Life Cycle Assessment of Wood Energy for Residential Heating

Life Cycle Assessment of Wood Energy for Residential Heating

Author: Allen M. Brackley

Publisher:

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 34

ISBN-13:

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Southeast Alaska is a remote area, located approximately 700 miles north of Seattle, Washington. Most of the region's goods are imported by barge, creating logistical and economic challenges not faced by many other parts of the United States. In this context, we used life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the potential environmental impact on global warming potential (GWP) of converting home heating systems from heating oil to wood pellets in southeast Alaska. Once the current level (status quo) was established, we evaluated imported pellet utilization at 20-, 40- and 100-percent penetration into the residential heating oil markets. We also modeled local production of wood pellets in southeast Alaska, assuming a 20-cercent penetration. Our research found that reductions in GWP resulting from the conversion to wood pellets ranged from 10 to 51 percent, with the greatest reductions being associated with the highest levels of imported pellets. The scenario of producing wood pellets in southeast Alaska to meet local needs had a reduction in GWP of 14 percent (versus the status quo).


Life Cycle Analysis of Residential Heating Alternatives for Fine Particulate Matter Reduction in Central and Southern Cities in Chile

Life Cycle Analysis of Residential Heating Alternatives for Fine Particulate Matter Reduction in Central and Southern Cities in Chile

Author: Selva Calixto

Publisher: GRIN Verlag

Published: 2022-06-13

Total Pages: 35

ISBN-13: 334666175X

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Master's Thesis from the year 2016 in the subject Environmental Sciences, grade: 3.8/4.0, Columbia Universität New York, language: English, abstract: The goal of this study was to compare the environmental impact of the current residential heating systems in Central and Southern cities in Chile, with alternative energy sources such as electricity, as well as the impact of a higher contribution of solar energy in the Central Interconnected System (SIC). A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was conducted in order to compare its environmental impact. The study is divided into 4 parts: Chapter 1 describes the goal and scope of the LCA, Chapters 2 and 3 provides information of the current electricity matrix in the locations where the study is developed, as well as the most common heating technologies. Chapters 4 and 5 describes the proposed scenarios and environmental impact results. Projections of economic growth in Chile in the following years involve higher energy demand and therefore, the need of an efficient energy supply in order to ensure both sustainable and economic growth. In that context, consumption of firewood represents an important role, considering the high availability of this energy source in Chile. In the entire country, the capacity of energy generation from biomass is estimated to be from 310 MW to 470 MW. The main use of firewood is for residential heating, however, firewood is associated not only with environmental issues, but also with public health problems. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) is an air pollutant that are two and one half microns or less in width, that is an issue when reaches high levels. These particles are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs, exposure to fine particles can produce asthma and hearth disease. Long term exposure to fine particulate matter could be related with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function and increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease. Other alternatives commonly used are liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric heaters, refined oil, etc. Data from the Ministry of the Environment (MMA) shows the low air quality of various cities in the Center and South of Chile.


Renewable Energy for Residential Heating and Cooling

Renewable Energy for Residential Heating and Cooling

Author: Iea-Retd

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-06-25

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 1136537112

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Heating and cooling represent significant energy loads around the world, with the associated high level of carbon emissions. Many countries have commitments in place to derive an increasing proportion of the energy they use for heating and cooling from renewable sources; some are seeing greater success than others in moving towards these targets. This best practices handbook from the International Energy Agency's Renewable Energy Technology Deployment (RETD) Implementing Agreement provides energy policymakers and professionals in the renewable energy industry with a practical, easy to use guide and toolkit to the most effective policy options for deploying renewable energy for heating and cooling in the residential sector. The book opens with a comparative review of renewable energy for heating and cooling policies in a broad range of IEA member countries in Europe, Asia and North America and then goes on to present the policy approaches of the individual countries and more detailed studies of specific programmes. The second part of the book presents readers with flowcharts which allow them to navigate directly to the best practices which are most relevant to their situation. Planning, design and implementation are all covered, each with examination of the possible barriers that may be faced and the most appropriate policy response used to date. pUlished with IEA-RETD.


Life-cycle Analysis of Energy Systems

Life-cycle Analysis of Energy Systems

Author: Bent Sørensen

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 347

ISBN-13: 1849731454

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This book describes the methodology of life-cycle analysis of new energy solutions and their applications in a climate impact context.


The Handbook of Biomass Combustion and Co-firing

The Handbook of Biomass Combustion and Co-firing

Author: Jaap Koppejan

Publisher: Earthscan

Published: 2012-05-16

Total Pages: 465

ISBN-13: 1849773041

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This unique handbook presents both the theory and application of biomass combustion and co-firing, from basic principles to industrial combustion and environmental impact, in a clear and comprehensive manner. It offers a solid grounding on biomass combustion, and advice on improving combustion systems.Written by leading international academics and industrial experts, and prepared under the auspices of the IEA Bioenergy Implementing Agreement, the handbook is an essential resource for anyone interested in biomass combustion and co-firing technologies varying from domestic woodstoves to utility-scale power generation. The book covers subjects including biomass fuel pre-treatment and logistics, modelling the combustion process and ash-related issues, as well as featuring an overview of the current R&D needs regarding biomass combustion.


Wood in Our Future: The Role of Life-Cycle Analysis

Wood in Our Future: The Role of Life-Cycle Analysis

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1997-04-28

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 0309174791

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The United States produces 25% of the world's wood output, and wood supports a major segment of the U.S. industrial base. Trees provide fiber, resins, oils, pulp, food, paper, pharmaceuticals, fuel, many products used in home construction, and numerous other products. The use of wood as a raw material must consider production efficiencies and natural resource conservation as well as efficient, profitable use of solid wood, its residues, and by-products. To better assess the use of wood as a raw material, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service asked the National Research Council's Board on Agriculture to bring together experts to review the analytical techniques used to follow the life-cycle of wood productionâ€"from tree to productâ€"and assess the environmental impacts. This resulting book provides a base of current knowledge, identifying what data are lacking, where future efforts should be focused, and what is known about the methodologies used to assess environmental impacts. The book also focuses on national and international efforts to develop integrated environmental, economic, and energy accounting methologies.


Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources

Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources

Author: Anoop Singh

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-09-02

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 1447153642

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Governments are setting challenging targets to increase the production of energy and transport fuel from sustainable sources. The emphasis is increasingly on renewable sources including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass based biofuel, photovoltaics or energy recovery from waste. What are the environmental consequences of adopting these other sources? How do these various sources compare to each other? Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources tries to answer these questions based on the universally adopted method of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This book introduces the concept and importance of LCA in the framework of renewable energy sources and discusses the key issues in conducting their LCA. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of LCA for some of the most common bioenergy sources such as agricultural production systems for biogas and bioethanol, biogas from grass, biodiesel from palm oil, biodiesel from used cooking oil and animal fat, Jatropha biodiesel, lignocellulosic bioethanol, ethanol from cassava and sugarcane molasses, residential photovoltaic systems, wind energy, microalgal biodiesel, biohydrogen and biomethane. Through real examples, the versatility of LCA is well emphasized. Written by experts all over the globe, the book is a cornucopia of information on LCA of bioenergy systems and provides a platform for stimulation of new ideas and thoughts. The book is targeted at practitioners of LCA and will become a useful tool for researchers working on different aspects of bioenergy.