Applying consequential LCA to support energy policy: Land use change effects of bioenergy production

Vázquez‐Rowe, Ian; Marvuglia, Antonino; Rege, Sameer; Benetto, Enrico

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.10.097

“…The application of the novel methodology proposed here matches the requirements of a consequential LCA approach aiming at assessing the effects of large scale changes quantified at the policy (through the use of CGE model) rather than at the production level (like e.g. in Vázquez-Rowe et al, 2014). The coupling of CGE and PE models provides complementary results by detailing the energy supply and demand data by sector and describing the full economy' response to changes in consumption behaviours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, the actual environmental consequences related to the implementation of new energy supply strategies in the country can no longer be evaluated without considering side-effects. For example, in Vázquez-Rowe et al (2014), the use of maize-based biofuels to reach the 20% of renewable energy in Luxembourg was observed to increase indirect GHG emissions, land use and fossil depletion, also due to important shifts in the import/export of agricultural products.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combination of Equilibrium Models and Hybrid Life Cycle Input-Output Analysis to Predict the Environmental Impacts of Energy Policy Scenarios

Igos

¹

,

Rugani

²

,

Rege

³

et al. 2015

Self Cite

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Nowadays, many countries adopt an active agenda to mitigate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions by moving towards less polluting energy generation technologies. The environmental costs, directly or indirectly generated to achieve such a challenging objective, remain however largely underexplored. Until now, research has focused either on pure economic approaches such as computable general equilibrium (CGE) and partial equilibrium (PE) models, or on (physical) energy supply scenarios. These latter could be used to evaluate the environmental impacts of various energy saving or cleaner technologies via life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. These modelling efforts have, however, been pursued in isolation, without exploring the possible complementarities and synergies. In this study, we have undertaken a practical combination of these approaches into a common framework: on the one hand, by coupling a CGE with a PE model, and, on the other hand, by linking the outcomes from the coupling with a hybrid inputoutput−process based life cycle inventory. The methodological framework aimed at assessing the environmental consequences of two energy policy scenarios in Luxembourg between 2010 and 2025. The study highlights the potential of coupling CGE and PE models but also the related methodological difficulties (e.g. small number of available technologies in Luxembourg, intrinsic limitations of the two approaches, etc.). The assessment shows both environmental synergies and trade-offs due to the implementation of energy policies. For example, despite the changes in technologies towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, only marginal improvements are observed in the climate change mitigation scenario as compared to the business-as-usual. The energy related production and imports are indeed expected to increase over time and represent a large contribution to the country's impacts. Interestingly, side effects on other impacts than climate change or fossil resource depletion (e.g. ionising radiation and water depletion) may also occur mainly due to the use of nuclear energy in neighbouring countries.

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“…Such effects are captured in consequential LCA (CLCA) that is increasingly being applied to evaluate bioenergy interventions (e.g. Rehl et al 2012;Tonini et al 2012;Vázquez-Rowe et al 2014;Styles et al 2015a;Styles et al 2016). CLCA expands system boundaries to account for marginal effects induced by market signals arising from system modifications.…”

Section: Bioenergy and Food Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate regulation, energy provisioning and water purification: Quantifying ecosystem service delivery of bioenergy willow grown on riparian buffer zones using life cycle assessment

Styles

¹

,

Börjesson

²

,

D’Hertefeldt

³

et al. 2016

Ambio

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Whilst life cycle assessment (LCA) boundaries are expanded to account for negative indirect consequences of bioenergy such as indirect land use change (ILUC), ecosystem services such as water purification sometimes delivered by perennial bioenergy crops are typically neglected in LCA studies. Consequential LCA was applied to evaluate the significance of nutrient interception and retention on the environmental balance of unfertilised energy willow planted on 50-m riparian buffer strips and drainage filtration zones in the Skåne region of Sweden. Excluding possible ILUC effects and considering oil heat substitution, strategically planted filter willow can achieve net global warming potential (GWP) and eutrophication potential (EP) savings of up to 11.9 Mg CO 2 e and 47 kg PO 4 e ha -1 year -1 , respectively, compared with a GWP saving of 14.8 Mg CO 2 e ha -1 year -1 and an EP increase of 7 kg PO 4 e ha -1 year -1 for fertilised willow. Planting willow on appropriate buffer and filter zones throughout Skåne could avoid 626 Mg year -1 PO 4 e nutrient loading to waters.

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“…Moreover, current energy policies in Luxembourg focus on improving the energy efficiency of buildings through the introduction of energy performance certificates (IEA, 2013). To fulfil the 20/20/20 targets set by the European Union in 2009 (EC, 2009), Luxembourg's energy mix should include by 2020 at least 20% of renewable sources, mainly biomass-based (Vázquez-Rowe et al, 2014). Nonetheless, the actual environmental consequences related to the implementation of new energy supply strategies in the country can no longer be evaluated without considering side-effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, Vázquez-Rowe et al (2014) applied the consequential LCA perspective, aiming at describing the indirect and direct environmental consequences of (marginal or large scale) changes induced by strategic decisions and actions , such as those driven by energy policies. Consequential LCA has still not achieved a full methodological consensus, mainly due to the different computational approaches proposed by scholars in the recent years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combination of equilibrium models and hybrid life cycle - input–output analysis to predict the environmental impacts of energy policy scenarios

Igos

¹

,

Rugani

²

,

Rege

³

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nowadays, many countries adopt an active agenda to mitigate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions by moving towards less polluting energy generation technologies. The environmental costs, directly or indirectly generated to achieve such a challenging objective, remain however largely underexplored. Until now, research has focused either on pure economic approaches such as computable general equilibrium (CGE) and partial equilibrium (PE) models, or on (physical) energy supply scenarios. These latter could be used to evaluate the environmental impacts of various energy saving or cleaner technologies via life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. These modelling efforts have, however, been pursued in isolation, without exploring the possible complementarities and synergies. In this study, we have undertaken a practical combination of these approaches into a common framework: on the one hand, by coupling a CGE with a PE model, and, on the other hand, by linking the outcomes from the coupling with a hybrid inputoutput−process based life cycle inventory. The methodological framework aimed at assessing the environmental consequences of two energy policy scenarios in Luxembourg between 2010 and 2025. The study highlights the potential of coupling CGE and PE models but also the related methodological difficulties (e.g. small number of available technologies in Luxembourg, intrinsic limitations of the two approaches, etc.). The assessment shows both environmental synergies and trade-offs due to the implementation of energy policies. For example, despite the changes in technologies towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, only marginal improvements are observed in the climate change mitigation scenario as compared to the business-as-usual. The energy related production and imports are indeed expected to increase over time and represent a large contribution to the country's impacts. Interestingly, side effects on other impacts than climate change or fossil resource depletion (e.g. ionising radiation and water depletion) may also occur mainly due to the use of nuclear energy in neighbouring countries.

show abstract

Applying consequential LCA to support energy policy: Land use change effects of bioenergy production

Cited by 103 publications

References 42 publications

Combination of Equilibrium Models and Hybrid Life Cycle Input-Output Analysis to Predict the Environmental Impacts of Energy Policy Scenarios

Combination of Equilibrium Models and Hybrid Life Cycle Input-Output Analysis to Predict the Environmental Impacts of Energy Policy Scenarios

Climate regulation, energy provisioning and water purification: Quantifying ecosystem service delivery of bioenergy willow grown on riparian buffer zones using life cycle assessment

Combination of equilibrium models and hybrid life cycle - input–output analysis to predict the environmental impacts of energy policy scenarios

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