<p>This study explores the role of two lignocellulosic pathways, REDIFUEL and lignocellulose-to-naphtha, within the Belgian energy transition by integrating prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) with an energy system optimization model. The results show that system performance is primarily driven by resource imports rather than individual technology choices. Advanced biofuels may contribute cost-effectively to the energy transition by 2030, whereas biobased chemicals only become significant by 2050. However, their deployment increases reliance on wood and renewable hydrogen, leading to higher environmental impacts in several impact categories and a decline in the energy return on investment (EROI). More broadly, scenarios relying on imported renewable hydrogen are associated with increased upstream impacts, particularly for water depletion and land use, and lower EROI at the point of use. These results highlight a shift from local emission reductions to upstream, resource-related impacts occurring largely outside Belgium. Overall, the findings highlight that system-level assessments can yield different conclusions from product-level studies and are essential for capturing resource competition, cross-sector interactions, and burden-shifting effects.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Biofuels in transition: integrating prospective LCA and energy system optimization modeling

  • Anne van den Oever,
  • Nicolas Ghuys,
  • Dominik Huber,
  • Daniele Costa,
  • Gauthier Limpens,
  • Bert Sels,
  • Maarten Messagie

摘要

This study explores the role of two lignocellulosic pathways, REDIFUEL and lignocellulose-to-naphtha, within the Belgian energy transition by integrating prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) with an energy system optimization model. The results show that system performance is primarily driven by resource imports rather than individual technology choices. Advanced biofuels may contribute cost-effectively to the energy transition by 2030, whereas biobased chemicals only become significant by 2050. However, their deployment increases reliance on wood and renewable hydrogen, leading to higher environmental impacts in several impact categories and a decline in the energy return on investment (EROI). More broadly, scenarios relying on imported renewable hydrogen are associated with increased upstream impacts, particularly for water depletion and land use, and lower EROI at the point of use. These results highlight a shift from local emission reductions to upstream, resource-related impacts occurring largely outside Belgium. Overall, the findings highlight that system-level assessments can yield different conclusions from product-level studies and are essential for capturing resource competition, cross-sector interactions, and burden-shifting effects.