Publication | Open Access
The role of sustainability assessment tools in realizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems
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2022
Year
EngineeringBioenergySustainable DevelopmentEnergy BiotechnologySustainable OperationsMonitoring SustainabilityGlobal ChallengesSustainability AnalysisSustainability Assessment ToolsClimate ChangeLife-cycle EngineeringGlobal WarmingSustainable SystemsSustainable ProcessSustainability AssessmentCircular BioeconomyBiorefinery ProductEnvironmental EngineeringSustainable EnergyLife Cycle AssessmentSustainabilitySustainable ProductionAlternative Food SourcesBioproduct Systems
Global challenges such as climate change, geopolitical conflict, and the Covid‑19 pandemic underscore the need to shift from fossil fuels to bioenergy and bioproducts for sustainable development. This review critically examines sustainability assessment tools—techno‑economic, life‑cycle, emergy, energy, and exergy analyses—for bioenergy and bioproduct systems. The authors outline the underlying principles of each method and discuss their strengths and limitations for designing, analyzing, and optimizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems. They conclude that while no single tool is perfect, integrating multiple assessment methods yields more reliable and accurate outcomes for realizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems.
The pressing global challenges, including global warming and climate change, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Covid-19 pandemic, all are indicative of the necessity of a transition from fossil-based systems toward bioenergy and bioproduct to ensure our plans for sustainable development. Such a transition, however, should be thoroughly engineered, considering the sustainability of the different elements of these systems. Advanced sustainability tools are instrumental in realizing this important objective. The present work critically reviews these tools, including techno-economic, life cycle assessment, emergy, energy, and exergy analyses, within the context of the bioenergy and bioproduct systems. The principles behind these methods are briefly explained, and then their pros and cons in designing, analyzing, and optimizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems are highlighted. Overall, it can be concluded that despite the promises held by these tools, they cannot be regarded as perfect solutions to address all the issues involved in realizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems, and integration of these tools can provide more reliable and accurate results than single approaches.