Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data
Given increased policies driving renewable electricity generation and insufficient local production of woody biomass, many countries are reliant upon the importation of wood pellets. Of current wood pellet exports, the vast majority originates from the Southeastern United States (US). In this paper...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2018-02-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Sustainable Energy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14786451.2016.1188816 |
| _version_ | 1827813181082304512 |
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| author | Brandon Morrison Jay S. Golden |
| author_facet | Brandon Morrison Jay S. Golden |
| author_sort | Brandon Morrison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Given increased policies driving renewable electricity generation and insufficient local production of woody biomass, many countries are reliant upon the importation of wood pellets. Of current wood pellet exports, the vast majority originates from the Southeastern United States (US). In this paper we present results from a cradle-to-gate, attributional process life cycle assessment in which two production scenarios of wood pellets were modelled for the Southeastern US: one utilising roundwood from a silviculture operation and the other utilising sawmill residues. The system boundary includes all steps from harvesting of the wood biomass, through delivery of the finished wood pellets to a US port facility. For each of the impact categories assessed, wood pellets from sawmill residues resulted in higher values, ranging from 5% to 31%. In relation to Global Warming Potential, roundwood pellets resulted in a 13–21% lower value than pellets produced from sawmill residues, depending upon the allocation method. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:29:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5027deea0124c97b0b0994fed272433 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1478-6451 1478-646X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:29:09Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Sustainable Energy |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5027deea0124c97b0b0994fed2724332023-09-20T10:33:45ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Sustainable Energy1478-64511478-646X2018-02-0137213414610.1080/14786451.2016.11888161188816Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical dataBrandon Morrison0Jay S. Golden1Duke UniversityDuke UniversityGiven increased policies driving renewable electricity generation and insufficient local production of woody biomass, many countries are reliant upon the importation of wood pellets. Of current wood pellet exports, the vast majority originates from the Southeastern United States (US). In this paper we present results from a cradle-to-gate, attributional process life cycle assessment in which two production scenarios of wood pellets were modelled for the Southeastern US: one utilising roundwood from a silviculture operation and the other utilising sawmill residues. The system boundary includes all steps from harvesting of the wood biomass, through delivery of the finished wood pellets to a US port facility. For each of the impact categories assessed, wood pellets from sawmill residues resulted in higher values, ranging from 5% to 31%. In relation to Global Warming Potential, roundwood pellets resulted in a 13–21% lower value than pellets produced from sawmill residues, depending upon the allocation method.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14786451.2016.1188816bioenergybiomasslife cycle assessmentsustainable systemsthermoelectric power generation |
| spellingShingle | Brandon Morrison Jay S. Golden Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data International Journal of Sustainable Energy bioenergy biomass life cycle assessment sustainable systems thermoelectric power generation |
| title | Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data |
| title_full | Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data |
| title_fullStr | Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data |
| title_short | Southeastern United States wood pellets as a global energy resource: a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data |
| title_sort | southeastern united states wood pellets as a global energy resource a cradle to gate life cycle assessment derived from empirical data |
| topic | bioenergy biomass life cycle assessment sustainable systems thermoelectric power generation |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14786451.2016.1188816 |
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