Life Cycle Assessment of Biomethane vs. Fossil Methane Production and Supply

Alessia Amato (), Konstantina Tsigkou, Alessandro Becci, Francesca Beolchini, Nicolò M. Ippolito and Francesco Ferella
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Alessia Amato: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Konstantina Tsigkou: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 1 Karatheodori Str., University Campus, 26500 Patras, Greece
Alessandro Becci: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Francesca Beolchini: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Nicolò M. Ippolito: Department of Industrial and Computer Engineering and Economics, P.le E. Pontieri 1, Monteluco di Roio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Francesco Ferella: Department of Industrial and Computer Engineering and Economics, P.le E. Pontieri 1, Monteluco di Roio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: Considering the current geopolitical situation that has hindered the gas supply gas from Russia, Europe’s main supplier, it is necessary to find alternative routes to guarantee the Italian gas stocks in winter at a reasonable cost. Such energetic strategies should consider the environmental sustainability of the different available options, fitting the targets of the EU environmental policy. With the aim of supplying a quantitative tool to support the European green transition, this paper reports the entire life cycle assessment (LCA) of three different options for the production and supply of natural gas/methane in Italy: the production of biomethane from biogas (considering a real-scale plant in Italy), the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplied by Qatar by vessel, and the use of compressed gas delivered from Algeria via pipeline. The application of the LCA standardized method allowed for the quantification of the environmental benefit provided by the first option, against all the considered impact categories, thanks to a combination of several advantages: (a) its low-impact anaerobic production, (b) its exploitation of a waste product from the food/agriculture industries, and (c) its production of valuable by-products, which can be considered environmental credits. The results proved the possible environmental gain resulting from an integrated energy supply system that would be able to enhance the economic fabric of specific areas.

Keywords: LCA; biogas; biomethane; LNG; natural gas; circular economy; environmental footprint (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: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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