India's biofuel programme relies on the ethanol from molasses for blending into gasoline. Therefore, quantification of GHG (green house gas) emissions and the energy consumed during the process of ...ethanol production is desirable to help policy makers to take meaningful decisions. In order to establish the environmental impact of the biofuels, LCA (life cycle assessment) is conducted for 1 ton of fuel grade ethanol in the NR (northern region) and WR (western region) of India. Four different allocation approaches, WA (without any allocation), MA (mass allocation), EA (energy allocation) and MPA (market price allocation) are used to distribute emissions and energy consumption between the product and the co-products. Total GHG emissions are from 543.3 (−75.9%) to 8219.8 kg CO2-eq. (262.7%) in NR and 552.0 (−75.8%) to 7382.4 kg CO2-eq. (225.6%) with respect to gasoline. Similarly, the NER (net energy ratio) also varies with different allocation approaches and ranged from 0.38 to 3.39 in the NR and 0.48 to 4.23 in WR. Using MA approach, maximum GHG emissions reduction are, −75.9 and −75.8% and NER, 3.39 and 4.23 in NR and WR respectively indicates the environment and net energy benefits of fuel ethanol. It is observed that MA and EA approaches give more acceptable and real life results.
•LCA of sugarcane fuel ethanol conducted in northern and western region of India.•Process wise GHG emissions and energy consumption is calculated.•Mass, energy and market price allocation used to distribute emissions and energy consumption between the product and co-products.•Mass allocation and energy allocation approaches give the acceptable and real life results.•E5 and E10 give significant impact on GHG emission reduction and energy benefits.
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•We assess several refurbishment scenarios that meet plus energy standards.•Based on an LCA, the optimum refurbishment includes a high-quality prefabricated façade element.•The ...robustness analysis includes future climate change and a shift to a renewable energy mix.•The energetic payback time is between two and ten years.
Buildings account for 40% of total global energy consumption. The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Commission (EC) are attempting to achieve an 80% reduction in global emissions by 2050. The objectives of this paper are to identify the refurbishment scenario with the lowest environmental impact using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and to assess the scenario’s robustness to future climate change scenarios using a sensitivity analysis. We applied and verified the proposed approach in a residential case study of a reference project located in Kapfernberg, Austria. The environmental assessment included two façade refurbishment proposals (minimum and high quality with respect to energy), onsite energy generation (using solar thermal collectors and photovoltaic (PV) panels), one renewable future energy mix and the effects of climate change according to the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC). The environmental indicators used in the assessment were the cumulative energy demand non-renewable (CED n. ren.), global warming potential (GWP) and ecological scarcity (UBP) over building life cycles. The results indicated that a high-quality refurbishment of the thermal envelope with prefabricated façade elements, including solar thermal collectors and PV panels, represented the optimal refurbishment. In terms of the environmental indicators, the high-quality refurbishment scenario is always beneficial throughout the building’s life cycle. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis of the high-quality refurbishment scenario found an increasing production of surplus electricity with increasing PV area. This surplus of energy provides greater benefit in the short term with the current energy mix. Once the energy from the grid is shifted to renewable sources, the added benefit is decreased. Therefore, it is necessary to find an optimal balance between diminishing returns due to changes in the future energy mix and the financial investment made over the lifetime of the building, especially for plus energy buildings. However the findings from this specific case study need to be evaluated for other refurbishment cases, taking into account future local climate change and energy supply mix scenarios in other regions.
This paper develops a programming model, which combines logistics outsourcing decisions with some strategic Supply Chains’ planning issues, such as the Security of supplies, the customer ...Segmentation, and the Extended Producer Responsibility. The purpose is to minimize both the expected logistics cost and the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions of the Supply Chain (SC) network, in the context of business environment uncertainty. First, we define a general structure of the closed-loop SC. Second, we provide constructive models to roughly estimate the insourcing and outsourcing logistics costs, and their corresponding GHG emissions. Third, we establish a stochastic plan based on a scenarios approach to capture the uncertainty od demand, capacity of facilities, quantity and quality of returns of used products, and the transportation, warehousing, and reprocessing costs. Fourth, we suggest a programming model, and an algorithm based on the Epsilon-constraint method to solve it. The result is a set of optimal non-dominant green SC configurations, which provide the decision’ makers with optimal levels of logistics outsourcing integration within a decarbonized Supply Chain, before any further low-carbon investment.
•Integration of some critical Supply Chain Management issues in the green supply chain design.•Suggestion of constructive models to roughly estimate logistics costs and carbon emissions.•An example of stochastic plan is provided to capture different business uncertainties.•An Epsilon-constraint algorithm leads to a set of Pareto optimal green configurations, with optimal levels of logistics outsourcing.
The building sector is one of the biggest consumers of electricity in India. Climate change and global warming, as one of the most serious risks to human societies, are inextricably linked to energy ...usage and Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). With a population of nearly 1.38 billion, India is the world’s second largest country. The majority of Indian urbanization is involuted rather than evolved. Between 1991 and 2011, the urban population expanded by 73 percent, from 217 million to 377 million, while energy demand more than doubled from 1990 to 2009. GRIHA — Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment is an indigenous building rating system developed by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Govt. of India. GRIHA is a rating system that compares the building’s performance to nationally accepted benchmarks. It assesses a building’s environmental performance over the course of its full life cycle. With annual electricity consumption data for both residential and commercial sectors of India, with the linear regression methodology, the electricity demand till the year 2050 was plotted. Similarly, using the data from the GRIHA council and the Reference Building model, the annual electricity savings for GRIHA certified buildings has been plotted. Using non-linear regression, the savings for the years 2030 and 2050, has been plotted. The results show a positive indication that with stricter implementation of the energy conservation policies similar to GRIHA, by the govt of India, there can be significant savings in the energy Sector.
Abstract
Rainfall and irrigation trigger large pulses of the powerful greenhouse gas N
2
O from intensively managed pastures, produced via multiple, simultaneously occurring pathways. These N
2
O ...pulses can account for a large fraction of total N
2
O losses, demonstrating the importance to determine magnitude and source partitioning of N
2
O under these conditions. This study investigated the response of different pathways of N
2
O production to wetting across three different textured pasture soils. Soil microcosms were fertilised with an ammonium nitrate (NH
4
NO
3
) solution which was either single or double
15
N labelled, wetted to four different water-filled pore space (WFPS) levels, and incubated over two days. The use of a
15
N pool mixing model together with soil N gross transformations enabled the attribution of N
2
O to specific pathways, and to express N
2
O emissions as a fraction of the underlying N transformation. Denitrification and nitrification mediated pathways contributed to the production of N
2
O in all soils, regardless of WFPS. Denitrification was the main pathway of N
2
O production accounting for >50% of cumulative N
2
O emissions even at low WFPS. The contribution of autotrophic nitrification to N
2
O emissions decreased with the amount of wetting, while the contribution of heterotrophic nitrification remained stable or increased. Following the hole-in-the-pipe model, 0.1%–4% of nitrified N was lost as N
2
O, increasing exponentially with WFPS, while the percentage of denitrified N emitted as N
2
O decreased, providing critical information for the representation of N
2
O/WFPS relationships in simulation models. Our findings demonstrate that the wetting of pasture soils promotes N
2
O production via denitrification and via the oxidation of organic N substrates driven by high carbon and N availability upon wetting. The large contribution of heterotrophic nitrification to N
2
O emissions should be considered when developing N
2
O abatement strategies, seeking to reduce N
2
O emissions in response to rainfall and irrigation from intensively managed pastures.
Increasing crop productivity for food security is a challenging task without compromising the environmental integrity. In this scenario, seaweed based plant biostimulants are one of the potential ...sources for sustainably improving crop productivity and mitigating climate change. However, in order to quantitatively express the environmental benefits it becomes imperative to estimate the impacts resulting from their production. Thus the present study was undertaken to determine the various impacts across nineteen environmental categories that resulted from production of 1000 L of Gracilaria seaweed extract-a potent plant biostimulant by using life cycle assessment methodology. The environmental impacts were apportioned between seaweed extract and downstream product (agar) on the basis of price allocation. Among the three different steps involved in production of the extract, the processing module contributed to higher proportion of impacts across different evaluated environmental impact categories and it ranged from 65 to 99% of the total impacts. Electricity requirement, shed and blow-moulding sub-processess within the processing step contributed to bulk of the evaluated environmental impact categories. Plastics used in packaging of the extract as well as those used in cultivation module contributed to more than 50% of impacts across 8 out of the 19 evaluated environmental impact categories. Thus, in order to render the product even more sustainable we would recommend the use of biodegradable products for making the raft as well as for packaging. In addition, marketing of the extract as a concentrate would further lower the environmental burden associated with the transport and packaging, thus rendering the SWE even more sustainable.
•Carbon foot print for production of 1000 L of Gracilaria extract was 73.2 kg CO2 eq.•Price allocation was used for partitioning impacts between extract and agar.•Seaweed expulsion process accounted for higher proportion of impacts.•Plastics and their disposal were responsible for the bulk of the carbon footprint.•Disposal of plastics by land filling method increased marine and freshwater ecotoxicity.
Purpose
To examine the association of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) with Environmental Footprints (EFPs) among women of childbearing age in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Methods
Data ...belonging to a nationally representative sample of 482 women (19–50 years) were derived from a previous survey in the UAE. In face-to-face interviews, participants completed questionnaires addressing sociodemographic, physical activity, and dietary intake characteristics; the latter assessed using a multiple pass 24-h recall. The composite Mediterranean (c-MED) index was used to examine the adherence to the MD. Metrics for the EFPs (water use, energy use, and GHG emissions) were calculated using Life Cycle Analyses. Descriptive statistics and linear regressions were used in data analysis.
Results
In the study sample, the distribution of the c-MED scores was skewed to the right, indicating a low adherence to the MD. The lowest contributions to the total c-MED score were observed for legumes (2.9%) and olive oil (1.8%). The EFPs associated with food consumption per 1000 kcal were: water use: 1256.89 ± 544.95 L/day; energy use: 18.01 ± 7.85 MJ/day, and GHG: 2.46 ± 1.46 kg CO
2 eq
/day. After adjustment for age, energy intake, and potential confounders, being adherent to the MD was associated with 540.57 95% CI (− 726.6; − 354.54) units decrease in water use and 0.94 units decrease in GHG emissions 95% CI (− 1.45; − 0.43).
Conclusions
The findings of this study revealed an inverse association between adherence to the MD and EFPs. As such, the MD may represent a promising dietary strategy to improve health outcomes and reduce the environmental impact. Public health programs addressing the low adherence to the MD among women of childbearing age in the UAE are warranted.
In this study, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission dynamics of a plug–flow bioreactor located in a municipal full-scale wastewater treatment plant were monitored during a period of ...10weeks. In general, CH4 and N2O gas emissions from the bioreactor accounted for 0.016% of the influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 0.116% of the influent total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) respectively. In order to identify the emission patterns in the different zones, the bioreactor was divided in six different sampling sites and the gas collection hood was placed for a period of 2–3days in each of these sites. This sampling strategy also allowed the identification of different process perturbations leading to CH4 or N2O peak emissions. CH4 emissions mainly occurred in the first aerated site, and were mostly related with the influent and reject wastewater flows entering the bioreactor. On the other hand, N2O emissions were given along all the aerated parts of the bioreactor and were strongly dependant on the occurrence of process disturbances such as periods of no aeration or nitrification instability. Dissolved CH4 and N2O concentrations were monitored in the bioreactor and in other parts of the plant, as a contribution for the better understanding of the transport of these greenhouse gases across the different stages of the treatment system.
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•Monitoring of CH4 and N2O emissions from a full-scale activated sludge bioreactor•Process perturbations leading to CH4 and N2O peak emissions were identified.•Peak emissions increased severely the overall emission account of the bioreactor.•CH4 emissions were related with the inflow of influent and reject wastewater.•N2O was generated as consequence of nitrification imbalances.
•A geothermal heat pump system for heating a pig house was evaluated.•Electricity consumption, gas emissions and costs were investigated in winter.•Electricity use, CO2 emissions and costs were ...reduced substantially.•The system was economically and environmentally friendly.
A ground source geothermal heat pump (GSHP) was installed in a nursery pig house and the inlet and outlet temperature, coefficient of performance (COP), internal room temperature, energy consumption, CO2 and noxious gas emissions and costs were then compared between a control (conventional heating) and GSHP supported room. The mean outflow temperature was higher (P<0.05) than the inflow in all three segments of the GSHP system. The GSHP room temperature was elevated in the entry, center and back position, except for a reduced temperature in the entry during the first week (P<0.05). The mean COP was calculated to be 4.46 for the GSHP system over the three week experimental period. Electricity consumption and CO2 emissions were reduced by about 750.73kWh and 405.39kg, respectively, in the GSHP system relative to the control. Additionally, the overall energy cost was decreased by about 314.40 USD during the three week experimental period. Reduced NH3, H2S and SO2 gas emissions were observed in the GSHP supported room relative to the control (P<0.05). Overall, the GSHP system has the potential to minimize energy consumption and reduce green-house and noxious gas emissions, making it an economical and environmentally friendly renewable energy source.
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