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Life-Cycle Assessment of Biomethane from Lignocellulosic Biomass

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Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

This chapter evaluates the life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies of biomethane produced from lignocellulosic biomass as a biofuel and it is released into the environment in comparison with other bioenergy systems. A case study of grass biomethane that is produced by anaerobic digestion (AD) of grass silage and used as a transport fuel is described. The production of biomethane from AD is a well-known technological procedure that fulfills the requirements imposed by the environment, agronomy, and legislation in developing rural economies and sustainable biofuel production. All across Europe, the biomethane yield from various lignocellulosic biomass ranges from 10 to 1,150 m3 h−1. The LCA studies have been gaining importance over the past few years to analyze biofuel sources from cradle to grave in determining optimal biofuel strategies. Included in these, LCA studies is the indirect input of biofuel production processes, related emissions and waste as well as the fate of downstream products. Eighty-nine percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings are achieved by AD of grass silage to produce biomethane as a transport fuel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Excellent in Enviromental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz Universty (KAU), PO Box 80216, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Abdul-Sattar Nizami & Iqbal Mohammed Ismail

Authors
  1. Abdul-Sattar Nizami
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  2. Iqbal Mohammed Ismail
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Correspondence to Abdul-Sattar Nizami .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. New Delhi, India

    Anoop Singh

  2. PRODEM, Mol, Belgium

    Deepak Pant

  3. Bagsvaerd, Denmark

    Stig Irving Olsen

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Nizami, AS., Ismail, I.M. (2013). Life-Cycle Assessment of Biomethane from Lignocellulosic Biomass. In: Singh, A., Pant, D., Olsen, S. (eds) Life Cycle Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5364-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5364-1_4

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-5364-1

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