Biomass Residues to Renewable Energy: A Life Cycle Perspective Applied at a Local Scale

Esmeralda Neri, Daniele Cespi, Leonardo Setti, Erica Gombi, Elena Bernardi, Ivano Vassura and Fabrizio Passarini
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Esmeralda Neri: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Daniele Cespi: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Leonardo Setti: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Erica Gombi: Consorzio Azienda Multiservizi Intercomunale (Con.Ami), 40026 Imola, Italy
Elena Bernardi: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Ivano Vassura: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Fabrizio Passarini: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Italy, like every country member of the European Union (EU), will have to achieve the objectives required by the Energy Roadmap 2050. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the environmental impacts of residue recovery arising from the management of public and private green feedstocks, activity of the cooperative “Green City” in the Bologna district, and usage in a centralized heating system to produce thermal energy for public buildings. Results, obtained using the ReCipe impact assessment method, are compared with scores achieved by a traditional methane boiler. The study shows some advantages of the biomass-based system in terms of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions and consumption of non-renewable fuels, which affect climate change (?41%) and fossil resources depletion (?40%), compared to the use of natural gas (NG). Moreover, scores from network analysis denote the great contribution of feedstock transportation (98% of the cumulative impact). The main reason is attributable to all requirements to cover distances, in particular due to stages involved in the fuel supply chains. Therefore, it is clear that greater environmental benefits could be achieved by reducing supply transport distances or using more sustainable engines.

Keywords: life cycle assessment (LCA); thermal energy; recovery; energy efficient city; small community (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: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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