Consideration of land use change-induced surface albedo effects in life-cycle analysis of biofuels

Cai, Hao; Wang, J.; Feng, Yan; Wang, M.; Qin, Zhangcai; Dunn, Jennifer B.

doi:10.1039/c6ee01728b

Cited by 29 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Willow as a perennial energy crop is known for low emissions from feedstock production and high carbon sequestration potential (Don et al, 2012). Annual energy crops are more resource‐intensive and usually reduce soil carbon stocks (Hillier et al, 2009), so albedo change could act as an important cooling factor in annual cropping systems, especially in regions with higher solar irradiance than in Sweden (Cai et al, 2016; Caiazzo et al, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Albedo can be an important contributor to the life cycle climate impact of bioenergy. LCA studies show that changes in albedo may cause radiative forcing (RF) of similar magnitude to the RF of net GHG emissions in a bioenergy system (Cai et al, 2016; Caiazzo et al, 2014; Cherubini, Bright, & Stromman, 2012). However, the importance of albedo depends on a range of case‐specific factors such as local climate, insolation, soil type, vegetation, management and yield.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These time‐dependent LCA methods have been used to compare the impact of GHGs with different lifetimes, account for the timing of emissions and include temporary storage of biogenic carbon. To our knowledge, few LCA studies have applied time‐dependent methods to albedo using RF as a metric (Bright, Stromman, & Peters, 2011; Cherubini et al, 2012; Jørgensen, Cherubini, & Michelsen, 2014), whereas the majority has used GWP (Arvesen et al, 2018; Cai et al, 2016; Caiazzo et al, 2014; Meyer, Bright, Fischer, Schulz, & Glaser, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Including albedo in time‐dependent LCA of bioenergy

et al. 2020

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Albedo change during feedstock production can substantially alter the life cycle climate impact of bioenergy. Life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have compared the effects of albedo and greenhouse gases (GHGs) based on global warming potential (GWP). However, using GWP leads to unequal weighting of climate forcers that act on different timescales. In this study, albedo was included in the time-dependent LCA, which accounts for the timing of emissions and their impacts. We employed field-measured albedo and life cycle emissions data along with time-dependent models of radiative transfer, biogenic carbon fluxes and nitrous oxide emissions from soil. Climate impacts were expressed as global mean surface temperature change over time (∆T) and as GWP. The bioenergy system analysed was heat and power production from short-rotation willow grown on former fallow land in Sweden. We found a net cooling effect in terms of ∆T per hectare (−3.8 × 10 -11 K in year 100) and GWP 100 per MJ fuel (−12.2 g CO 2 e), as a result of soil carbon sequestration via high inputs of carbon from willow roots and litter. Albedo was higher under willow than fallow, contributing to the cooling effect and accounting for 34% of GWP 100 , 36% of ∆T in year 50 and 6% of ∆T in year 100. Albedo dominated the short-term temperature response (10-20 years) but became, in relative terms, less important over time, owing to accumulation of soil carbon under sustained production and the longer perturbation lifetime of GHGs. The timing of impacts was explicit with ∆T, which improves the relevance of LCA results to climate targets. Our method can be used to quantify the first-order radiative effect of albedo change on the global climate and relate it to the climate impact of GHG emissions in LCA of bioenergy, alternative energy sources or land uses. K E Y W O R D Salbedo, bioenergy, climate impact, greenhouse gases, land use change, LCA, life cycle assessment, willow

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Including albedo in time‐dependent LCA of bioenergy

et al. 2020

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“…Biomass is extremely abundant in nature in various types as representative renewable resource [7]. It is generally present in diverse forms such as agricultural crops, crop residues, woods, forest industry wastes, and aquatic plants [8][9][10]. For a long time, biomass was directly burned as a fuel to obtain energy, which inflicted severe environmental pollution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Forestry Wood Waste for Bio-Energy Recovery Using Nano-Catalysts

Yue

Yang

et al. 2019

Energies

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Fast pyrolysis is envisioned as a promising technology for the utilization of forestry wood waste (e.g., widely available from tree logging) as resources. In this study, the potential of an innovative approach was explored to convert forestry wood waste of Vernicia fordii (VF) into energy products based on fast pyrolysis combined with nano-catalysts. The results from fast pyrolysis using three types of nano-catalysts showed that the distribution and composition of the pyrolytic product were affected greatly by the type of nano-catalyst employed. The use of nano-Fe2O3 and nano-NiO resulted in yields of light hydrocarbons (alkanes and olefins) as 38.7% and 33.2%, respectively. Compared to the VF sample, the use of VF-NiO and VF-Fe2O3 led to significant increases in the formation of alkanes (e.g., from 14% to 26% and 31%, respectively). In addition, the use of nano-NiO and nano-Fe2O3 catalysts was found to promote the formation of acid, aromatics, and phenols that can be used as chemical feedstocks. The NiO catalyst affected the bio-oil composition by promoting lignin decomposition for the formation of aromatics and phenolics, which were increased from 9.52% to 14.40% and from 1.65% to 4.02%, respectively. Accordingly, the combined use of nano-catalysts and fast pyrolysis can be a promising technique for bio-energy applications to allow efficient recovery of fuel products from forestry wood waste.

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“…It was found that biogeophysical effects were not significant on the global scale, though with some regional effects where the land use change exceeded 10%. Cai et al (2016) used a regional model centred over North America to assess land use change impacts of biocrops. They found that, through non-linear albedo effects and radiative processes, there was a spatially heterogeneous response to land conversions to the same biocrop.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of large—scale BECCS in the pursuit of the 1.5°C target: an Earth system model perspective

Muri

2018

Environ. Res. Lett.

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The increasing awareness of the many damaging aspects of climate change has prompted research into ways of reducing and reversing the anthropogenic increase in carbon concentrations in the atmosphere. Most emission scenarios stabilizing climate at low levels, such as the 1.5 • C target as outlined by the Paris Agreement, require large-scale deployment of Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). Here, the potential of large-scale BECCS deployment in contributing towards the 1.5 • C global warming target is evaluated using an Earth system model, as well as associated climate responses and carbon cycle feedbacks. The geographical location of the bioenergy feedstock is shown to be key to the success of such measures in the context of temperature targets. Although net negative emissions were reached sooner, by ∼6 years, and scaled up, land use change emissions and reductions in forest carbon sinks outweigh these effects in one scenario. Re-cultivating mid-latitudes was found to be beneficial, on the other hand, contributing in the right direction towards the 1.5 • C target, only by −0.1 • C and −54 Gt C in avoided emissions, however. Obstacles remain related to competition for land from nature preservation and food security, as well as the technological availability of CCS.

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Consideration of land use change-induced surface albedo effects in life-cycle analysis of biofuels

Abstract: Land use change (LUC)-induced surface albedo effects for expansive biofuel production need to be quantified for improved understanding of biofuel climate impacts.

Cited by 29 publications

References 49 publications

Including albedo in time‐dependent LCA of bioenergy

Including albedo in time‐dependent LCA of bioenergy

Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Forestry Wood Waste for Bio-Energy Recovery Using Nano-Catalysts

The role of large—scale BECCS in the pursuit of the 1.5°C target: an Earth system model perspective

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