scholarly journals Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Miscanthus Crop for Sustainable Household Heating in Serbia

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milica Perić ◽  
Mirko Komatina ◽  
Dragi Antonijević ◽  
Branko Bugarski ◽  
Željko Dželetović
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Agricultural Machinery ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Miscanthus Giganteus ◽  
Combined Use ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Reduction Of Co2 ◽  
Family House

This paper investigates the environmental impacts and energy benefits of the cultivation of Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu.), in order to initiate its use in sustainable household heating in the Republic of Serbia. Based on the analysis of available data regarding the use of agricultural machinery in Serbia, a Miscanthus supply chain is constructed and examined in detail, scrutinizing all relevant operations—from planting of rhizomes to thermal energy production. Results of the life cycle assessment identify the briquetting process as the most environmentally burdensome operation due to high electricity consumption and low productivity. It is concluded that an average yield of 23.5 t dry matter (d.m.) year−1 obtained from 1 ha of chernozem soil would have energy output:energy input (EO:EI) ratio of 51:1, and would release 365.5 gigajoules (GJ) of heat during combustion in a boiler. With this amount of energy, around 383 m2 of a free-standing family house in Serbia can be heated annually. The same amount of energy is obtained by the combustion of 22 t of lignite or 23 t of wood logs. The substitution of lignite and wood with Miscanthus briquettes would lead to significant reduction of CO2 equivalents (eq), SO2 eq, P eq, N eq, 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4-DB) eq, Non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), PM10 eq and U235 eq emissions. This designates Miscanthus as a more sustainable energy solution for household heating. In instances where more modern agricultural machinery is used, emission reduction is higher, except for CO2 eq due to higher emission factors predicted for more powerful engines. Depending on Miscanthus’ annual yield, the replacement of set-aside land with Miscanthus plantations result in carbon (C) sequestration from 0.08 t C ha−1 year−1 to 0.91 t C ha−1 year−1. In a modern machinery scenario, C sequestration is only attainable when maximal Miscanthus yield is obtained. The combined use of machinery with different engine power is the best option for Miscanthus cultivation in Serbia.

Life cycle of self-propelled machinery with waste generation at its disposal

2020 ◽  
pp. 28-35
Author(s):  
Valeriy S. Gerasimov ◽  
Vladimir I. Ignatov ◽  
Konstantin G. Sovin
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
The State ◽  
Research Purpose ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
Agricultural Machinery ◽  
Resource Saving ◽  
Secondary Resources ◽  
Branch System ◽  
Additional Funding

According to forecasts for 2022, the number of self-propelled agricultural machinery that will fail will be about 100 thousand units. This will have a significant impact on the overall productivity in the field of agricultural production and will require additional financial costs for effective resource-saving environmental-oriented utilization of agricultural machinery with the maximum recovery of secondary resources in the processing of its components. (Research purpose) The research purpose is considering the main life cycles of machinery, including agricultural, and determining the possibility of obtaining secondary resources in the recycling of components of machinery and equipment. (Materials and methods) The authors found that the establishment of an industry-wide recycling system would allow the reuse of usable and recovered parts obtained from decommissioned equipment, as well as receive additional funding from the sale of secondary resources. The authors have found that for the functioning of the whole system, it is necessary to work with a large amount of data related to the ongoing recycling processes, as well as constantly monitor changes in the state and properties of materials. They also found that the maximum use of digital technology is the only way to combine all these requirements and make the system work. (Results and discussion) The article reviews the key points of the use of life cycle method for equipment, including agricultural, reviews the state of machine and tractor park of agro-industrial complex, shows the possibility of using resource-saving ecologically oriented branch system of recycling of agricultural machinery, as well as the movement of waste and material flows in the processing components of utilized machines. (Conclusion) The article presents recommendations on the possibility of efficient disposal of equipment, including agricultural, with the maximum recovery of secondary resources from recycled waste.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Cost Analysis of a Single-Family House in Sweden

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 215
Author(s):  
Bojana Petrović ◽  
Xingxing Zhang ◽  
Ola Eriksson ◽  
Marita Wallhagen
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Economic Parameters ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Family House ◽  
Replacement Operation

The objective of this paper was to explore long-term costs for a single-family house in Sweden during its entire lifetime. In order to estimate the total costs, considering construction, replacement, operation, and end-of-life costs over the long term, the life cycle cost (LCC) method was applied. Different cost solutions were analysed including various economic parameters in a sensitivity analysis. Economic parameters used in the analysis include various nominal discount rates (7%, 5%, and 3%), an inflation rate of 2%, and energy escalation rates (2–6%). The study includes two lifespans (100 and 50 years). The discounting scheme was used in the calculations. Additionally, carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions were considered and systematically analysed with costs. Findings show that when the discount rate is decreased from 7% to 3%, the total costs are increased significantly, by 44% for a 100-year lifespan, while for a 50 years lifespan the total costs show a minor increase by 18%. The construction costs represent a major part of total LCC, with labor costs making up half of them. Considering costs and emissions together, a full correlation was not found, while a partial relationship was investigated. Results can be useful for decision-makers in the building sector.

scholarly journals Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeit Haan Teow ◽  
Meng Teck Chong ◽  
Kah Chun Ho ◽  
Abdul Wahab Mohammad
Keyword(s):  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Palm Oil ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Sand Filters ◽  
Unit Operations ◽  
Filtration System ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Aerobically Digested

AbstractAiming to mitigate wastewater pollution arising from the palm oil industry, this university-industry research-and-development project focused on the integration of serial treatment processes, including the use of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), pre-treatment with sand filters and activated carbon filters, and membrane technology for aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment. To assess the potential of this sustainable alternative practice in the industry, the developed technology was demonstrated in a pilot-scale facility: four combinations (Combinations I to IV) of unit operations were developed in an integrated membrane-filtration system. Combination I includes a MBBR, pre-treatment unit comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters, ultrafiltration (UF) membrane, and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, while Combination II excludes MBBR, Combination III excludes UF membrane, and Combination IV excludes both MBBR and UF membrane. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate potential environmental impacts arising from each combination while achieving the goal of obtaining recycled and reusable water from the aerobically-digested POME treatment. It is reported that electricity consumption is the predominant factor contributing to most of those categories (50–77%) as the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides, and volatile mercury during the combustion of fossil fuels. Combination I in the integrated membrane-filtration system with all unit operations incurring high electricity consumption (52 MJ) contributed to the greatest environmental impact. Electricity consumption registers the highest impact towards all life cycle impact categories: 73% on climate change, 80% on terrestrial acidification, 51% on eutrophication, and 43% on human toxicity. Conversely, Combination IV is the most environmentally-friendly process, since it involves only two-unit operations – pre-treatment unit (comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters) and RO membrane unit – and thus incurs the least electricity consumption (41.6 MJ). The LCA offers insights into each combination of the operating process and facilitates both researchers and the industry towards sustainable production.

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF EFFICIENCY OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSE LIFE CYCLE/VIENBUČIŲ GYVENAMŲJŲ NAMŲ GYVAVIMO PROCESO EFEKTYVUMO ANALIZĖ

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 445-450
Author(s):  
Nerija Kvederytė
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Family House

Norint suprojektuoti ir įgyvendinti efektyvų vienbučio gyvenamojo namo gyvavimo procesą, būtina jo racionalumu rūpintis nuo poreikių ir tikslų nustatytno iki pastato naudojimo pabaigos. Kiekvienu pastato gyvavimo proceso etapu dalyvauja įvairios suinteresuotos grupės: užsakovai, projektuotojai, rangovai, statvbinių medžiagų bei gaminių gamintojai ir tiekėjai, naudotojai, pastatų priežiūros ir remonto organizacijos ir kt. Projektuojant pastato gyvavimo procesą ir priimant sprendimus, reikia atsižvelgti į šių suinteresuotų grupių interesus. Plėtojant kompleksinį požiūrį, vienbučio gyvenamojo namo gyvavimo proceso efektyvumas priklauso nuo kitų sistemos dalių konkrečiu momentu. Todėl vienbučio gyvenamojo namo gyvavimo procesas turi būti projektuojamas ir įgyvendinamas, atsižvelgiant į jo pagrindinius etapus, dalyvaujančių suinteresuotų grupių tikslus ir galimybes, įvertinant išorinę mikro- ir makrolygmens aplinką, t. y. į visus veiksnius, turinčius įtakos vienbučio gyvenamojo namo gyvavimo proceso efektyvumui. Straipsnyje pateikiamas vienbučių gvvenamųjų namų gyvavimo proceso efektyvumo kompleksinei analizei sukurtas teorinis modelis, kuriame įvairūs veiksniai ir aplinkybės aprašomi kriterijų rinkiniu. Remdamosi šiuo modeliu suinteresuotos grupės, rengiančios ir realizuojančios projektą, gali projektuoti alternatyvius vienbučio gyvenamojo namo gyvavimo proceso (įvairių sprendimų) variantus, juos įveitinti ir nustatyti racionaliausią: esamai situacijai rasti efektyvų sprendimą. Sprendimų variantiškumas padeda realiau ir racionaliau įvertinti pastato gyvavimo procesą ekonominiais, kokybiniais (architektūriniais, tūriniais, planiniais, estetiniais), teisiniais, techniniais, technologiniais ir kitais aspektais, suderinti suinteresuotų grupių interesus. Pagal pateiktą modelį sukurta ir sprendimų paramos sistema. Ši sistema pastato gyvavimo proceso dalyviams padeda sėkmingai siekti savo tikslų, didinti pastato gyvavimo proceso efektyvumą. Sprendimų paramos sistemoje taikomi pastato gyvavimo proceso daugiakriterinio alternatyviojo projektavimo ir daugiakriterinio įvertinimo metodai leidžia išspręsti siekiamų tikslų ir šiems tikslams įgvvendinti reikalingų išteklių optimizacijos uždavinį: išanalizavus galimus vienbučio gyvenamojo namo gyvavimo proceso variantus nustatomas racionaliausias šio proceso dalyvių (suinteresuotų grupių) siekiamų tikslų ir turimų galimvbių derinys.

Life Cycle Assessment of opencast lignite mining

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukasz Lelek ◽  
Joanna Kulczycka
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Underground Mining ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Calorific Value ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Lignite Mining

Abstract The life cycle phase of fossil fuel extraction is mainly considered in the LCA when evaluating the energy production processes. It is then only one of many unit processes, which contribute to the blurring of mining-relevant results. There are few items in the literature focusing exclusively on the lignite mining phase and analysing the specific mining conditions and associated environmental impacts. The article focuses on the LCA of lignite mining pro-cesses on the basis of data coming from a Polish mine. The technology for opencast lignite mining is noted for its high production efficiency, high level of recovery and lower risk as regards the safety of workers when compared with underground mining systems. However, the need to remove large amounts of overburden to uncover the deposit contributes to a much greater degradation of the landscape. Analysing the results obtained, several key (hot spot) elements of the lignite mining operations were distinguished for modelling the environmental impact, i.e.: calorific value, the amount of electricity consumption, the manner in which waste and overburden are managed. As a result there is a high sensitivity of the final indicator to changes in these impacts.

Energy and Economic Analysis for Greenhouse Envelope Design

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 1795-1810
Author(s):  
James Bambara ◽  
Andreas K. Athienitis
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
The North ◽  
North Wall

Abstract. The energy consumption of a building is significantly impacted by its envelope design, particularly for greenhouses where coverings typically provide high heat and daylight transmission. Energy and life cycle cost (LCC) analysis were used to identify the most cost-effective cladding design for a greenhouse located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (45.4° N) that employs supplemental lighting. The base case envelope design uses single glazing, whereas the two alternative designs consist of replacing the glass with twin-wall polycarbonate and adding foil-faced rigid insulation (permanent or movable) on the interior surface of the glass. All the alternative envelope designs increased electricity consumption for lighting and decreased heating energy use except when permanent or movable insulation was applied to the north wall and in the case of permanent insulation on the north wall plus polycarbonate on the east wall. This demonstrates how the use of reflective opaque insulation on the north wall can be beneficial for redirecting light onto the crops to achieve simultaneous reductions in electricity and heating energy costs. A maximum reduction in LCC of 5.5% (net savings of approximately $130,000) was achieved when permanent insulation was applied to the north and east walls plus polycarbonate on the west wall. This alternative envelope design increased electricity consumption for horticultural lighting by 4.3%, reduced heating energy use by 15.6%, and caused greenhouse gas emissions related to energy consumption to decrease by 14.7%. This analysis demonstrates how energy and economic analysis can be employed to determine the most suitable envelope design based on local climate and economic conditions. Keywords: Artificial lighting, Consistent daily light integral, Energy modeling, Envelope design, Greenhouse, Life cycle cost analysis, Light emitting diode, Local agriculture.

scholarly journals Environmental Life-Cycle Analysis of Hybrid Solar Photovoltaic/Thermal Systems for Use in Hong Kong

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tin-Tai Chow ◽  
Jie Ji
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Rectangular Channel ◽  
Good Alternative ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Payback Time ◽  
Channel Type

While sheet-and-tube absorber is generally recommended for flat-plate photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) collector design because of the simplicity and promising performance, the use of rectangular-channel absorber is also tested to be a good alternative. Before a new energy technology, like PV/T, is fully implemented, its environmental superiority over the competing options should be assessed, for instance, by evaluating its consumption levels throughout its production and service life. Although there have been a plenty of environmental life-cycle assessments on the domestic solar hot water systems and PV systems, the related works on hybrid solar PV/T systems have been very few. So far there is no reported work on the assessment of PV/T collector with channel-type absorber design. This paper reports an evaluation of the energy payback time and the greenhouse gas payback time of free-standing and building-integrated PV/T systems in Hong Kong. This is based on two case studies of PV/T collectors with modular channel-type aluminium absorbers. The results confirm the long-term environmental benefits of PV/T applications.

Assessing the environmental impact of the dairy processing industry in the Republic of Ireland

2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 396-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Finnegan ◽  
Jamie Goggins ◽  
Xinmin Zhan
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Dairy Products ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Impact Categories ◽  
Cumulative Energy ◽  
Republic Of Ireland ◽  
Eutrophication Potential ◽  
Environmental Impact Categories ◽  
The Republic

This Research Communication describes the methodology used and the subsequent results obtained for an assessment of the environmental impact associated with the manufacture of dairy products in the Republic of Ireland. As the Irish dairy industry changes and grows, it is necessary to have a benchmark of the environmental performance of the sector if it is to remain sustainable in the future. In order to estimate the environmental impact, life cycle assessment has been implemented, which has been structured in accordance with the International Organisation for Standardisation guidelines. In this study, the environmental impact categories assessed are terrestrial acidification potential, cumulative energy demand, freshwater eutrophication potential, global warming potential, marine eutrophication potential and water depletion. The main Irish dairy products have been compared across these environmental impact categories in order to derive meaningful results. It is identified that packaging materials, particularly for infant formula, and energy usage, across each of the life cycle stages, should be targeted as these are the most significant contributors to the overall environmental impact.

scholarly journals Solar Photo-Assisted Degradation of Bipyridinium Herbicides at Circumneutral pH: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach

Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 1117
Author(s):  
Alejandra Teutli-Sequeira ◽  
Ruben Vasquez-Medrano ◽  
Dorian Prato-Garcia ◽  
Jorge G. Ibanez
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Sensitivity Study ◽  
Fenton Process ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Energy Share ◽  
Circumneutral Ph

This study investigated the degradation of the herbicides diquat (DQ) and paraquat (PQ) by a solar photo-Fenton process that is mediated by Fe(III)-oxalate complexes at circumneutral pH = 6.5 in compound parabolic collectors (CPC)-type reactors. The photo-Fenton process operates efficiently at acidic pH; however, circumneutral operation was key to overcome drawbacks, such as acidification and neutralization steps, reagent costs, and the environmental footprint of chemical auxiliaries. This work revealed a remarkable reduction of total organic carbon for PQ (87%) and DQ (80%) after 300 min (at ca. 875 kJ L−1). Phytotoxicity assays confirmed that the treatment led to a considerable increase in the germination index for DQ (i.e., from 4.7% to 55.8%) and PQ (i.e., from 16.5% to 59.7%) using Cucumis sativus seeds. Importantly, treatment costs (DQ = USD$8.05 and PQ = USD$7.72) and the carbon footprint of the process (DQ = 7.37 and PQ = 6.29 kg CO2-Eqv/m3) were within the ranges that were reported for the treatment of recalcitrant substances at acidic conditions in CPC-type reactors. Life cycle assessment (LCA) evidenced that H2O2 and electricity consumption are the variables with the highest environmental impact because they contribute with ca. 70% of the carbon footprint of the process. Under the studied conditions, a further reduction in H2O2 use is counterproductive, because it could impact process performance and effluent quality. On the other hand, the main drawback of the process (i.e., energy consumption) can be reduced by using renewable energies. The sensitivity study evidenced that carbon footprint is dependent on the energy share of the local electricity mix; therefore, the use of more renewable electrical energy sources, such as wind-power and photovoltaic, can reduce greenhouse gases emissions of the process an average of 26.4% (DQ = 5.57 and PQ = 4.51 kg CO2-Eqv/m3) and 78.4% (DQ = 3.72 and PQ = 2.65 kg CO2-Eqv/m3), respectively. Finally, from the economic and environmental points of view, the experimental results evidenced that photo-assisted treatment at circumneutral pH is an efficient alternative to deal with quaternary bipyridinium compounds.

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