Life cycle analysis (LCA)

This paper investigates the sustainability of the Spanish electricity system under four different scenarios for 2030 and 2050 published by a reputable think tank assessing the Spanish Government. The analysis was performed using a life cycle approach and evaluates five sustainability indicators: overall carbon footprint, carbon footprint per MWh, overall economic costs, LCOE and job creation. The results evidence that the most ambitious scenarios (100 % share of renewables) produced the best results in terms of environmental and socio-economic performance (10-fold reduction of GHG emissions and 15-fold increment in employment compared to 2015) but involved higher costs (15 €/ MWh more expensive).

This study analyses how carbon footprints of electric vehicles (EVs) in China vary across regions and how they may evolve with power decarbonisation. It is understood that carbon footprints of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) depend largely on electricity mixes, but few studies have quantified their interregional divergence and future changes in China. Using THEMIS model as an integrated LCA framework, together with future electricity mixes from MESEIC, a cost optimisation model for the power sector, we calculate current and future carbon footprints of passenger vehicles in China. Results show that, carbon footprints of BEVs across all the 6 regions will drop from 265-419 gCO2e/km in 2017 to 116-383 gCO2e/km in 2050, or 141-266 gCO2e/km, with stringent carbon constraints applied to the power sector. The interregional divergence of BEV carbon footprints will shrink by 20% in the latter scenario. Under carbon constraints, BEV carbon footprints in East, Central, Northwest, and South will have their best-case reduction potentials, by 55%, 55%, 46%, and 5% respectively. Stringent carbon constraints lead to increased share of coal-based generation in North and Northeast, whose most favourable reduction potentials will be 42%, and 69%, respectively, when no carbon constraints exist.

Life Cycle Analysis modelling has been applied to an operational Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant, (utilising Cattle Slurry/Grass Silage), currently producing biogas for electricity and heat production, with digestate going to land-spreading. The aim of the research was to evaluate the environmental costs and benefits of coupling the existing plant with Gasification or Pyrolysis systems for the utilisation of digestate from the plant, producing either predominantly Syngas (Gasification) or Oils/Tars (Pyrolysis). Utilisation pathways evaluated as part of the research include the following: Gasification: Syngas to Methanation to Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG); and Pyrolysis: Syngas and bio-oil to dual-fuel electricity production. While the focus of the evaluation will be the potential GHG-eq emissions reductions achievable from the different processing and utilisation pathways, the full range of impact areas are included in the analysis. The analysis will include reflection on the challenges of applying LCA to complex biorefinery/bioenergy systems to inform future methodological developments and guidance.

The circular economy (CE), as opposed to the current linear economy, is seen as a sustainable economic system where the economic growth is decoupled from the resources use, through the reduction and recirculation of natural resources. In the shift towards the CE, quantifying the circularity of products and services (or their contribution to the CE) is crucial in designing policies and business strategies, and prioritizing sustainable solutions based on evidence. This study explores the role of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in assessing the circularity of products and services. A review was made on current LCA case studies assessing progress in the CE, attending to the following aspects: the goal of the studies, the modelling and allocation approaches, the assessment methods used, and their alignment with the CE goals. The results indicate that LCA is one of the most used and comprehensive tools to assess CE. However, the multifunctional and multidimensional nature of the CE strategies impose methodological challenges that are still not solved.

The USEtox model as one of LCIA models is an instrument to characterize the human toxicity impact. The model measures the intake of metals by population with meat products. The USEtox is the only model including geographical separation and wide database with organic and nonorganic chemicals. However, the USEtox does not provide any regional information, as ecological or geological specifications of areas included into the model. There is also a lack of data about metals concentrations in the database. Current investigation proposes an approach to reduce these limitations using results of bioindication studying– chemical composition of pork meat samples. Results of bioindication express assessing and forecasting changes in biotas under the anthropogenic influence locally in 3 settlements of “Central Asia” district. We extrapolate them into the USEtox model database, to extend it with concentrations of heavy metals Cr, Zn and As in the meat of pork. Characterization factor is proposed to assess their potential toxicity in soil and air in the region “Central Asia”.