Methodology of Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) for Environmental Impact Assessment of Winter Rapeseed in Double-cropping System with Rice

Abstract

, and Jae E. ABSTRACT: Life cycle assessment (LCA) is acknowledged as a valuable tool to quantify the environment impact of agricultural practice as well as final product (biodiesel) considering whole life cycle of the target product. As a preliminary research of LCA study for rapeseed (Brassica napusL.) biodiesel, the methodological issues which have to be regarded with high priority were dealt with. No life cycle inventory (LCI) based on local data are currently available for LCA of rapeseed cultivation, crushing, and conversion to rapeseed methyl ester (RME) in Korea. In this paper, the life cycle of rapeseed and methodological factors which have to be measured for building LCI of each process are provided and discussed, which are including seed, fertilizer, energy use in rapeseed cultivation environment; and crushing, RME conversion, and transportation in biodiesel production.

Environmental Impact Assessment of Rapeseed Cultivation by Life Cycle Assessment

“…전과정평가(Life Cycle Assessment, LCA)는 제품이 생 산되는 전과정동안에 투입되거나 환경으로 배출되는 물질목 록(Life Cycle Inventory, LCI)을 구성하고, 이를 통해 환경 전반에 미치는 영향을 평가하는 방법으로 (Haas et al, 2001), 주로 공산품의 환경성 평가에 광범위하게 사용되고 있으며 (Jensen et al, 1997) 최근에는 농업과 같이 다양한 생산환경 의 영향을 평가하는데 많이 사용되고 있다 (Kaltschmitt et al, 1997;Gartner et al, 2003;Heller et al, 2003). 국내 농업분야에서는 벼 재배에 있어 시비방법에 따른 환경영향을 평가하는데 LCA를 이용한 사례가 있으며 (Shin et al, 2003), 유채의 환경성 평가를 위한 방법론을 설정한 연구가 수행되 었으나 (Nam et al, 2008) (Koga et al, 2003;2006 …”