review · Environmental Chemistry Letters
The rapid expansion of the worldwide bioenergy sector requires thorough evaluation to ensure sustainable management. Assessing these systems calls for standardised life cycle assessments that look past greenhouse gas emissions and energy balances to evaluate broader environmental factors, including water consumption and land use. Across different bioenergy pathways, such as bioethanol, biodiesel, and biogas, carbon dioxide removal rates vary widely between 45 and 99 percent. Understanding the underlying chemical reaction processes is critical to enhancing the efficiency of bioenergy generation. In addition to technical and chemical developments, comprehensive techno-economic analyses alongside dedicated policy frameworks and tools are essential to support sustainable implementation. Together, these complementary approaches help guide the bioenergy sector toward meeting environmental standards while ensuring energy security.
Bioenergy offers an alternative to fossil fuels, yet expanding production risks unintended consequences for water and land. Evaluating these broader impacts alongside greenhouse gas reductions ensures that clean energy initiatives achieve genuine environmental benefits. Standardised metrics and policy frameworks allow decision-makers to identify which energy pathways deliver meaningful carbon reductions while protecting natural resources.
Techno-economic and life cycle assessment tools can assist bioenergy producers, chemical engineers, and policymakers in evaluating the viability of bioethanol, biodiesel, and biogas facilities. Because this review synthesises assessment methodologies, reaction processes, and policy frameworks rather than testing a specific device, practical deployment relies on operators applying these evaluation tools to benchmark plant performance and meet regulatory sustainability standards.
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Abstract The global expansion of the bioenergy industry raises concerns, emphasizing the need for careful evaluation and sustainable management. To facilitate this, life cycle assessments beyond greenhouse gas emissions and energy balance are essential, along with the standardization of assessment methodologies to enable meaningful comparisons. Here, we review life cycle assessment, chemical aspects, and policy implication of bioenergy production. We discuss life cycle assessment in terms of concepts, methods, impacts, greenhouse gases, land use, water consumption, bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas, and techno-economic analysis. Chemical aspects comprise reaction processes and means to improve efficiency. Concerning policies, tools, and frameworks that encourage sustainable energy production are presented. We found that carbon dioxide removal ranges from 45 to 99% in various bioenergy processes. The review also emphasizes the importance of chemistry in advancing sustainable bioenergy production for a more sustainable and secure energy future.
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DOI: 10.1007/s10311-023-01694-z
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