Repository logo
 
Publication

Sustainable Heat Production for Fossil Fuel Replacement—Life Cycle Assessment for Plant Biomass Renewable Energy Sources

2025-04-01Text Open access
Simple item page
datacite.subject.fosEngenharia e Tecnologia
datacite.subject.sdg07:Energias Renováveis e Acessíveis
dc.contributor.authorLopes Brás, Isabel Paula
dc.contributor.authorFabriccino, Massimiliano
dc.contributor.authorFerreira, José
dc.contributor.authorFerreira Silva, Maria Elisabete
dc.contributor.authorMignano, Vincenzo
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-09T10:42:43Z
dc.date.available2025-05-09T10:42:43Z
dc.date.issued2025-04-01
dc.description.abstractThis study aims to assess the environmental impact of using wood-based biomass as a high-efficiency fuel alternative to fossil fuels for heat production. To achieve this, the life cycle of biomass transformation, utilization, and disposal was analyzed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology with SimaPro 9.5.0.2 PhD software. The system boundaries included extraction, processing, transportation, combustion, and waste management, following a cradle-to-gate approach. A comparative analysis was conducted between natural gas, the most widely used conventional heating fuel, and two biomass-based fuels: wood pellets and wood chips. The results indicate that biomass utilization reduces greenhouse gas emissions (−19%) and fossil resource depletion (−16%) while providing environmental benefits across all assessed impact categories analyzed, except for land use (+96%). Biomass is also to be preferred for forest waste management, ease of supply, and energy independence. However, critical life cycle phases, such as raw material processing and transportation, were found to contribute significantly to human health and ecosystem well-being. To mitigate these effects, optimizing combustion efficiency, improving supply chain logistics, and promoting sustainable forestry practices are recommended. These findings highlight the potential of biomass as a viable renewable energy source and provide insights into strategies for minimizing its environmental footprint.por
dc.identifier.citationBrás, I., Fabbricino, M., Ferreira, J., Silva, E., & Mignano, V. (2025). Sustainable Heat Production for Fossil Fuel Replacement—Life Cycle Assessment for Plant Biomass Renewable Energy Sources. Sustainability, 17(7), 3109. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17073109
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/su17073109
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.19/9326
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.relationBioValor –Ecoponto Florestal: Valorização Integrada da Biomassa e digitalização da sua gestão - PI&Di/CISED/003/2021
dc.relation.hasversionhttps://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3109
dc.rights.uriN/A
dc.subjectlife cycle assessment
dc.subjectbiomass valorization
dc.subjectenergetic valorization
dc.subjectplant biomass
dc.subjectwood
dc.subjectpellet
dc.subjectchips
dc.subjectnatural gas
dc.titleSustainable Heat Production for Fossil Fuel Replacement—Life Cycle Assessment for Plant Biomass Renewable Energy Sourceseng
dc.typetext
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue7
oaire.citation.startPage3109
oaire.citation.titleSustainability
oaire.citation.volume17
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameLopes Brás
person.familyNameFerreira
person.familyNameFerreira Silva
person.givenNameIsabel Paula
person.givenNameJosé
person.givenNameMaria Elisabete
person.identifier.ciencia-idE711-EB2D-3A05
person.identifier.ciencia-idB81E-BE45-E128
person.identifier.ciencia-id5D17-9AF2-944C
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-2252-381X
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-7596-8065
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-9478-623X
person.identifier.scopus-author-id18133647300
person.identifier.scopus-author-id55510719500
relation.isAuthorOfPublication6ec9bc01-46b1-4864-afbc-b6e89a2d7a2e
relation.isAuthorOfPublication7d09c228-3415-4272-9299-89c6951565d7
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationeb9edff1-c612-4a08-951c-7c13d08dc775
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery6ec9bc01-46b1-4864-afbc-b6e89a2d7a2e

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
2025_sustainability- Sustainable Heat Production for Fossil Fuel Replacement.pdf
Size:
1.81 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.79 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

ESTGV - DA - Artigo em revista científica, indexada ao WoS/Scopus
CERNAS - Artigo em revista científica, indexada ao WoS/Scopus
CISeD - Artigo em revista científica, indexada ao WoS/Scopus
ESTGV - DEM - Artigo em revista científica, indexada ao WoS/Scopus