Bioenergy Life Cycle Analysis

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is one of the most promising approaches for evaluating the sustainability of biofuels and for comparing bioenergy systems. Life Cycle Analysis is a multistage approach, which covers the full life cycle of a product. In the case of a grass biomethane system for example, the life cycle encompasses: production and transport of grass silage (sowing, fertilizing, harvesting, ensiling); production of biogas at the anaerobic digestion facility; cleaning and upgrading of biogas to biomethane; compression and gas grid injection; and use as a fuel. Life Cycle Analysis can also be used, for example, to help size and locate networks of distributed pretreatment sites for lignocellulosic bioresources, as well as centralised gasification-methanation-gas injection sites. The majority of bioenergy Life Cycle Analyses focus on life cycle calculation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Although the use of bioenergy may decrease GHG emissions, other detrimental environmental impacts, such as acidification, eutrophication, or land use change, may increase and are taken into account in the Life Cycle Analysis. Life Cycle Analysis studies support a more sustainable approach to the production of renewable gas and assists in Ireland’s compliance of set EU targets.