Remake of Environmental Management Mural by ELIANA LARROTA

Life Cycle Analysis By: Luis Humberto Jaimes Mora

luishjaime — 2020-04-11 18:46:50 UTC

(Estévez 2013) states that life cycle analysis (LCA) is a methodological framework to estimate and evaluate the environmental impacts attributable to a product or service during all stages of its life. All activities or processes cause environmental impacts, consume resources, emit substances into the environment and generate other environmental modifications during their lifetime.

(Estévez 2013) relates the basic principle of the (LCA) as the identification and description of all stages of the product life cycle, from the extraction, processing, manufacturing, use and use of the final product to its possible reuse, recycling or disposed of the product.

According to (Estévez 2013), LCA is the basis for Ecodesign, Ecolabelling and Environmental Product Declarations. In relation to the Regulatory Framework of Life Cycle Analysis, the main applicable international standards are:

- UNE-EN ISO 14040. Environmental Management. Life cycle analysis. Principles and frame of reference. December 2006.

- UNE-EN ISO 14044. Environmental Management. Life cycle analysis. Requirements and guidelines. December 2006. ISO 14044 replaced ISO 14041, 14042 and 14043.

Ecolabelling example

luishjaime — 2020-04-11 18:46:50 UTC

Por: Luis H. Jaimes Mora

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luishjaime — 2020-04-11 18:46:50 UTC

By: Luis H. Jaimes Mora

Ecolabel

elianalarrota — 2020-04-11 19:15:19 UTC

By: Eliana María Larrota Medrano
Avaliable in: https://www.repaq.es/blog/etiqueta-ecologica/?cli_action=1586725056.259

Life Cycle Analysis of Distributed Energy System Projects’Energy Consumption and GHG Emission – A Case of BeerBrewery Auxiliary Power Supply in China

elianalarrota — 2020-04-11 22:21:51 UTC

By: Eliana María Larrota Medrano.
This study was done under a research framework where the output constants were (electricity, heat and cooling) and in a next step, the energy input calculation was performed (using factors such as the machine's energy efficiency), then with the energy input, the life cycle energy consumption and GHG (CO₂, CH₄ and NO₂equivalent) are calculated and finally the energy saving rate between one case and another is calculated. So, a comparison is made between the Natural Resources Distributed Energy System of China Resources Snow Breweries in Sichuan Province, with 5 other cases that consider different energies such as conventional and renewable energies.
In the world, electricity is generated from different sources, such as: Coal, solar energy, nuclear energy; among other. Since natural gas is transported through a pipeline system, it is delivered as energy after transport, with very low energy loss. However, electricity is not as efficient, since it loses energy when it travels, and by the time it reaches its final destination, a lower percentage arrives. Most Wind Parks, Solar Plants, or Electricity Generators are not located immediately near residential locations, in that way electricity must be generated to compensate for the energy lost in transmission lines.
In China, Coal represents 85% of the energy used in heating (China Energy Flow Chart, 2012), however, the base project of the article that considers Natural Gas compared to the case of coal - electricity purchased from the grid, has an excellent performance in energy saving and emission reduction, although it uses 7% more energy as input. Save 8% of the life cycle of consumption energy and GHG emissions are reduced by 38%. As well as the cases of renewable energy, such as Biomass and wind, they have a good performance in environmental terms, reducing GHG emissions by 28-35% respectively compared to the case of Coal - Electricity bought from the grid.
The article finally recommends that political entities get involved and support the development of gas projects and invites more research in Distributed Energy Systems to guide companies in their decision-making in favor of more sustainable production.

Figure 1. System boundary of the life-cycle analysis (LCA) for a case study.

elianalarrota — 2020-04-12 20:46:08 UTC

Reference: 
Hansi Liu & Sheng Zhou & Tianduo Peng & Xunmin Ou, 2017.
"Life Cycle Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis of Natural Gas-Based Distributed Generation Projects in China," Energies, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, October.
Disponible en: https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v10y2017i10p1515-d113865.html