Towards Comparable Carbon Credits: Harmonization of LCA Models of Cellulosic Biofuels

Nariê Rinke Dias de Souza, Bruno Colling Klein, Mateus Ferreira Chagas, Otavio Cavalett and Antonio Bonomi
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Nariê Rinke Dias de Souza: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Campinas 13083-970, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Bruno Colling Klein: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Campinas 13083-970, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Mateus Ferreira Chagas: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Campinas 13083-970, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Otavio Cavalett: Bioenergy Program, School of Food Engineering (FEA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-862, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Antonio Bonomi: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR), Campinas 13083-970, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-17

Abstract: Decarbonization programs are being proposed worldwide to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation fuels, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) models or tools. Although such models are broadly accepted, varying results are often observed. This study describes similarities and differences of key decarbonization programs and their GHG calculators and compares established LCA models for assessing 2G ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstock. The selected LCA models were GHGenius, GREET, JRC’s model, and VSB, which originated calculators for British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Renewable Energy Directive, and RenovaBio, respectively. We performed a harmonization of the selected models by inserting data of one model into other ones to illustrate the possibility of obtaining similar results after a few harmonization steps and to determine which parameters have higher contribution to closing the gap between default results. Differences among 2G ethanol from wheat straw were limited to 0.1 gCO 2 eq. MJ ?1 , and discrepancies in emissions decreased by 95% and 78% for corn stover and forest residues, respectively. Better understanding of structure, calculation procedures, parameters, and methodological assumptions among the LCA models is a first step towards an improved harmonization that will allow a globally accepted and exchangeable carbon credit system to be created.

Keywords: 2G ethanol; LCA models; harmonization; comparative LCA; GHG emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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