IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v14y2021i14p4219-d593318.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Time-Dependent Climate Impact of Utilizing Residual Biomass for Biofuels—The Combined Influence of Modelling Choices and Climate Impact Metrics

Author

Listed:
  • Johanna Olofsson

    (Environmental and Energy Systems Studies, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden)

Abstract

Understanding the influence of method choices on results in life-cycle assessments is essential to draw informed conclusions. As the climate impact of bioenergy remains a debated topic, the focus of this study is how the chosen temporal framing influences a comparison of the climate impact of utilizing residual biomass for biofuel production to that of leaving the biomass to decay. In order to compare the biofuel scenario to its corresponding reference scenario where biomass is left to decay, a variety of analytical approaches were used: using time-aggregated and time-dependent life-cycle inventories and climate-impact assessment methods, assuming biogenic carbon to be climate neutral or not, using metrics for cumulative or instantaneous climate impact, and with different time horizons. Two cases of residual biofuel feedstocks were assessed: logging residues from Norway spruce forest, and straw from wheat cultivation. Consideration of the studied method choices appears to be especially relevant for forest residual biomass, as illustrated by the ranges of parity times for logging residues (25 to 95 years), and the results which vary with the chosen climate-impact metric, time-horizon, and approach for including biogenic carbon. Illustrating the time-dependence of results can, in general, provide a better understanding of the climate impact of utilizing residual biomass for biofuels.

Suggested Citation

  • Johanna Olofsson, 2021. "Time-Dependent Climate Impact of Utilizing Residual Biomass for Biofuels—The Combined Influence of Modelling Choices and Climate Impact Metrics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:14:p:4219-:d:593318
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4219/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4219/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mikael Lantz & Thomas Prade & Serina Ahlgren & Lovisa Björnsson, 2018. "Biogas and Ethanol from Wheat Grain or Straw: Is There a Trade-Off between Climate Impact, Avoidance of iLUC and Production Cost?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-31, October.
    2. David Lazarevic & Michael Martin, 2018. "Life cycle assessment calculative practices in the Swedish biofuel sector: Governing biofuel sustainability by standards and numbers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1558-1568, December.
    3. Kim Pingoud & Tommi Ekholm & Ilkka Savolainen, 2012. "Global warming potential factors and warming payback time as climate indicators of forest biomass use," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 369-386, April.
    4. Ortiz, Carina A. & Liski, Jari & Gärdenäs, Annemieke I. & Lehtonen, Aleksi & Lundblad, Mattias & Stendahl, Johan & Ågren, Göran I. & Karltun, Erik, 2013. "Soil organic carbon stock changes in Swedish forest soils—A comparison of uncertainties and their sources through a national inventory and two simulation models," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 221-231.
    5. DeVynne Farquharson & Paulina Jaramillo & Greg Schivley & Kelly Klima & Derrick Carlson & Constantine Samaras, 2017. "Beyond Global Warming Potential: A Comparative Application of Climate Impact Metrics for the Life Cycle Assessment of Coal and Natural Gas Based Electricity," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(4), pages 857-873, August.
    6. Annie Levasseur & Pascal Lesage & Manuele Margni & Réjean Samson, 2013. "Biogenic Carbon and Temporary Storage Addressed with Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(1), pages 117-128, February.
    7. Gustavsson, Leif & Haus, Sylvia & Ortiz, Carina A. & Sathre, Roger & Truong, Nguyen Le, 2015. "Climate effects of bioenergy from forest residues in comparison to fossil energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 36-50.
    8. Searchinger, Timothy & Heimlich, Ralph & Houghton, R. A. & Dong, Fengxia & Elobeid, Amani & Fabiosa, Jacinto F. & Tokgoz, Simla & Hayes, Dermot J. & Yu, Hun-Hsiang, 2008. "Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12881, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    9. Rickard Arvidsson & Anne‐Marie Tillman & Björn A. Sandén & Matty Janssen & Anders Nordelöf & Duncan Kushnir & Sverker Molander, 2018. "Environmental Assessment of Emerging Technologies: Recommendations for Prospective LCA," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(6), pages 1286-1294, December.
    10. Cherubini, Francesco & Fuglestvedt, Jan & Gasser, Thomas & Reisinger, Andy & Cavalett, Otávio & Huijbregts, Mark A.J. & Johansson, Daniel J.A. & Jørgensen, Susanne V. & Raugei, Marco & Schivley, Greg , 2016. "Bridging the gap between impact assessment methods and climate science," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 129-140.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Barrios Latorre, Sergio Alejandro & Aronsson, Helena & Björnsson, Lovisa & Viketoft, Maria & Prade, Thomas, 2024. "Exploring the benefits of intermediate crops: Is it possible to offset soil organic carbon losses caused by crop residue removal?," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    2. Charisios Achillas & Dionysis Bochtis, 2021. "Supply Chain Management for Bioenergy and Bioresources: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-4, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Charles Breton & Pierre Blanchet & Ben Amor & Robert Beauregard & Wen-Shao Chang, 2018. "Assessing the Climate Change Impacts of Biogenic Carbon in Buildings: A Critical Review of Two Main Dynamic Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-30, June.
    2. Gustavsson, Leif & Haus, Sylvia & Lundblad, Mattias & Lundström, Anders & Ortiz, Carina A. & Sathre, Roger & Truong, Nguyen Le & Wikberg, Per-Erik, 2017. "Climate change effects of forestry and substitution of carbon-intensive materials and fossil fuels," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 612-624.
    3. Chih-Chun KUNG, 2018. "A dynamic framework of sustainable development in agriculture and bioenergy," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 64(10), pages 445-455.
    4. Xiaoyong CAO & Chih-Chun KUNG & Yuelong WANG, 2017. "An environmental and economic evaluation of carbon sequestration from pyrolysis and biochar application in China," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 63(12), pages 569-578.
    5. Shanshan Wang & Jiaxin Chen & Michael T. Ter‐Mikaelian & Annie Levasseur & Hongqiang Yang, 2022. "From carbon neutral to climate neutral: Dynamic life cycle assessment for wood‐based panels produced in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1437-1449, August.
    6. Koponen, Kati & Soimakallio, Sampo & Kline, Keith L. & Cowie, Annette & Brandão, Miguel, 2018. "Quantifying the climate effects of bioenergy – Choice of reference system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2271-2280.
    7. Acheampong, Michael & Ertem, Funda Cansu & Kappler, Benjamin & Neubauer, Peter, 2017. "In pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 7: Will biofuels be reliable?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 927-937.
    8. Albers, Ariane & Collet, Pierre & Lorne, Daphné & Benoist, Anthony & Hélias, Arnaud, 2019. "Coupling partial-equilibrium and dynamic biogenic carbon models to assess future transport scenarios in France," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 316-330.
    9. Repo, Anna & Ahtikoski, Anssi & Liski, Jari, 2015. "Cost of turning forest residue bioenergy to carbon neutral," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 12-21.
    10. Garcia, Rita & Freire, Fausto, 2017. "A review of fleet-based life-cycle approaches focusing on energy and environmental impacts of vehicles," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 935-945.
    11. Sathre, Roger & Gustavsson, Leif & Truong, Nguyen Le, 2017. "Climate effects of electricity production fuelled by coal, forest slash and municipal solid waste with and without carbon capture," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 711-723.
    12. Canabarro, N.I. & Silva-Ortiz, P. & Nogueira, L.A.H. & Cantarella, H. & Maciel-Filho, R. & Souza, G.M., 2023. "Sustainability assessment of ethanol and biodiesel production in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Guatemala," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    13. Baka, Jennifer & Roland-Holst, David, 2009. "Food or fuel? What European farmers can contribute to Europe's transport energy requirements and the Doha Round," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 2505-2513, July.
    14. Nguyen, Thu Lan T. & Hermansen, John E. & Mogensen, Lisbeth, 2010. "Fossil energy and GHG saving potentials of pig farming in the EU," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 2561-2571, May.
    15. Sarah Jansen & William Foster & Gustavo Anríquez & Jorge Ortega, 2021. "Understanding Farm-Level Incentives within the Bioeconomy Framework: Prices, Product Quality, Losses, and Bio-Based Alternatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    16. Argueyrolles, Robin & Delzeit, Ruth, 2022. "The interconnections between Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reforms and biofuels," Conference papers 333492, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    17. Aruga, Kentaka, 2011. "非遺伝子組換え大豆とエネルギーの価格関係について [Relationships among the Non-Genetically Modified Soybean and Energy Prices]," MPRA Paper 38186, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Aug 2011.
    18. Ribeiro, Lauro André & Silva, Patrícia Pereira da, 2013. "Surveying techno-economic indicators of microalgae biofuel technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 89-96.
    19. Gal Hochman & Chrysostomos Tabakis, 2020. "Biofuels and Their Potential in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-17, September.
    20. Mohlin, Kristina & Camuzeaux, Jonathan R. & Muller, Adrian & Schneider, Marius & Wagner, Gernot, 2018. "Factoring in the forgotten role of renewables in CO2 emission trends using decomposition analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 290-296.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:14:p:4219-:d:593318. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.