IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i9p4918-d549048.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems

Author

Listed:
  • Mario Martín-Gamboa

    (Chemical and Environmental Engineering Group, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Móstoles, Spain)

  • Paula Quinteiro

    (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Ana Cláudia Dias

    (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Diego Iribarren

    (Systems Analysis Unit, IMDEA Energy, 28935 Móstoles, Spain)

Abstract

Biomass plays a fundamental role in numerous decarbonisation strategies that seek to mitigate the short- and long-term effects of climate change. Within this context, decision-makers’ choices need to comprehensively consider potential sustainability effects associated with bioenergy systems. In particular, due to the lack of studies addressing the social sustainability of bioelectricity, the present work applies the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) methodology to compare the social performance of two biomass-to-electricity systems located in Portugal based on either fluidised-bed or grate furnace technology. S-LCA involves a comprehensive approach for holistic evaluation and data interpretation of social aspects. Six social indicators were benchmarked: child labour, forced labour, gender wage gap, women in the sectoral labour force, health expenditure, and contribution to economic development. The results show that the implementation of fluidised-bed furnaces as a more efficient conversion technology could reduce by 15–19% the selected negative social impacts, except women in the sectoral labour force. When enlarging the interpretation to a sustainability perspective, the general suitability of the fluidised-bed furnace system would be further emphasised under environmental aspects while jointly providing valuable insights for informed decision-making and sustainability reporting.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario Martín-Gamboa & Paula Quinteiro & Ana Cláudia Dias & Diego Iribarren, 2021. "Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-15, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:9:p:4918-:d:549048
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4918/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4918/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mario Martín-Gamboa & Luis C. Dias & Paula Quinteiro & Fausto Freire & Luís Arroja & Ana Cláudia Dias, 2019. "Multi-Criteria and Life Cycle Assessment of Wood-Based Bioenergy Alternatives for Residential Heating: A Sustainability Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Muench, Stefan & Guenther, Edeltraud, 2013. "A systematic review of bioenergy life cycle assessments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 257-273.
    3. Shutaro Takeda & Alexander Ryota Keeley & Shigeki Sakurai & Shunsuke Managi & Catherine Benoît Norris, 2019. "Are Renewables as Friendly to Humans as to the Environment?: A Social Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Electricity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Patel, Madhumita & Zhang, Xiaolei & Kumar, Amit, 2016. "Techno-economic and life cycle assessment on lignocellulosic biomass thermochemical conversion technologies: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1486-1499.
    5. Tarelho, L.A.C. & Teixeira, E.R. & Silva, D.F.R. & Modolo, R.C.E. & Labrincha, J.A. & Rocha, F., 2015. "Characteristics of distinct ash flows in a biomass thermal power plant with bubbling fluidised bed combustor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(P1), pages 387-402.
    6. Akhil Kadiyala & Raghava Kommalapati & Ziaul Huque, 2016. "Evaluation of the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Different Biomass Feedstock Electricity Generation Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-12, November.
    7. Cholapat Jongdeepaisal & Seigo Nasu, 2018. "Economic Impact Evaluation of a Biomass Power Plant Using a Technical Coefficient Pre-Adjustment in Hybrid Input-Output Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-11, March.
    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. Aser Alaa Ahmed & Mohammad A. Nazzal & Basil M. Darras & Ibrahim M. Deiab, 2022. "A Comprehensive Sustainability Assessment of Battery Electric Vehicles, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles through a Comparative Circular Economy Assessment Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-25, December.
    2. Alessandro Arrigoni & Valeria Arosio & Andrea Basso Peressut & Saverio Latorrata & Giovanni Dotelli, 2022. "Greenhouse Gas Implications of Extending the Service Life of PEM Fuel Cells for Automotive Applications: A Life Cycle Assessment," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 4(1), pages 1-17, February.
    3. Michael Neidhardt & Jordi Mas-Peiro & Antonia Schneck & Josep O. Pou & Rafael Gonzalez-Olmos & Arno Kwade & Benedikt Schmuelling, 2022. "Automotive Electrification Challenges Shown by Real-World Driving Data and Lifecycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Georgios Archimidis Tsalidis & Maria Batsioula & George F. Banias & Evina Katsou, 2024. "A Review Analysis of Electricity Generation Studies with Social Life Cycle Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Juan Camilo Solarte-Toro & Carlos Ariel Cardona Alzate, 2023. "Sustainability of Biorefineries: Challenges and Perspectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-24, April.
    6. Allen Lemuel G. Lemence & Jordi Cravioto & Benjamin C. McLellan, 2024. "Review of Social Sustainability Assessments of Electricity Generating Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-37, December.
    7. Adrian Irimescu & Bianca Maria Vaglieco & Simona Silvia Merola & Vasco Zollo & Raffaele De Marinis, 2023. "Conversion of a Small-Size Passenger Car to Hydrogen Fueling: Evaluating the Risk of Backfire and the Correlation to Fuel System Requirements through 0D/1D Simulation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-13, May.
    8. Alexandros Kafetzis & Michael Bampaou & Giorgos Kardaras & Kyriakos Panopoulos, 2023. "Decarbonization of Former Lignite Regions with Renewable Hydrogen: The Western Macedonia Case," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-21, October.

    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. Eksi, Guner & Karaosmanoglu, Filiz, 2017. "Combined bioheat and biopower: A technology review and an assessment for Turkey," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 1313-1332.
    2. Claudiu Cicea & Corina Marinescu & Nicolae Pintilie, 2021. "New Methodological Approach for Performance Assessment in the Bioenergy Field," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Fan, Yee Van & Romanenko, Sergey & Gai, Limei & Kupressova, Ekaterina & Varbanov, Petar Sabev & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír, 2021. "Biomass integration for energy recovery and efficient use of resources: Tomsk Region," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    4. Aberilla, Jhud Mikhail & Gallego-Schmid, Alejandro & Azapagic, Adisa, 2019. "Environmental sustainability of small-scale biomass power technologies for agricultural communities in developing countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 493-506.
    5. Emblemsvåg, Jan, 2022. "Wind energy is not sustainable when balanced by fossil energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    6. Fanta Barry & Marie Sawadogo & Maïmouna Bologo (Traoré) & Igor W. K. Ouédraogo & Thomas Dogot, 2021. "Key Barriers to the Adoption of Biomass Gasification in Burkina Faso," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-14, June.
    7. Kumar, R. & Strezov, V., 2021. "Thermochemical production of bio-oil: A review of downstream processing technologies for bio-oil upgrading, production of hydrogen and high value-added products," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    8. Xuyao Zhang & Weimin Zhang & Dayu Xu, 2020. "Life Cycle Assessment of Complex Forestry Enterprise: A Case Study of a Forest–Fiberboard Integrated Enterprise," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-18, May.
    9. Hadi Karimi & Sandra D. Ekşioğlu & Michael Carbajales-Dale, 2021. "A biobjective chance constrained optimization model to evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of biopower supply chains," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 296(1), pages 95-130, January.
    10. Ghandehariun, Samane & Ghandehariun, Amir M. & Bahrami Ziabari, Nima, 2024. "Complementary assessment and design optimization of a hybrid renewable energy system integrated with open-loop pumped hydro energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    11. Valerii Havrysh & Antonina Kalinichenko & Edyta Szafranek & Vasyl Hruban, 2022. "Agricultural Land: Crop Production or Photovoltaic Power Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-23, April.
    12. Kis, Zoltán & Pandya, Nikul & Koppelaar, Rembrandt H.E.M., 2018. "Electricity generation technologies: Comparison of materials use, energy return on investment, jobs creation and CO2 emissions reduction," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 144-157.
    13. Nur Izzah Hamna A. Aziz & Marlia M. Hanafiah & Shabbir H. Gheewala & Haikal Ismail, 2020. "Bioenergy for a Cleaner Future: A Case Study of Sustainable Biogas Supply Chain in the Malaysian Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-24, April.
    14. Murillo Vetroni Barros & Cassiano Moro Piekarski & Antonio Carlos De Francisco, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation in Brazil: An Analysis of the 2016–2026 Period," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-14, June.
    15. Liu, Huacai & Huang, Yanqin & Yuan, Hongyou & Yin, Xiuli & Wu, Chuangzhi, 2018. "Life cycle assessment of biofuels in China: Status and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 301-322.
    16. Beims, R.F. & Simonato, C.L. & Wiggers, V.R., 2019. "Technology readiness level assessment of pyrolysis of trygliceride biomass to fuels and chemicals," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 521-529.
    17. Ren, Xueyong & Shanb Ghazani, Mohammad & Zhu, Hui & Ao, Wenya & Zhang, Han & Moreside, Emma & Zhu, Jinjiao & Yang, Pu & Zhong, Na & Bi, Xiaotao, 2022. "Challenges and opportunities in microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of biomass: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    18. Jelena Topić Božič & Urška Fric & Ante Čikić & Simon Muhič, 2024. "Life Cycle Assessment of Using Firewood and Wood Pellets in Slovenia as Two Primary Wood-Based Heating Systems and Their Environmental Impact," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-14, February.
    19. He, Jiaxin & Liu, Ying & Lin, Boqiang, 2018. "Should China support the development of biomass power generation?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 416-425.
    20. Rebolledo-Leiva, Ricardo & Moreira, María Teresa & González-García, Sara, 2023. "Progress of social assessment in the framework of bioeconomy under a life cycle perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).

    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:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:9:p:4918-:d:549048. 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.