Life cycle comparisons for ethanol from grass

1
Bioenergy for Europe Which ones fit best? A
Comparative Analysis for the Community
       Flow Charts of the Life Cycles under
Study   Prepared by BLT     The Research
Group BLT Bundesanstalt für Landtechnik
(Austria) CLM Centrum voor Landbouw en Milieu
(Netherlands) CRES Centre for Renewable Energy
Sources (Greece) CTI Comitato Thermotecnico
Italiano (Italy) FAL Eidgenössische
Forschungsanstalt für Agrarökologie und Landbau
(Switzerland) FAT Eidgenössische
Forschungsanstalt für Agrarwirtschaft und
Landtechnik (Switzerland) IFEU Institut für
Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg
(Germany) Project Co-ordinator INRA Institut
National de la Recherche Agronomique (France)
TUD Technical University of Denmark (Denmark)
    Research funded in part by The European
Commission in the framework of the FAIR V
Programme Contract CT 98 3832
2
    Contents   Flow charts of the life cycle
comparisons   Triticale versus hard coal for
power production RME versus diesel fuel for
transportation SME versus diesel fuel for
transportation ETBE versus MTBE for
transportation Miscanthus versus light oil and
natural gas for district heat production Willow
versus light oil and natural gas for district
heat production Traditional fire wood versus
light oil and natural gas for residential heat
production Biogas versus natural gas for
combined heat and power production Wheat straw
versus light oil and natural gas for district
heat production Hemp versus hard coal for power
production      
3
Life cycle comparisons for electricity from
triticale
Heavy metal deposition
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Field preparation
Seed
Area
Area
Sowing
Seed

Field preparation
Machines
Fertilising
Manure
Sowing
Energy
Harvest
Mineral fertiliser
Mulching
Buildings
Area
Baling net
Area
Environmental interventions
Transport
Machines
Storing
Energy
Transport
Buildings
Heating oil or natural gas production and
consumption
Combustion
Heat
Ash disposal
Environmental interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Elementary flow
Reference
Sub-system
Output
Product not under study
4
Life cycle comparisons for electricity from
triticale
Description of the product system -triticale is
grown in good agricultural practice, no pest
management is applied - the whole crop is cut
with a double knife mower and dried on the
field -the biomass is pressed into large
rectangular bales and transported to the farm -
storage for 6 months in a barn without additional
drying - transport to the combustion plant with a
lorry - combustion and dumping of the
ash Description of the agricultural reference
system -field preparation and sowing of various
grass species for covering the soil - the plant
cover is mulched once
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of hard coal
-transportation of coal to the power plant
-combustion
5
Life cycle comparison for FAME from rape seed
Heavy metal deposition
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Field preparation
Seed
Area
Sowing
Area
Seed
Fertilising

Manure
Field preparation
Machines
Pest Management
Mineral fertiliser
Sowing
Energy
Straw incorporation
Pesticides
Harvest
Mulching
Buildings
Machines
Area
Transport
Diesel and other energy carriers
Area
Drying Storing
Environmental interventions
Pressing and Extracting
Rape meal
Hexane
Hexane
Water and Chemicals
Pre-refining
P-fertiliser
Production of mineral fertiliser
Potassium hydroxid
Transesterification
Methanol
Storing
Glycerine
Production of synthetic glycerine
Phosphoric acid
Transport
Diesel production and consumption
Mechanical work
Combustion
Buildings
Environmental interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Elementary flow
Product not under study
Reference
Sub-system
Output
Substitution
6
Life cycle comparison for FAME from rape seed
Description of the product system - rape seed is
grown in good agricultural practice, only the
seeds are harvested - transport to an interim
store by lorry - drying and storing in a
ventilated store for 6 months - transport to the
oil mill with a lorry - pressing and solvent
extraction of oil - partly refining of oil, the
meal (including the lecithin fraction) is used as
animal feed the substituted system is
production and transportation of soja wholemeal
from Brasilia -transesterification of rape oil to
fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) - the purified
glycerine (90-93) and P-fertiliser are sold (but
not considered in this LCA) -transport of FAME to
fuel stations -combustion in diesel
engine Description of the agricultural reference
system -field preparation and sowing of various
grass species for covering the soil - the plant
cover is mulched
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of of crude oil
-transportation of crude oil to oil refinery
by pipeline and tanker -refining of crude oil to
diesel fuel - transport of diesel to fuel
stations by lorry (distance 250 km) -combustion
of diesel in engine
7
Life cycle comparison for FAME from sunflower
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Field preparation
Heavy metal deposition
Area
Nitrogen Deposition
Sowing
Seed
Seed
Fertilising
Area
Manure
Pest Management

Mineral fertiliser
Field preparation
Machines
Straw incorporation
Pesticides
Harvest
Sowing
Energy
Machines
Area
Transport
Mulching
Buildings
Drying Storing
Diesel and other energy carriers
Area
Dehulling
Combustion
Environmental interventions
Hexane
Pressing and Extracting
Meal
Lecithin
Hexane
Water and Chemicals
Pre-refining
P-fertiliser
Production of mineral fertiliser
Potassium hydroxid
Transesterification
Methanol
Glycerine
Production of synthetic glycerine
Storing
Phosphoric acid
Transport
Diesel production and consumption
Mechanical work
Combustion
Buildings
Environmental interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Elementary flow
Product not under study
Reference
Sub-system
Substitution
Output
8
Life cycle comparison for FAME from sunflower
Description of the product system - sunflower is
grown in good agricultural practice, only the
kernels are harvested - transport to an interim
store by lorry - storing in a ventilated store
for 6 months - transport to the oil mill with a
lorry - dehulling of kernels, the hulls are used
for electricity generation in plant - partly
refining of oil, the meal (including the lecithin
fraction) is used as animal feed, the substituted
system is production and transportation of soja
wholemeal from Brasilia -transesterification of
oil to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) - the
purified glycerine (90-93) and P-fertiliser are
sold (but not considered in this LCA) -transport
of FAME to fuel stations -combustion in diesel
engine Description of the agricultural reference
system -field preparation and sowing of various
grass species for covering the soil - the plant
cover is mulched
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of of crude oil
-transportation of crude oil to oil refinery
by pipeline and tanker -refining of crude oil to
diesel fuel - transport of diesel to fuel
stations by lorry (distance 250 km) -combustion
of diesel in engine
9
Heavy metal deposition
Life cycle comparison for ETBE from sugar beet
Nitrogen Deposition
Heavy metal deposition
Field preparation
Area
Nitrogen Deposition
Seed
Sowing
Seed
Manure
Fertilising
Area
Mineral fertiliser
Pest Management

Pesticides
Area
Field preparation
Harvest
Machines
Machines
Sowing
Transport
Energy
Storing
Energy carriers
Mulching
Buildings
pulp
Slicing /Extraction
Water
stillage
Area
Environmental interventions
Fermentation
lees
Distillation
vinasse
Transport
Storing
C4 Hydrocarbons
ETBE production
Ethanol
ETBE refining
C4 Hydrocarbons
Environmental interventions
Blending/Storing
Transport
MTBE production and consumption
Mechanical work
Combustion
Buildings
Product system
Process
Input
Elementary flow
Product not under study
Reference
Sub-system
Output
Substitution
10
Life cycle comparison for ETBE from sugar beet
Description of the product system - sugar beets
are grown and harvested in good agricultural
practice - transport to the ethanol facility by
train -slicing of beets and extraction of sugar -
fermentation of sugar to ethanol - distillation
and dehydration of ethanol, vinasse is sold as
animal feed -transport of ethanol to ETBE plant
by tank lorry -production and refining of ETBE
-blending to gasoline and transport to fuel
stations -combustion in engine Description of
the agricultural reference system -field
preparation and sowing of various grass species
for covering the soil - the plant cover is
mulched once
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of natural gas and crude
oil -transportation of crude oil and natural
gas to oil refinery by pipeline and/or
tanker -production of methanol from natural gas -
production of C4 hydrocarbons from petroleum
production - production and refining of
MTBE -blending to gasoline and transport to fuel
stations -combustion in engine
11
Life cycle comparisons for district heat from
Miscanthus
Heavy metal deposition
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Production of plantlets
Nitrogen Deposition
Field preparation
Seed
Area
Area
Planting

Field preparation
Machines
Weed control
Herbicides
Sowing
Energy
Fertilising
Manure
Mulching
Buildings
Harvest
Mineral fertiliser
Area
Area
Transport
Machines
Environmental interventions
Energy
Storing
Heating oil / natural gas production and
consumption
Combustion
Heat
Ash disposal
Environmental interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Elementary flow
Reference
Sub-system
Output
Product not under study
12
Life cycle comparisons for district heat from
Miscanthus
Description of the product system -plantlets are
produced in nursery fields - Miscanthus is grown
in good agricultural practice for 16 years, weed
control is only needed in the first year,
fertilisation starts in the second year - the
whole crop is harvested each winter from the
second year onwards by chopping - transport to
the combustion plant with a lorry - combustion
and landfilling of the ash - after 16 years, the
stand is ploughed up Description of the
agricultural reference system -field preparation
and sowing of various grass species for covering
the soil in the first year - the plant cover is
mulched once a year
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of of crude oil
-transportation of crude oil to oil refinery
by pipeline and tanker -refining of crude oil to
heating oil - transport of heating oil to end
user by lorry (distance 250 km) -combustion of
heating oil in small scale residential heating
systems
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of natural gas -transport
of compressed natural gas by pipeline -processing
of natural gas and distribution to end user by
gas main -combustion of natural gas in small
scale residential heating systems
13
Life cycle comparisons for district heat from
short rotation forestry
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Production of plantlets
Heavy metal deposition
Field preparation
Area
Nitrogen Deposition
Seed
Planting
Area
Weed control
Herbicides

Field preparation
Machines
Fertilising
Mineral fertiliser
Sowing
Energy
Harvest incl. Chopping
Manure
Mulching
Buildings
Area
Transport
Machines
Area
Environmental interventions
Storing
Energy
Heating oil / natural gas production and
consumption
Combustion
Heat
Ash disposal
Environmental interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Elementary flow
Reference
Sub-system
Output
Product not under study
14
Life cycle comparisons for district heat from
short rotation forestry
Description of the product system -stem cuttings
for planting are produced in specific
plantations - Willow is grown in good
agricultural practice for 20 years, weed control
is only needed in the two years, fertilisation
starts in the second year - the whole crop is
harvested every 5 years by chopping - transport
of the chopped biomass to the combustion plant
with a lorry - combustion and landfilling of the
ash -after 20 years, the stand is cleared
Description of the agricultural reference
system - field preparation and sowing of various
grass species for covering the soil in the first
year - the plant cover is mulched once a year
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of of crude oil
-transportation of crude oil to oil refinery
by pipeline and tanker -refining of crude oil to
heating oil - transport of heating oil to end
user by lorry (distance 250 km) -combustion of
heating oil in small scale residential heating
systems
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of natural gas -transport
of compressed natural gas by pipeline -processing
of natural gas and distribution to end user by
gas main -combustion of natural gas in small
scale residential heating systems
15
Life cycle comparison for heat from hardwood
Recreation, protection conservation
Recreation, protection conservation
Forest establishment and maintainance
Forest establishment and maintainance
Seedlings
Felling and debranching
Felling and debranching
Machines
Machines
Energy
Forwarding
Natural decay
Forest residues
Forest residues
Energy
Buildings
Cutting
Environmental interventions
Buildings
Storing
Wood for construction
Wood for construction
Transport
Storing
Heating oil / natural gas production and
consumption
Combustion
Heat
Ash disposal
Environmental interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Product not under study
Reference
Output
16
Life cycle comparison for heat from hardwood
Description of the product system -The main
functions of the forest are recreation for
humans, wildlife conservation, protection against
avalanches and erosion and provision of
construction wood. These functions are performed
in the same way both in the product system and
the reference system. This justifies that forest
establishment, forest maintenance, felling and
debranching are not studied. - after felling and
debranching in winter the firewood is forwarded
to forest roads or to the edge of the forest -
storage over the summer period for drying - the
wood is shortened with a cutter-splitter
machine - transport by lorry to households -
combustion in small scale residential heating
systems and dumping of the ash Description of
the agricultural reference system - The main
functions of the forest are recreation for
humans, wildlife conservation, protection against
avalanches and erosion and provision of
construction wood. These functions are performed
in the same way both in the product system and
the reference system. This justifies that forest
establishment, forest maintenance, felling and
debranching are not studied. - the wood is left
on the ground for natural decay
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of of crude oil
-transportation of crude oil to oil refinery
by pipeline and tanker -refining of crude oil to
heating oil - transport of heating oil to end
user by lorry (distance 250 km) -combustion of
heating oil in small scale residential heating
systems
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of natural gas -transport
of compressed natural gas by pipeline -processing
of natural gas and distribution to end user by
gas main -combustion of natural gas in small
scale residential heating systems
17
Life cycle comparison for electricity and heat
from liquid swine manure
Liquid manure
Machines
Liquid manure
Spraying on the field
Storage
Energy
Transport of manure back to the field
Mixing
Buildings
Transport to the field
Energy
Spraying on the field
Transport to the biogas plant
Storage
Environmental interventions
Mixing
Slurry
Fermentation
Environmental interventions
Biogas storage
Natural gas production and consumption
Heat
Electricity
CHP production
Product system
Process
Input
Reference
Output
Substitution
18
Life cycle comparison for electricity and heat
from liquid swine manure
Description of the product system -The function
of waste disposal is performed in the same way
both in the product system and the agricultural
reference system. This justifies that liquid
manure production, collecting and storing are not
studied. It is assumed that the manure properties
after biogas production are not the identical
with the properties of untreated liquid manure
and that the processes of transport and spraying
have to be studied. - transport to biogas plant
with tank lorry - the heat is used in the plant
for maintaining the fermentation - transport to
the field and spraying with tractor Description
of the reference system - The function of waste
disposal is performed in the same way both in the
product system and the agricultural reference
system. This justifies that liquid manure
production, collecting and storing are not
studied. It is assumed that the manure properties
after biogas production are not the identical
with the properties of untreated liquid manure
and that the processes of transport and spraying
have to be studied. - transport to the field 3 km
and spraying with tractor
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of natural gas -transport
of compressed natural gas by pipeline -processing
of natural gas and distribution to end user by
gas main -combustion of natural gas in small
scale residential heating systems
19
Life cycle comparison for district heat from
wheat straw
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Area
Seed
Area
Manure
Wheat growing
Wheat growing
Mineral fertiliser
Seed
Harvest
Grain
Pesticides
Grain
Harvest
Manure
Mineral fertiliser
Machines
Straw incorporation
Crop residues
Energy
Straw baling
Area
Pesticides
Baling net
Transport
Buildings
Production and application of mineral fertiliser
Machines
Area
Environmental interventions
Storing
Energy
Transport
Heating oil / natural gas production and
consumption
Buildings
Combustion
Heat
Ash disposal
Environmental interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Elementary flow
Product not under study
Reference
Substitution
Output
20
Life cycle comparison for district heat from
wheat straw
Description of the product system -The main
function of wheat cultivation is the production
of grain. This function is performed in the same
way both in the product system and the
agricultural reference system. This justifies
that wheat cultivation is not studied. - the
combined harvester leaves the straw in a row -
straw is pressed into large rectangular bales and
transported to the farm - storage for 6 months in
a barn - transport with a lorry to the combustion
plant - medium scale combustion and ash disposal
in landfill Description of the reference
system - The main function of wheat cultivation
is the production of grain. This function is
performed in the same way both in the product
system and the agricultural reference system.
This justifies that wheat cultivation is not
studied. - the straw is incorporated into the
soil
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of of crude oil
-transportation of crude oil to oil refinery
by pipeline and tanker -refining of crude oil to
heating oil - transport of heating oil to end
user by lorry (distance 250 km) -combustion of
heating oil in small scale residential heating
systems
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of natural gas -transport
of compressed natural gas by pipeline -processing
of natural gas and distribution to end user by
gas main -combustion of natural gas in small
scale residential heating systems
21
Life cycle comparison gasification of hemp
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Heavy metal deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Seed
Area
Field preparation
Area

Field preparation
Machines
Sowing
Seeds
Sowing
Energy
Fertilising
Mineral fertiliser
Mulching
Buildings
Harvest
Area
Area
Drying/chipping
Environmental Interventions
Baleing
Transport
Machines
Gasification and electricity generation
Energy
Electricity generated from oil or natural gas
Electricity
Buildings
Ash disposal
Environmental Interventions
Product system
Process
Input
Product not under study
Reference
Output
22
Life cycle comparison gasification of hemp
Description of the product system -hemp is grown
as summer crop in good agricultural practice, no
plant protection is performed - stems are
harvested with a double knife mower, dried in
swaths on the field and chipped - transport to
gasification plant (demonstration) by lorry -
drying and storing for 6 months in a ventilated
storeroom -gasification and electricity
generation in demonstration plant - dumping of
ash Description of the agricultural reference
system - field preparation and sowing of various
grass species for covering the soil - the plant
cover is mulched
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of crude oil -transport
to oil refinery by pipeline and tanker -refining
of crude oil - transport of fuel oil to power
station by pipeline or ship -combustion and
electricity generation
Description of the fossil reference
system -exploitation of natural gas -transport
of compressed natural gas to power station by
pipeline -combustion and electricity generation