1. 14 th September 2010 1

2. 2 Life Cycle Assessment of biomethane public transport Jan Paul Lindner Dept. Life Cycle Engineering (GaBi) Chair of Building Physics (LBP) Universität Stuttgart 14 th September 2010, Brussels

3. 3 n Life Cycle Assessment methodology –Product systems –Multitude of environmental impacts n Biomethane from an environmental point of view –Overview –Feedstock generation –Digestion –Upgrading –Distribution –Use Outline

4. 4 n Cradle to grave approach –Resource extraction and processing –Materials production, product assembly –Use phase –End-of-life n Modular inclusion of other product systems LCA – product systems

5. Output Input Output Input Output Input Output Input Output Input Life cycle inventory CO 2 CF 4 CO N2ON2O CH 4 NO X SO 2 HClHF NO X NH 3 NH 4 + PO 4 3–... Impact assessment Climate change, resource consumption, acid rain, summer smog, overfertilisation... Potential impact Intermediates production Resource extraction Product assembly Use phase Disposal/ recycling Life cycle LCA – product systems

6. 6 Process 1Process 2Process 3 InputOutput InputOutput System boundary

7. 7 LCA – product systems

8. 8 n Environment more than just climate n Impact categories in Biogasmax –Global Warming Potential (GWP 100 ) –Eutrophication Potential (EP) –Acidification Potential (AP) –Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) –Fossil Primary Energy Demand (PE fossil ) n Presentation limited to climate impacts –Full report coming soon LCA – environmental impacts

9. 9 Biomethane – overview FeedstockDigestionUpgradingDistributionUse Waste Sludge Biomass Digestion Water scrubbing Chemical absorption Pressure swing adsorption Vehicles Truck Pipeline

10. 10 Environmental impact (climate) FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

11. 11 Environmental impact (climate) FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Tail pipe emissions Life cycle emissions Negative emission?

12. 12 n Municipal organic waste –Life cycle accounted for in original product system –Waste considered burden free in biomethane system n Sewage sludge –Same as municipal waste n Dedicated biomass production –Feedstock produced exclusively for digestion to biogas –Environmental burden of production attributed to biomethane Feedstock generation

13. 13 Environmental impact (climate) FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

14. Environmental impact (climate) 14 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Biogenic CO 2 = part of the natural carbon cycle

15. Environmental impact (climate) 15 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Biogenic CO 2 = part of the natural carbon cycle

16. Environmental impact (climate) 16 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Biogenic CO 2 = part of the natural carbon cycle Release of same amount of CO 2 to atmosphere Fixing of CO 2 from atmosphere

17. 17 n Heat management –Dry matter content of slurry defines heat demand –Impact depends on type of fuel, combustion conditions n Biogas slip from digester –Potentially important GWP and POCP contribution n Residue valorisation –Fertiliser –Combustible –Filler material Digestion

18. Environmental impact (climate) 18 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Sludge thickening

19. Environmental impact (climate) 19 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

20. Environmental impact (climate) 20 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Methane slip?

21. Environmental impact (climate) 21 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Residue valorisation

22. Environmental impact (climate) 22 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Residue valorisation

23. Environmental impact (climate) 23 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

24. 24 n District heating –Mostly waste heat from industry considered renewable n Landfill gas –Contains ca. 40% methane and lots of impurities –Combustion for heat rather than upgrading –Landfill emissions allocated based on revenue shares generated from waste disposal and gas sales Digestion

25. Environmental impact (climate) 25 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Renewable heat source

26. Environmental impact (climate) 26 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

27. 27 n Water scrubbing, PSA –Electricity consumption decisive n Chemical absorption –Heat consumption decisive n Methane slip –Important GWP and POCP contribution –Several mitigation measures exist n Conditioning –Addition of fossil materials reduces advantage Upgrading

28. Environmental impact (climate) 28 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Methane elimination

29. Environmental impact (climate) 29 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

30. 30 n Pipeline transport –Little influence on overall result –Methane slip potentially important GWP, POCP contribution n Truck transport –Higher impact than pipeline transport but no dominant factor in life cycle n Filling stations –Impact sensitive to power grid mix –Methane slip potentially important GWP, POCP contribution Distribution

31. Environmental impact (climate) 31 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

32. Environmental impact (climate) 32 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Methane slip?

33. 33 n Vehicles –Busses –Heavy duty vehicles, e.g. garbage trucks –Cabs, private cars Use

34. Environmental impact (climate) 34 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent] Biogenic CO 2 Engine emissions, e.g. NO X, CO

35. Environmental impact (climate) 35 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

36. Environmental impact (climate) 36 FeedstockProductionUpgradingDistributionUse GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

37. Environmental impact (climate) 37 Biomethane total GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

38. Environmental impact (climate) 38 Biomethane total GWP [kg CO 2 equivalent]

39. 39 n Climate/carbon neutrality of Biomethane –Low climate impact, though not 100% climate neutral –Considerable improvement potential (technology just stretching into market) n Critical points for climate impact –Reduction of methane slip at every stage –Valorisation of by-products n Presentation limited to climate impacts –Other impacts may (and do) behave differently Conclusion

40. 40 Dipl.-Ing. Jan Paul Lindner Dept. Life Cycle Engineering (GaBi) Chair of Building Physics (LBP) University of Stuttgart Hauptstr. 113 70771 Echterdingen Germany Tel. +49-711-489999-25 Fax +49-711-489999-11 E-mail jan-paul.lindner@lbp.uni-stuttgart.de Contact