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This work was presented at the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA) LCAXVI Conference in Charleston, SC on September 27, 2016. At NETL, LCA is used as a tool and framework for undertaking a broad range of evaluations. This overview describes the LCA process at NETL, including unique application of stochastic methods to environmental and economic analyses, and shows highlights from several recent studies.
This work was presented at the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA) LCAXVIII Conference in Portsmouth, NH on October 5, 2017. At NETL, LCA is used as a tool and framework for undertaking a broad range of these types of evaluations. This overview describes the LCA process at NETL, including unique application of stochastic methods to environmental and economic analyses, and show highlights from several recent studies.
In this reliability life cycle evaluation of the SpaceCube 2.0 processor card, a partially populated version of the card is being evaluated to determine its durability with respect to typical GSFC mission loads.
NETL studies the costs and benefits of PSC for electricity, industry, and mobile applications. Mobile point source capture (MPSC) and storage applied to freight modes captures emissions directly from exhaust. This poster presents a framework for conducting LCA of PSC systems applied to heavy-duty trucks, freight trains, and marine vessels. The framework defines a wheels-to-storage (gate-to-grave) boundary, including energy demands (electricity, heat, and cooling requirements), solvent use and cycling, onboard system components, carbon storage in a saline aquifer, and upstream manufacturing impacts for equipment, with a suggested functional unit of 1 tonne-km. Potential data sources for analysis include material, energy, and operational data from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies) model, and scientific literature. The suggested analytical approach includes comparison to publicly available business-as-usual systems without capture across all modes of transportation, sensitivity to composition of the capture solvent, and sensitivity to capture rate variation, all of which would support a wholistic PSC business case analysis. For future consideration, analysis can be augmented with consideration of different sources of electricity (e.g., nuclear), fuel substitution, deploying supportive infrastructure such as pipeline offloading points, and downstream applications like enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
Hydrogen production via water electrolysis is a promising and evolving technology. The solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is one of the several technologies for this purpose. They are alternatives to the traditional hydrogen production from fossil fuels to enhance global energy decarbonization. However, in the bid for sustainability and a green economy, these technologies are not free from causing some environmental burdens. Using life cycle assessment (LCA), the greenhouse gas emission and degree of environmental impacts by these technologies can be identified and measured throughout their lifespan. This study addresses how to quantify these CO 2 emission impacts for an electrolytic system with different energy sources. The LCA of a novel integrated hydrogen production SOEC system with energy from solar photovoltaic and bituminous powerplant is performed using simaPro, the leading global LCA solution software. Measuring the environmental impact of the electrolytic operation in terms of weight, the bituminous powerplant poses damage which is, on average 700% more than solar PV. The thermal-to-hydrogen efficiency of the SOEC system is 56%, and a probable 28% reduction in carbon footprint with heat integration. The steam generation and the manufacturing of the SOEC have a very high environmental impact potential on the system. Here, we recommend LCA and net energy analysis is carried out for every new hydrogen technology and adequate comparison to enhance sustainable and green economy.
Abstract Corn ethanol plants generate high‐purity carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) while producing ethanol. If that CO 2 could be converted into ethanol by carbon capture and utilization technologies it would be possible to increase ethanol production more than 37% without additional corn grain inputs. Gas fermentation processes use microbes to convert carbon‐containing gases into ethanol and so have the potential to be used with the CO 2 from biorefineries for this purpose. However, as CO 2 utilization technologies for converting thermodynamically stable CO 2 are typically energy intensive, it is necessary to evaluate the related life‐cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (carbon intensities or CIs) to see whether there are actual emission reduction benefits. In this study, we evaluate the CIs of ethanol produced from high‐purity CO 2 in corn ethanol plants by gas fermentation plus electrochemical reduction. Our analysis shows that the sources of electricity and hydrogen are key drivers of CO 2 ‐based ethanol's GHG emissions. With wind electricity, the design cases show the potential of near‐zero CI ethanol (1.1 g CO 2 e/MJ), but that can increase to up to 331–531 g CO 2 e/MJ when today's U.S. Midwest electricity mix is used. To avoid the renewable electricity intermittency issue, we considered a power purchase agreement option using wind electricity 40% of the time and using the regional mix for the rest, which provides a 42% GHG emission reduction from the CI of gasoline. © 2020 The Authors and UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The vast reserves of coal in the U.S. provide a significant incentive for the development of processes for coal conversion to liquid fuels (CTL). Also, CTL using domestic coal can help move the U.S. toward greater energy independence and security. However, current conversion technologies are less economically competitive and generate greater greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than production of petroleum fuels. Altex Technologies Corporation (Altex, hereinafter) and Pennsylvania State University have developed a hybrid technology to produce jet fuel from a feedstock blend of coal and biomass. Collaborating with Altex, Argonne National Laboratory has expanded and used the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET®) model to assess the life-cycle GHG emissions and water consumption of this hybrid technology. Biomass feedstocks include corn stover, switchgrass, and wheat straw. The option of biomass densification (bales to pellets) is also evaluated in this study. The results show that the densification process generates additional GHG emissions as a result of additional biomass process energy demand. This process coproduces a large amount of char, and this study investigates two scenarios to treat char: landfill disposal (Char-LF) and combustion for combined heat and power (CHP). Since the CHP scenarios export excess heat and electricity as coproducts, two coproduct handling methods are used for well-to-wake (WTWa) analysis: displacement (Char-CHP-Disp) and energy allocation (Char-CHP-EnAllo). When the feedstock contains 15 wt% densified wheat straw and 85 wt% lignite coal, WTWa GHG emissions of the coal-and-biomass-to-liquid pathways are 116, 97, and 137 gCO2e per megajoule (MJ) under the Char-LF, Char-CHP-Disp, and Char-CHP-EnAllo scenarios, respectively, as compared to conventional jet fuel production at 84 gCO2e/MJ. WTWa water consumption values are 0.072, -0.046, and 0.044 gal/MJ for Char-LF, Char-CHP-Disp, and Char-CHP-EnAllo, respectively, as compared to conventional jet fuel production at 0.028 gal/MJ. To reach the break-even point of 84 gCO2e/MJ, under the assumptions of constant product yields and energy demands regardless of the share of biomass and coal feedstocks, 31 wt%, 23 wt%, and 53 wt% of the feedstock blend need to be biomass under the Char-LF, Char-CHP-Disp, and Char-CHP-EnAllo scenarios, respectively.
An analytical and computer study of the dynamic energy equations that describe the physical phenomena that occurs in a Stirling cycle engine. The basic problem is set up in terms of a set o hyperbolic partial differential equations. The characteristic lines are determined. The equations are then transformed to ordinary differential equations that are valid along characteristic lines. Computer programs to solve the differential equations and to plot pertinent factors are described.
This document summarizes research on the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rates from the production and use of clean fuels to support a new version of the Research and Development Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies (R&D GREET) model, R&D GREET 2024 In this effort, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) focuses on clean fuel pathways that are readily available in the market or are emerging in the near term. The selected pathways represent clean fuel technologies that convert biomass- and/or waste-based feedstocks to liquid and/or gaseous fuels for the transportation sector and other potential uses. The pathways are configured in R&D GREET 2024 with up-to-date feedstock-to-fuel life cycle inventory (LCI) data. Additionally, a new tab has been added to R&D GREET 2024 called “Clean Fuels” which allows the user to easily change inputs and access LCA results. Argonne does not warrant that the results presented in this report are consistent with the requirements of any particular regulatory or incentive program. Users interested in specific programs that reference GREET are encouraged to review guidance specific to those programs if and when it is available to determine appropriate means of compliance and contact the relevant responsible agencies for those specific policies or programs.
The use of a computer program PAC-2 to produce a thermodynamic data bank for various materials used in water splitting cycles is described. The sources of raw data and a listing of 439 materials for which data are available are presented. The use of the data bank in conjunction with two other programs, CEC-72 and HYDRGN, is also discussed. The integration of these three programs implement an evaluation procedure for thermochemical water splitting cycles. CEC-72 is a program used to predict the equilibrium composition of the various chemical reactions in the cycle. HYDRGN is a program which is used to calculate changes in thermodynamic properties, work of separation, amount of recycle, internal heat regeneration, total thermal energy, and process thermal efficiency for a thermochemical cycle.
The purpose of this study was to compare environmental implications of exporting United States (U.S.) coal resources to Asian markets with respect to alternative global sources of steam coal. This study seeks to evaluate and understand potential environmental consequences of exporting PRB coal compared to global alternative sources of coal. This study was informed by a 10-person industry based Technical Steering Committee to improve the quality of the analysis. The key question addressed by the study: Is there a definitive difference between the life cycle GHG profiles between sourcing coal from the U.S. (PRB), Australia, or Indonesia for Japan, South Korea, or Taiwan? Given the uncertainty in the model parameter values, there is not a definitive difference between the life cycle GHG profiles between sourcing coal from the U.S. (PRB), Australia, or Indonesia for Japan, South Korea, or Taiwan.
The use of the computer program PAC-2 to produce a thermodynamic data bank for various materials used in water-splitting cycles is described. The sources of raw data and a listing of 439 materials for which data are presently available are presented. This paper also discusses the use of the data bank in conjunction with two other programs, CEC-72 and HYDRGN. The integration of these three programs implement an evaluation procedure for thermochemical water splitting cycles. CEC-72 is a program used to predict the equilibrium composition of the various chemical reactions in the cycle. HYDRGN is a program which is used to calculate changes in thermodynamic properties, work of separation, amount of recycle, internal heat regeneration, total thermal energy and process thermal efficiency for a thermochemical cycle.
This study presents an integrated and sustainable approach to valorizing non-recycled municipal solid waste (MSW), a heterogeneous and underutilized waste stream destined for landfilling, by converting it into valuable biochar resources. Specifically, we investigated the upcycling of nonrecycled paper waste based on compositional analysis into four major fractions: high cellulose, high lignin, high contamination, and high ash content papers. These fractions were then homogenized and subjected to slow pyrolysis. The high cellulose fraction (36.1 %) was the most abundant, and contained 66.7 % cellulose, while the high lignin fraction showed the highest lignin (12.1 %) and carbon content (44 %), resulting in highest energy value of 17.4 MJ kg −1 . Biochar yields ranged from 25.6 % to 35.6 %, with the high ash fraction producing the highest yield and alkalinity (pH ≈ 11.2) due to its higher mineral content. Elemental analysis revealed enhanced carbon content up to 76.9 % and reduced oxygen and hydrogen, confirming effective carbonization. The high lignin-derived biochar showed the highest aromatic carbon content (82.8 %) and greater structural stability, while contaminated and ash-rich fractions exhibited dense, low-porosity surfaces due to the presence of contaminants and minerals. Spectroscopic analysis revealed degradation of carbohydrates, disappearance of cellulose peaks and formation of aromatic and mineral derived phases. The scaled life cycle process yielded a global warming potential (GWP) of 119.3 kg CO 2 -eq per ton of dry paper waste, offset by soil carbon sequestration of − 556.41 kg CO 2 -eq, resulting in a net impact of − 427.36 kg CO 2 -eq. This represents a net carbon removal exceeding by ~186 % the emissions associated with landfilling paper waste with electricity generation.
Hydrogen is a zero-carbon energy carrier with potential to decarbonize industrial and transportation sectors, but its life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions depend on its energy supply chain and carbon management measures (e.g., carbon capture and storage). Global support for clean hydrogen production and use has recently intensified. In the United States, Congress passed several laws that incentivize the production and use of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022, which provides tax credits of up to $3/kg depending on the carbon intensity of the produced hydrogen. A comprehensive life-cycle accounting of GHG emissions associated with hydrogen production is needed to determine the carbon intensity of hydrogen throughout its value chain. In the United States, Argonne’s R&D GREET ® (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated emissions, and Energy use in Technologies) model has been widely used for hydrogen carbon intensity calculations. This paper describes the major hydrogen technology pathways considered in the United States and provides data sources and carbon intensity results for each of the hydrogen production and delivery pathways using consistent system boundaries and most recent technology performance and supply chain data.
Highlights: • LCA analysis of two option for residual waste management. • Exploitation of mechanical physical sorting facility for extracting recyclable from RMSW. • Processing the mechanically sorted organic fraction in bioreactor landfill. • Sensitivity analysis demonstrate high influence for impact assessment of substitution ratio for recycle materials. - Abstract: Starting from an existing waste management district without thermal treatment facilities, two different management scenarios for residual waste were compared by life cycle assessment (LCA). The adoption of a bioreactor landfill for managing the mechanically sorted organic fraction instead of bio-stabilization led to reduction of global warming and fresh water eutrophication by 50% and 10%, respectively. Extraction of recyclables from residual waste led to avoided emissions for particulate matter, acidification and resource depletion impact categories. Marginal energy and the amount of energy recovered from landfill gas marginally affected the LCA results. On the contrary the quality of the recyclables extracted can significantly modify the eco profile of the management schemes.
The Used Nuclear Fuel Storage, Transportation & Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF-ST&DARDS) is being developed for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy by the national laboratories. An important part of UNF-ST&DARDS is the Unified Database (UDB), which contains information that can support a variety of activities including fuel storage, fuel transportation, and disposal-related system analysis. Currently, the main application of the UDB is to support evaluation of the characteristics of discharged spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from the U.S. commercial reactors. However, because of the extensive amount of data that has been collected and analyzed for UNF-ST&DARDS, there are many more applications that can utilize the UDB including system analysis with the Next-Generation System Analysis Model (NGSAM) and fuel cycle analysis with fuel cycle simulation codes such as ORION. Going forward, NGSAM and fuel cycle transition analysis with ORION integrate UDB data wherever possible in the UDB’s development plan. Finally, these advances in NGSAM and fuel cycle analysis can be used in conjunction with the UDB to help answer more complex questions about the optimization, utilization, storage, and eventual disposal of SNF.
NREL partnered with the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) to investigate the suitability of implementing battery electric buses (BEB) on JUTC bus routes in the Kingston vicinity. In December 2017 NREL captured drive cycle data of select buses to define the utilization patterns of existing buses and to estimate which routes could be best suited for electrification based on (1) the ability of available BEB options to cover the route distance while allowing sufficient time to recharge, and (2) the route drive cycle statistics that would allow for the greatest energy efficiency gains from switching from a diesel bus to a BEB.
Windows are a critical envelope component that plays an important role in the overall performance and environmental impact of a building life cycle. These implications can be embedded in the window lifecycle related to its design, manufacturing, raw materials and transportation, performance during the building’s use (operational), replacements, maintenance and end-of-life. Windows may impact 25% of the heating and cooling energy use, 10% of total building energy use and 45% of the envelope heat transfer (Harris 2022). The impacts of windows on the energy consumption of buildings have been extensively discussed, however, its embodied life-cycle impacts, such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the trade-offs between the embodied and its operational emissions are less explored. Understanding the life cycle impacts of windows may subsidize decision making process and inform the development of emerging windows technologies. BTO’s Windows Program has played an important role to increase the adoption of emerging technologies as high-performance windows in the U.S. (Harris 2022) and to consider the GHG emission impacts of the those windows is an important aspect that can support the strategic objectives and the performance targets from the national blueprint for decarbonizing the buildings sector and to reduce the on-site emissions and embodied life cycle emissions from building materials and construction (US DOE 2024).