Life Cycle Inventory of a Biodiesel Production Unit

Abstract

Carbon dioxide is one of the main compounds pointed as a cause for climate changes, mainly due to the accelerated use of fossil fuels. In order to measure the consumption of the resources that generate carbon dioxide and verify these compounds emissions, quantitative studies aren’t sufficient, but it is needed a proportion relation with the environmental impact. Life cycle analysis studies are used to establish parameters to this relation, orientating which is the best way to be followed and also estimating, as close as possible to the reality, the degree of impacts that can be caused. This paper studies a biodiesel plant in Brazil, using the model described in ISO’s 14040 group to perform a life cycle inventory. Biodiesel is an alternative renewable fuel to the common diesel. The biodiesel has been considered a “clean” fuel, however its fabrication process involves environmental impacts. Hence, the objective of this study is to address those impacts, from a theoretical biodiesel plant data, and provide background information, in the form a life cycle inventory (LCI), to allow further comparisons between biodiesel production and other fuels. Finally, a full LCI for biodiesel is completed and it is concluded that, qualitatively, the environmental impact generated are similar to other commonly used fuels.