Title: GHG balance of biodiesel production and consumption in EU

Authors: Michele Rasetti; Adele Finco; Deborah Bentivoglio

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Food and Environmental Sciences (3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona, Italy ' Department of Agricultural Food and Environmental Sciences (3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona, Italy ' Department of Agricultural Food and Environmental Sciences (3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona, Italy

Abstract: The promotion of biofuels as energy for transportation in the industrialised countries is mainly driven by the perspective of oil depletion, concerns about energy security and global warming. Nevertheless, the production of biofuels entails emissions to the environment coming from the different stages in the product life cycle. This paper evaluates the environmental impact of pure rapeseed biodiesel (B100) production and consumption in the public transport sector, in terms of GHG emissions released by every stage in the life cycle, in order to identify proper interventions to reduce the emissions. The methodology applied to this purpose is an Attributional Life Cycle Analysis (ALCA). The Agricultural phase results to be the process that produces the highest GHG emissions, mainly because of the production and the use of nitrogen fertiliser.

Keywords: GHG emissions; greenhouse gases; LCA; life cycle analysis; rapeseed biodiesel; biofuels; biodiesel production; biodiesel consumption; EU; European Union; environmental impact; agriculture; nitrogen fertilisers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.2014.067665

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2014 Vol.37 No.5/6, pp.191 - 204

Published online: 30 Apr 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article