Life Cycle Assessment of Substitute Natural Gas production from biomass and electrolytic hydrogen

Autor: Giuseppe Spazzafumo, Antonio Valente, Stefano Frigo, Daniele Candelaresi, Eleonora Bargiacchi
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 46 (72)
ISSN: 1879-3487
0360-3199
DOI: 10.3929/ethz-b-000473191
Popis: The synthesis of a Substitute Natural Gas (SNG) that is compatible with the gas grid composition requirements by using surplus electricity from renewable energy sources looks a favourable solution to store large quantities of electricity and to decarbonise the gas grid network while maintaining the same infrastructure. The most promising layouts for SNG production and the conditions under which SNG synthesis reduces the environmental impacts if compared to its fossil alternative is still largely untapped. In this work, six different layouts for the production of SNG and electricity from biomass and fluctuating electricity are compared from the environmental point of view by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Global Warming Potential (GWP), Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) and Acidification Potential (AP) are selected as impact indicators for this analysis. The influence of key LCA methodological aspects on the conclusions is also explored. In particular, two different functional units are chosen: 1 kg of SNG produced and 1 MJ of output energy (SNG and electricity). Furthermore, different approaches dealing with co-production of electricity are also applied. The results show that the layout based on hydrogasification has the lowest impacts on all the considered cases apart from the GWP and the CED with SNG mass as the functional unit and the avoided burden approach. Finally, the selection of the multifunctionality approach is found to have a significant influence on technology ranking.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 46 (72)
ISSN:1879-3487
ISSN:0360-3199
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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