manure storage time on solid-liquid separation and biogas production: A life-cycle assessment approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).

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    Keywords

    LCA; Logistics; Food waste; GHG; Biogas; CHP;
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