Biodiesel Production and Consumption: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Approach

Mohammad Ali Rajaeifar, Meisam Tabatabaei, Mortaza Aghbashlo, Saeed Sadeghzadeh Hemayati, Reinout Heijungs

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Like all energy carriers including renewable energies, the production to combustion cycle of biodiesel should also be assessed from the sustainability point of view. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a promising approach capable of assisting decision makers to find the environmental consequences of the existing or future biodiesel production plans. For instance, for different feedstocks, production technologies, downstream processes implemented, etc., an LCA of biodiesel production cycles could result in different recommendations ranging from agricultural practices to production and combustion stages. Despite the fact that an ISO standard is available for conducting LCA studies, there are still many challenging issues faced when performing LCA studies concerning biodiesel production and consumption. These challenges include the functional unit, the choice of system boundaries, the impact categories to be assessed, the treatment of land use change, and biogenic carbon. The present chapter provides a systematic overview of the above-mentioned topics with the aim of shedding light on various aspects of LCA of biodiesel production and consumption cycle.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBiodiesel
Subtitle of host publicationFrom Production to Combustion
EditorsMeisam Tabatabaei, Mortaza Aghbashlo
PublisherSpringer
Pages161-192
Number of pages32
ISBN (Electronic)9783030009854
ISBN (Print)9783030009847
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Publication series

NameBiofuel and Biorefinery Technologies
PublisherSpringer

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