Relevant documents and studies

Using a LCA approach to estimate the net GHG emissions of bioenergy

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a powerful tool that may be used to quantify the environmental impacts of products and services. It includes all processes, from cradle-to-grave, along the supply chain of the product. When analysing energy systems, greenhouse gas ...

Oct 2011
Towards standardization of life-cycle metrics for biofuels: greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and net energy yield

Life cycle assessment (LCA) provides the basis for quantifying the environmental impact of these systems in their entirety, from seed to biofuel. Current disagreements about the performance of biofuels rest on different approaches and assumptions used by the investigators performing ...

Jan 2008
The “iLUC Factor” as a means to hedge risks of GHG emissions from indirect land use change

The use of biomass for energy production is rising globally in parallel to increasing oil prices, and concerns about energy security, and climate change. Many countries recognize biomass as a domestic energy resource, and some see opportunities for exports of ...

Sep 2010
The upfront carbon debt of bioenergy

This report summarizes the future scenarios of bioenergy demand by 2020 and the potential bioenergy production, taking into account different fuel mixes. It discusses and gives guidance to assess the real carbon neutrality (CN) of bioenergy when a medium term ...

May 2010
The RSB GHG accounting scheme. Feasibility of a meta-methodology and way forward

The principal objective of this report is to discuss the feasibility of a meta‐methodology that would be compatible with existing regulatory approaches to account for lifecycle GHG emissions of biofuels. A systematic study of the methodologies and input data used ...

Oct 2009
Participative LCA on biofuels

During the lifecycle of biofuels, emissions arise during biomass feedstock production, transport of the raw material and products, conversion of the feedstock into the biofuel, and use of the fuel in cars. These emissions can have various impacts on environmental ...

Nov 2005
Liquid biofuels in transport: conclusions and recommendations of the scientific and technical advisory panel (STAP) to the global environment facility (GEF)

Liquid biofuels have been the subject of much debate about their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through their substitution for fossil fuels. The motivation for countries to consider using liquid biofuels for transport is primarily the desire to reduce ...

May 2007
Life cycle assessment of energy products: environmental assessment of biofuels

The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental impact of the entire production chain of fuels made from biomass used in Switzerland. Firstly the study supplies an analysis of the possible environmental impacts of biofuels suitable as a ...

May 2007
Life cycle assessment in the bioenergy sector: developing a systematic review

The UK and EU have pledged to increase the utilisation of biomass in the energy sector, for both heat and power generation, and liquid transport fuels, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and helping to achieve reduction ...

Jan 2008
Life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions associated with starch-based ethanol

The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential effects of a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) on the U.S. biofuels industry and review both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s and California's proposed life cycle analysis (LCA) approach ...

Dec 2008
Life cycle analyses applied to first generation biofuels used in France

Aside from questions of economics (tensions on agricultural markets) and ethical issues (good agricultural resource use), biofuels are accused of not delivering the advantageous balances imputed to them early on, in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fossil resources ...

Feb 2010
LCA studies for the harmonization of international biofuels sustainability assessment

A considerable amount of Life Cycle Analysis (LCAs) studies has been conducted for the assessment of biofuels production in Europe and in other parts of the world. Their purpose is the investigation and valuation of the environmental impacts of biofuels ...

Apr 2009
Key terms used in greenhouse gas reporting and accounting for the land use, land use change and forestry sector

IEA Bioenergy is a collaborative network under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA) to improve international co-operation and information exchange between national bioenergy RD&D programmes. IEA Bioenergy Task 38 integrates and analyses information on GreenHouse Gases (GHG), bioenergy, ...

Dec 2005
Evaluating greenhouse gases balances and mitigation costs of bioenergy system- A review of methodologies

This report gives a review of methods and approaches for assessment of greenhouse gas mitigation and cost-effectiveness in biomass-based energy systems, identifying methodological strengths and weaknesses. Beneficial methodological approaches should be accurate, transparent and efficient in the assessment of greenhouse ...

Jun 2004
Estimating energy and greenhouse gas balances of biofuels

The interest in developing biofuels has rapidly increased during the last decades followed by a strong controversy about their sustainability. Diverting a large amount of land from agriculture to fuels, impacting forests and grasslands, loss of biodiversity due to large ...

Feb 2008
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