ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF LIQUID AND SOLID BIOFUELS: AN OVERVIEW

摘要

Early comprehensive life cycle assessments (LCAs) that compared biofuels with fossil fuels appeared in thebeginning of the nineties. Since then the number of assessed parameters has continuously increased and themethodology improved. One of the most extensive studies on this topic was completed in 1997 [1]. A largevariety of ecological parameters was examined – some of them for the first time – over the whole life cyclesby using a unified methodical approach on a high level of differentiation. The results of this study allow anoverall evaluation of the ecological advantages and disadvantages of the substitution of certain fossil fuelsby biofuels in accordance with the methodological demands on LCAs. Special emphasis was put on the interpretationas the ISO 14042/43 became available early 2000. Based on the determination of the “specificcontributions” and the ecological importance of the various evaluated parameters, the final evaluation showsthat under specific assumptions the use of certain biofuels have definite environmental advantages comparedto fossil fuels.