Life Cycle Assessment Analysis Research Articles

Offshore wind-driven green hydrogen: Bridging environmental sustainability and economic viability

This study investigates the environmental and financial implications of an offshore wind-driven green hydrogen generation system using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) methodologies. Global Climate Models (GCM) are employed to predict wind speeds crucial for system efficacy, followed by sizing the electrolyser system based on projected offshore wind power output. As a result of this study, LCA utilizing the GREET 2023 reveals a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 0.7 kgCO2-eq./kgH2 and 0.753 kgCO2-eq./kgH2 for GWP-20 and GWP-100, respectively. Fine Particulate Matter Formation (FPMF) is calculated as 0.24 gPM2.5/kgH2 for FPMF-20 and 0.53 gPM2.5/kgH2 for FPMF-100. In LCCA, under the base scenario, the Net Present Cost (NPC) and Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) are estimated at $49.65 million and $4.36/kgH2, respectively. Despite various incentives and tax scenarios explored, it is revealed that Internal Rates of Return (IRRs) fall below the anticipated cost of equity, indicating non-profitability.

Assessing the Impact of Recycled Building Materials on Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency: A Comprehensive Framework for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In this study, we critically examine the potential of recycled construction materials, focusing on how these materials can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy usage in the construction sector. By adopting an integrated approach that combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Material Flow Analysis (MFA) within the circular economy framework, we thoroughly examine the lifecycle environmental performance of these materials. Our findings reveal a promising future where incorporating recycled materials in construction can significantly lower GHG emissions and conserve energy. This underscores their crucial role in advancing sustainable construction practices. Moreover, our study emphasizes the need for robust regulatory frameworks and technological innovations to enhance the adoption of environmentally responsible practices. We encourage policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the academic community to collaborate and promote the adoption of a circular economy strategy in the building sector. Our research contributes to the ongoing discussion on sustainable construction, offering evidence-based insights that can inform future policies and initiatives to improve environmental stewardship in the construction industry. This study aligns with the European Union’s objectives of achieving climate-neutral cities by 2030 and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals outlined for completion by 2030. Overall, this paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable construction, providing a fact-driven basis for future policy and initiatives to enhance environmental stewardship in the industry.

Development and assessment of an integrated wind energy system for green steelmaking based on electric arc furnace route

Optimizing energy structure is important for coping with the increasing environmental problems in iron and steel industry. Wind energy is one of typical zero-carbon, inexhaustible, and accessible energy source for alleviating energy dilemma. In this paper, the electric arc furnace steelmaking processes integrated with wind energy system (EAF-WES) is developed. The input-output data of 1214 and 1536 heats with 30 % and 50 % hot metal ratio are traced and collected. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of EAF route integrated with traditional energy system (EAF-TES) and EAF-WES are further researched and compared from perspectives of life cycle carbon footprint (LCCF), production cost, wind energy price (WEP), carbon efficiency, carbon reduction benefit (CRB), and carbon tax. The results indicate that EAF-WES enjoys lower LCCF but higher production cost and carbon efficiency than EAF-TES. Considering the price fluctuations, the optimal EAF steelmaking pattern with lowest production cost under different extent of WEP and carbon tax is suggested. When the electricity price is 0.043 and 0.046 $/kWh, the CRB is balanced. It is concluded that EAF-WES is a low-carbon, high-productive, environmentally friendly, and economical route. This research is expected to supply a technical idea for energy conservation and emission reduction in future steel production.

Integrated Biorefinery for a Next-Generation Methanization Process Focusing on Volatile Fatty Acid Valorization: A Critical Review.

This review addresses the critical issue of a rapidly increasing worldwide waste stream and the need for sustainable management. The paper proposes an integrated transformation toward a next-generation methanization process, which leads not only to treating waste but also to converting it into higher value compounds and greener energy. Although the current and commonly used anaerobic digestion process is useful for biogas production, it presents limitations of resource exploitation and some negative environmental impacts. Focusing on the acidogenic stage in waste stream processing, the paper discusses the recent strategies to enhance the recovery of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). These acids serve as precursors for synthesizing a variety of biochemicals and biofuels, offering higher value products than solely energy recovery and soil fertilizers. Additionally, the importance of recycling the fermentation residues back into the biorefinery process is highlighted. This recycling not only generates additional VFAs but also contributes to generating clean energy, thereby enhancing the overall sustainability and efficiency of the waste management system. Moreover, the review discusses the necessity to integrate life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) to evaluate the environmental impacts, sustainability, and processing costs of the proposed biorefinery.

Characteristic evaluation and environmental validation of self-compacting concrete containing sandstone slurry waste for sustainable usage.

This study aims to understand the impact of concrete ingredients on the environment. To analyze the effect of, three significant indexes have been taken into consideration, which are embodied carbon dioxide index (e-CO2), embodied energy consumption (e-energy), and embodied resource consumption (e-resource) index. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology has considered veto comprehending the probable application of sandstone waste in the form of a slurry (Sslurry) and powder (Spowder) for the development of self-compacting concrete (SCC). This study can be proven beneficial to evaluate the potential adverse effects from environmental and energy perspectives. One reference mix and eighteen design mixes of SCC have been designed and developed to perform an experimental program. An environmental impact comparison of the "hybrid" SCC was performed using the OpenLCA life cycle analysis software with Ecoinvent LCIA methods. The outcomes of this experimental program reveal that the partial replacement of pozzolana Portland cement (PPC) with Sslurry can reduce e-CO2 emission along with the e-energy and e-resource parameters. When Spowder was used as the partial substitution of fine aggregate (FA), only the e-resource index decreased, and e-CO2 and e-energy increased. Minimalist impact on the environment has been noticed when SCC is prepared with Sslurry and Spowder. A detailed LCA analysis study justifies the utilization of Sslurry and Spowder in SCC, which exhibits encouraging results concerning strength and quality. Hence, it was observed that Sslurry and Spowder in developing green and sustainable SCC with moderate strength characteristics are beneficial from an environmental impact perspective.

Life Cycle Economic and Environmental Assessment of Producing Synthetic Jet Fuel Using CO2/Biomass Feedstocks.

The aviation industry is responsible for over 2% of global CO2 emissions. Synthetic jet fuels generated from biogenic feedstocks could help reduce life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to petroleum-based fuels. This study assesses three processes for producing synthetic jet fuel via the synthesis of methanol using water and atmospheric CO2 or biomass. A life cycle assessment and cost analysis are conducted to determine GHG emissions, energy demand, land occupation, water depletion, and the cost of producing synthetic jet fuel in Switzerland. The results reveal that the pathway that directly hydrogenates CO2 to methanol exhibits the largest reductions in terms of GHG emission (almost 50%) compared to conventional jet fuel and the lowest production cost (7.86 EUR kgJF-1); however, its production cost is currently around 7 times higher than the petroleum-based counterpart. Electrical energy was found to be crucial in capturing CO2 and converting water into hydrogen, with the sourcing and processing of the feedstocks contributing to 79% of the electric energy demand. Furthermore, significant variations in synthetic jet fuel cost and GHG emissions were shown when the electricity source varies, such as utilizing grid electricity pertaining to different countries with distinct electricity mixes. Thus, upscaling synthetic jet fuels requires energy-efficient supply chains, sufficient feedstock, large amounts of additional (very) low-carbon energy capacity, suitable climate policy, and comprehensive environmental analyses.

Comparative life cycle assessment and multi-criteria decision analysis of coffee capsules made with conventional and innovative materials

The following study arises from the need to replace aluminum and polypropylene, from fossil and non-renewable sources, with innovative materials to produce coffee capsules. The analysis was carried out using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). In the comparison were considered different materials: aluminum capsules, polypropylene, biocompostable plastic in an industrial environment (industrial compost) and biocompostable plastic in a domestic environment (home compost). The results indicate that, for current disposal, biocompostable plastic capsules, particularly those suitable for domestic compost, have lower environmental impacts. These results are also confirmed for the 10-year disposal scenario. Polypropylene capsules demonstrate greater environmental sustainability when considering a recovery rate of 100 % of the raw material. The MCDA analysis confirms that, at the moment, bioplastics represent the solution with the least environmental impact. However, this advantage is reduced if the capsules are made of aluminum and polypropylene using exclusively fully recycled raw material. Furthermore, it appears that the recycling of fossil materials is a viable alternative to bioplastics. It should be noted, however, that polypropylene can be recycled up to three times, unlike aluminum which can be recycled an indefinite number of times.

Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis for airfield pavement: a review article

Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis for airfield pavement: a review article

A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), mechanical and long-term leaching evaluation of road pavement structures containing multiple secondary materials

Oil-Based Drill Cuttings (OBDC) are one of the hazardous wastes of the oil and gas industry. In this study, Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), OBDC and Fly Ash (FA) geopolymer were used in Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) mixtures. The dynamic modulus test was used to appraise the viscoelastic properties of CCPR mixtures. The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test was also utilized to investigate the long-term contaminants leaching. In addition, a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) were conducted to evaluate the potential environmental burdens and economic costs of pavement structures containing CCPR mixtures. Moreover, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) analysis using four different methods was performed to determine the optimal sample. The results revealed that the recycling of OBDC and RAP in stabilized CCPR mixtures with FA geopolymer can improve the viscoelastic properties and prevent the leaching of contaminants from these waste materials. Furthermore, recycling of the mentioned waste materials in CCPR mixtures has caused a significant reduction in global warming, acidification, eutrophication, smog, respiratory effects, Human toxicity, ecotoxicity, and cumulative energy demand up to 41%, 36.6%, 73%, 43%, 47%, 34%, 73%, and 13%, respectively. Additionally, using CCPR mixtures containing the OBCD, RAP, and FA geopolymer in the pavement structure has led to economic benefits of up to 31% compared to the conventional pavement system.

Exergetic life cycle assessment for green hydrogen production

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method for assessing the environmental impacts of products and processes. The life cycle inventory provides a measure of the quantitative throughput of a process, but it cannot measure the intrinsic quality of that throughput. Exergy is a measure of the quantity and quality of energy. When combining LCA and exergy analysis in an exergy-based life cycle assessment (ExLCA) a powerful tool for the quantification of resource efficiency can be established. This study performs a detailed bottom-up cradle-to-grave ExLCA based on cumulative exergy consumption and exergy analysis of the use phase for a state-of-the-art (SoA) and a future plant 5 MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer plant. Three scenarios are implemented, i.e. SoA plant operated in the German grid mix of 2018, SoA plant operated in a defossilized grid, and a future plant operated in a defossilized grid. In every scenario, more than 98 % of the resource demand originates from electricity generation alone and decreases significantly with renewable electricity operation. In plant construction, the anode catalyst material iridium causes approximately half of the resource demand and bears the largest lever for the resource reduction potential of the plant construction of 65 %.

Perovskite photovoltaics for aerospace applications − life cycle assessment and cost analysis

In the past few years, we have witnessed a rapid evolution of perovskite solar cells. In this study, we employ life cycle assessment (LCA) to identify the potential environmental impacts of perovskite solar cells (PSC) optimised for aerospace applications but could be used in conventional terrestrial applications too. One PSC module is manufactured by spin coating equipped with ITO glass and gold cathode. The other PSC module is manufactured by slot-die coating with a PET layer and carbon cathode and gold cathode respectively. Life cycle assessment is employed to compare potential environmental impact of two manufacture methods by impact method of Recipe(H), as well as the fabrication cost of PSC module. The primary data of material and energy used for fabricating PSCs are collected from spin coating with lab scale and slot-die coating with pilot scale. The life cycle impact assessment of the PSC module in the pilot scale shows much lower in all the assessed 18 impact categories than in the lab scale thanks to the material use efficiency and reducing energy consumption. Gold as a conduct electrode has the highest impacts in both spin coating and slot-die coating modules. Calculating with a two-year lifetime (typical of aerospace applications), the impact of global warming potential from the PSC module with carbon electrode with pilot scale used in a terrestrial application is calculated to be 12 g/kWh.

Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Repurposing Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades as High-Voltage Transmission Poles

Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Repurposing Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades as High-Voltage Transmission Poles

Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of nanotechnology-based wastewater treatment: Status, challenges and future prospectives

BackgroundWater pollution is a pressing concern stemming from both natural and anthropogenic activities. The challenges associated with water treatment technologies are adsorption (fouling and corrosion of the adsorbent), flocculation (increased sludge generation and high operation cost), ion exchange (high cost and improper ion removal), chemical precipitation (sludge generation), and membrane technologies (membrane fouling and storage). These technologies have been overstretched and struggle to meet increasingly stringent water quality standards. More recent progress has been made in using nanotechnology for wastewater treatment. Nano-technology offers several advantages over traditional technologies. Many nano-based technologies support reuse, require less space, produce fewer toxic intermediates, and are adaptable to support the emerging concept of decentralized water treatment. An essential aspect of this review is a detailed techno-economic analysis, assessing the long-term viability of nanotechnology-based wastewater treatment methods from an economic standpoint. MethodsThis review outlines the current state of nanotechnology in wastewater treatment, addressing environmental and economic aspects, challenges, and future potential. Significant findingsUnderstanding the sustainability and feasibility of these innovative technologies is crucial for their successful integration into wastewater treatment practices, ensuring a more effective and environmentally friendly approach to water remediation.

Comparison of Embodied Carbon Footprint of a Mass Timber Building Structure with a Steel Equivalent

The main purpose of this study is to quantify and compare the embodied carbon (EC) from the materials used or designed to build the Adohi Hall, a residence building located on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, AR. It has been constructed as a mass timber structure. It is compared to the same building design with a steel frame for this study. Based on the defined goal and scope of the project, all materials used in the building structure are compared for their global warming potential (GWP) impact by applying a life cycle assessment (LCA) using a cradle-to-construction site system boundary. This comparative building LCA comprises the product stage (including raw material extraction, processing, transporting, and manufacturing) plus transportation to the construction site (nodule A1–A4, according to standard EN 15804 definitions). In this study, GWP is primarily assessed with the exclusion of other environmental factors. Tally®, as one of the most popular LCA tools for buildings, is used in this comparative LCA analysis. In this study, the substitution of mass timber for a steel structure with a corrugated steel deck and concrete topping offers a promising opportunity to understand the GWP impact of each structure. Mass timber structures exhibit superior environmental attributes considering the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq). Emissions per square meter of gross floor area for mass timber stand at 198 kg, in stark contrast to the 243 kg CO2 eq recorded for steel structures. This means the mass timber building achieved a 19% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the functional equivalent steel structure within the building modules A1 to A4 studied. When considering carbon storage, about 2757 tonnes of CO2 eq are stored in the mass timber building, presenting further benefits of carbon emission delays for the life span of the structure. The substitution benefit from this construction case was studied through the displacement factor (DF) quantification following the standard process. A 0.28 DF was obtained when using mass timber over steel in the structure. This study provides insights into making more environmentally efficient decisions in buildings and helps in the move forward to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and address GWP mitigation.

Unveiling the potential of perovskite solar systems in building integrated installations: A consequential and prospective life cycle assessment and economic analysis

This paper addresses an integrated economic and environmental assessment where a consequential and prospective life cycle approach is applied to perovskite (PSK) building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. Two configurations are considered: slanted roof (r-BIPV) installations, and the fenestration of façades (f-BIPV). Concerning r-BIPV, PSK systems are expected to compete with crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules; whereas a glass façade is chosen as an alternative reference for f-BIPV. Assuming economic rationality as the main criteria for the adoption of technologies, a deployment time for the PSK system is estimated and the economic and environmental advantages in the Italian context are evaluated. This assessment is based on three foreground scenarios addressing the gradual development of PSK systems. The results show that while c-Si modules are preferred in the market of r-BIPV systems, PSK modules will find space in f-BIPV applications. Depending on the selected scenario, the economic benefits accumulated by Italian energy users are assessed between −0.5 % and −10.3 %. On the other hand, PSK systems imply a variation of the national GHGs emissions that ranges between + 0.01 % and −7.5 %. Depending on the scenario, the PSK-based f-BIPV systems can provide either environmental benefits (i.e., cumulative energy demand) or burdens (i.e., ecotoxicity indicators).

Environmental and Economic Life Cycle Assessment of Enzymatic Hydrolysis-Based Fish Protein and Oil Extraction

As global fish consumption rises, a large amount of waste is generated that is generally neglected. Considering the value embedded in these resources, sustainable methods become more important in extracting valuable ingredients from fish processing residues. Enzymatic hydrolysis is a fast and easily reproducible method for recovering protein ingredients and obtaining valuable by-products. To confirm its advantages, an environmental and economic impact assessment is essential. This study overviewed the sustainability and economic viability of extracting protein compounds and oil from Atlantic mackerel processing residues using enzymatic hydrolysis. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) methods were employed. It was found that the climate change impact of the whole process was 0.073 kg CO2-eq per 1 g of fish protein hydrolysate (FPH). As the process produces FPH as the main product and fish oil as the by-product, economic allocation was used to distribute the impacts of FPH and fish oil. The findings of the LCCA showed that producing 1 g of FPH costs EUR 3.68. The contribution analysis indicated the crucial role of electricity and fish in environmental impacts. To ensure the accuracy of the calculation, the results of an LCA study published previously were recalculated. The sensitivity analysis showed that the results were susceptible to the region and source of electricity production. This research provides valuable insights into the sustainability and economic aspects of using enzymatic hydrolysis for extracting protein ingredients and oils from Atlantic mackerel. This can inform future investigations of environmentally friendly and economically viable solutions for extracting fish ingredients.

Cultivation of Chlorella protothecoides in the medium amended with cigarette butt leachate wastewater for enhanced biomass and macromolecular productions

Microalgal cultivation in wastewater can significantly reduce the nutrient requirements and helps in wastewater management. In this study, Chlorella protothecoides was cultured on cigarette butt leachate admixed with culture medium. The cigarette butt leachate concentrations in the culture medium were set from 0 % to 100 % and a maximum biomass production was achieved at 60 % concentration (1.24 g L−1). The lipid content of Chlorella protothecoides was increased by 9.98 %, carbohydrate content by 40.93 % and protein content by 42.93 % with 60 % of cigarette butt leachate concentration as compared to the control. Water quality analysis after microalgal cultivation revealed that the N and P elements in the cigarette butt leachate wastewater were removed completely by the microalgal growth. Life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis was carried out to evaluate the environmental sustainability of the process, which has revealed that the cigarette butt leachate wastewater has significant reduction in the environmental impacts with a CO2 emission reduction up to 338 %. The study empirically suggested that the cigarette butt leachate mixed culture medium has potentially promoted the growth, lipid and protein in Chlorella protothecoides which can improve the upstream economics along with the environmental benefits of waste management.

Constructing 2D Polyphenols-Based Crosslinked Networks for Ultrafast and Selective Uranium Extraction from Seawater.

The role of tannins (TA), a well-known abundant and ecologically friendly chelating ligand, in metal capture has long been studied. Different kinds of TA-containing adsorbents are synthesized for uranium capture, while most adsorbents suffer from unfavorable adsorption kinetics. Herein, the design and preparation of a TA-containing 2D crosslinked network adsorbent (TANP) is reported. The ≈1.8-nanometer-thick TANP films curl up into micrometer-scale pores, which contribute to fast mass transfer and full exposure of active sites. The coordination environment of uranyl (UO2 2+) ions is explored by integrated analysis of U L3-edge XANES and EXAFS. Density functional theory calculations indicate the energetically favorable UO2 2+ binding. Consequently, TANP with excellent adsorption kinetics presents a high uranium capture capacity (14.62mg-Ug-Ads-1) and a high adsorption rate (0.97mgg-1day-1) together with excellent selectivity and biofouling resistance. Life cycle assessment and cost analysis demonstrate that TANP has tremendous potential for application in industrial-scale uranium extraction from seawater.

Impacts of climate change on environmental and economic sustainability of flexible pavements across China

Pavements are susceptible to accelerated deterioration due to changing climate conditions, leading to increased maintenance and excess fuel consumption through pavement-vehicle interaction. China's diverse climates raise concerns about the environmental and economic sustainability of flexible pavements amid climate change and the effectiveness of preventative maintenance strategies. This study examines climate change's potential impacts on long-term pavement performance, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and costs, employing the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide method. The calibrated World Bank's Highway Development and Management Model 4 assesses the impacts of surface characteristics on vehicle fuel consumption. Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis quantify GHG emissions and costs. Results reveal significant pavement deterioration in Southeast and Central China. Preventative maintenance strategies reduce fuel consumption, with GHG emissions and cost savings from smoother driving conditions outweighing those from maintenance. These insights stress the importance of proactive maintenance strategies for mitigating climate-induced deterioration and enhancing sustainability.

A Life Cycle Assessment of Methane Slip in Biogas Upgrading Based on Permeable Membrane Technology with Variable Methane Concentration in Raw Biogas

While energy-related sectors remain significant contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, biogas production from waste through anaerobic digestion (AD) helps to increase renewable energy production. The biogas production players focus efforts on optimising the AD process to maximise the methane content in biogas, improving known technologies for biogas production and applying newly invented ones: H2 addition technology, high-pressure anaerobic digestion technology, bioelectrochemical technology, the addition of additives, and others. Though increased methane concentration in biogas gives benefits, biogas upgrading still needs to reach a much higher methane concentration to replace natural gas. There are many biogas upgrading technologies, but almost any has methane slip. This research conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) on membrane-based biogas upgrading technology, evaluating biomethane production from biogas with variable methane concentrations. The results showed that the increase in methane concentration in the biogas slightly increases the specific electricity consumption for biogas treatment, but heightens methane slip with off-gas in the biogas upgrading unit. However, the LCA analysis showed a positive environmental impact for treating biogas with increasing methane concentrations. This way, the LCA analysis gave a broader comprehension of the environmental impact of biogas upgrading technology on GHG emissions and offered valuable insights into the environmental implications of biomethane production.