Biomass Residues to Renewable Energy: A Life Cycle Perspective Applied at a Local Scale

Esmeralda Neri; Daniele Cespi; Leonardo Setti; Erica Gombi; Elena Bernardi; Ivano Vassura; Fabrizio Passarini

LAPSE

Living Archive for Process Systems Engineering

LAPSE:2019.0233

Published Article

LAPSE:2019.0233

Biomass Residues to Renewable Energy: A Life Cycle Perspective Applied at a Local Scale

Esmeralda Neri, Daniele Cespi, Leonardo Setti, Erica Gombi, Elena Bernardi, Ivano Vassura, Fabrizio Passarini

February 5, 2019

Italy, like every country member of the European Union (EU), will have to achieve the objectives required by the Energy Roadmap 2050. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the environmental impacts of residue recovery arising from the management of public and private green feedstocks, activity of the cooperative “Green City” in the Bologna district, and usage in a centralized heating system to produce thermal energy for public buildings. Results, obtained using the ReCipe impact assessment method, are compared with scores achieved by a traditional methane boiler. The study shows some advantages of the biomass-based system in terms of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions and consumption of non-renewable fuels, which affect climate change (−41%) and fossil resources depletion (−40%), compared to the use of natural gas (NG). Moreover, scores from network analysis denote the great contribution of feedstock transportation (98% of the cumulative impact). The main reason is attributable to all requirements to cover distances, in particular due to stages involved in the fuel supply chains. Therefore, it is clear that greater environmental benefits could be achieved by reducing supply transport distances or using more sustainable engines.

Record ID

LAPSE:2019.0233

Keywords

energy efficient city, life cycle assessment (LCA), recovery, small community, thermal energy

Subject

Biosystems

Suggested Citation

Neri E, Cespi D, Setti L, Gombi E, Bernardi E, Vassura I, Passarini F. Biomass Residues to Renewable Energy: A Life Cycle Perspective Applied at a Local Scale. (2019). LAPSE:2019.0233

Author Affiliations

Neri E: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Cespi D: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy; Environmental management and consulting (EMC) Innovation Lab S.r.l., Viale Italia 29, 47921 Rimini, Ital
Setti L: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy; Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Industriale “Energia e Ambiente”, Via Angherà 22, 47900 Rimin
Gombi E: Consorzio Azienda Multiservizi Intercomunale (Con.Ami), 40026 Imola, Italy
Bernardi E: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy; Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Industriale “Energia e Ambiente”, Via Angherà 22, 47900 Rimin [ORCID]
Vassura I: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy; Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Industriale “Energia e Ambiente”, Via Angherà 22, 47900 Rimin [ORCID]
Passarini F: Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”, ALMA Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 4, 40136 Bologna, Italy; Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Industriale “Energia e Ambiente”, Via Angherà 22, 47900 Rimin
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Journal Name

Energies

Volume

9

Issue

11

Article Number

E922

Year

2016

Publication Date

2016-11-08