Life cycle assessment of biomass-based ethylene production in Sweden - is gasification or fermentation the environmentally preferable route?

摘要: To reduce its environmental impact, the chemical industry is investigating biomass-based production of chemicals such as ethylene, including fermentation and gasification conversion processes. However, a comprehensive study that compares impact these biomass routes missing. This assesses wood with route to ethylene in Sweden, well it commercialized sugarcane fossil oil alternatives. The followed methodology life cycle assessment. A cradle-to-gate perspective for 50,000 t ethylene/year was applied, following categories were investigated: global warming (GWP), acidification (ACP), photochemical ozone creation (POCP), eutrophication (EP). Biomass acquisition transport plant major cause route’s GWP POCP, suggesting improvements regard fuel source machine efficiency. NOx emissions from process had main share on ACP EP. comparison showed lower route. Among other things, this caused by high cultivation enzyme ethanol results less distinct fossil-based Fossil-based found be preferable EP, but POCP. needs considered has been optimized decades still ahead routes. shows gasification-based could outperform fermentation-based one; however, further investigations are recommended, given state development investigated Moreover, based limited availability biomass, into economical ecological restrictions importance.