Title: Environmental analysis of the energy use of hemp – analysis of the comparative life cycle: diesel oil vs. hemp–diesel

Authors: Xaquin Acosta Casas, Joan Rieradevall i Pons

Addresses: Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autenoma de Barcelona, Edifici Cn-Campus de la UAB-08193, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Valles), Barcelona, Spain. ' Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autenoma de Barcelona, Edifici Cn-Campus de la UAB-08193, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Valles), Barcelona, Spain

Abstract: Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) is a herbaceous crop with a potential production of 12 tons of dry matter per hectare and a seed output of 0.5–2 tons per hectare, depending on its handling. The agro-ecological aspects and the high yield of vegetable biomass from hemp farming are the factors that indicate a possible interest in this plant from the point of view of energy use, but in order to validate this it is necessary to carry out a Life Cycle Analysis. It is to be observed that the hemp energy resources come from the vegetable biomass used as fuel, or by obtaining bio-diesel from the oil derived from its seeds. In order to carry out the environmental analysis of the energy use of hemp-diesel the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) has been used as an environmental tool which has allowed for a comparison of the results obtained with those of diesel oil.

Keywords: bio-diesel; diesel oil; energy use; environmental analysis; global warming; hemp; LCA; hemp–diesel; lifecycle analysis; lifecycle assessment; biomass; alternative fuels; transport energy consumption.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2005.007195

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2005 Vol.4 No.2, pp.133 - 139

Published online: 06 Jun 2005 *

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