Life Cycle Environmental Assessment of Energy Valorization of the Residual Agro-Food Industry

Maria Anna Cusenza, Maurizio Cellura, Francesco Guarino and Sonia Longo
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Maria Anna Cusenza: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Maurizio Cellura: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Francesco Guarino: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Sonia Longo: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.9, 90128 Palermo, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-16

Abstract: This study assesses the potential environmental impacts related to the energy valorization of agro-food industry waste thought the Life Cycle Assessment methodology (ISO 14040). The system examined consists of a real anaerobic digester coupled with a combined anaerobic digester and heat and power plant (AD-CHP) operating in Sicily. The analysis accounts for all the impacts occurring from the delivery of the biomass to the AD-CHP plant up to the electricity generation in the CHP. The main outcomes of the study include the eco-profile of the energy system providing electricity and the assessment of the contribution of each life cycle phase aimed at identifying the potential improvement area. The obtained results highlight that the direct emissions associated with the biogas combustion process in the CHP account for 66% of the impact on climate change, and feedstock transport contributes 64% to the impact on mineral, fossil fuels, and renewable depletion. The contribution to the impacts caused by the electricity consumption is relevant in many of the environmental categories examined. It ranges from a minimum of about 22% for climate change up to 82% for freshwater ecotoxicity. Then actions aimed at reducing electricity consumption can significantly improve the environmental performances of the energy system examined.

Keywords: residual biomass; energy valorization; life cycle assessment; environmental sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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