Novel Miscanthus Germplasm-Based Value Chains: A Life Cycle Assessment

Publikations-Art: Zeitschriftenbeitrag (peer-reviewed)
Autoren: Wagner, M.,, Kiesel, A., Hastings, A., Iqbal, I. and Lewandowski, I.
Erscheinungsjahr: 2017
Veröffentlicht in: frontiers in Plant Science
Verlag: Frontiers Media S.A.
Band/Volume: 8/990
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00990
Schlagworte: Miscanthus, Ökobilanz

Abstract

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in miscanthus research:

improvement of management practices, breeding of new genotypes, especially for

marginal conditions, and development of novel utilization options. The purpose of the

current study was a holistic analysis of the environmental performance of such novel

miscanthus-based value chains. In addition, the relevance of the analyzed environmental

impact categories was assessed. A Life Cycle Assessment was conducted to analyse

the environmental performance of the miscanthus-based value chains in 18 impact

categories. In order to include the substitution of a reference product, a system expansion

approach was used. In addition, a normalization step was applied. This allowed the

relevance of these impact categories to be evaluated for each utilization pathway.

The miscanthus was cultivated on six sites in Europe (Aberystwyth, Adana, Moscow,

Potash, Stuttgart and Wageningen) and the biomass was utilized in the following

six pathways: (1) small-scale combustion (heat)—chips; (2) small-scale combustion

(heat)—pellets; (3) large-scale combustion (CHP)—biomass baled for transport and

storage; (4) large-scale combustion (CHP)—pellets; (5) medium-scale biogas plant—

ensiled miscanthus biomass; and (6) large-scale production of insulation material.

Thus, in total, the environmental performance of 36 site × pathway combinations was

assessed. The comparatively high normalized results of human toxicity, marine, and

freshwater ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication indicate the relevance of these

impact categories in the assessment of miscanthus-based value chains. Differences

between the six sites can almost entirely be attributed to variations in biomass yield.

However, the environmental performance of the utilization pathways analyzed varied

widely. The largest differences were shown for freshwater and marine ecotoxicity, and

freshwater eutrophication. The production of insulation material had the lowest impact

on the environment, with net benefits in all impact categories expect three (marine

eutrophication, human toxicity, agricultural land occupation). This performance can be

explained by the multiple use of the biomass, first as material and subsequently as an

energy carrier, and by the substitution of an emission-intensive reference product. The

results of this study emphasize the importance of assessing all environmental impacts

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