Analysis of Microalgal Biorefineries for Bioenergy from an Environmental and Economic Perspective Focus on Algal Biodiesel - Biotechnological Applications of Microalgae - page 115

9.2 ANALYTICAL TOOLS FOR ASSESSING
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Over the past two decades, much work has focused on methodology to assess the
environmental impact of processes and products. A number of these approaches
are summarized in Table 9.2, indicating the methodology and nature of the
assessment. It must be noted that while initially bioprocesses and energy processes
from renewable resources were assumed to be preferential with respect to lower

TABLE 9.2
Approaches to the Quantification of Environmental Sustainability of
Process Options

Tool Approach Ref.

Environmental
Impact
Assessment
(EIA)

“The process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and
mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant
effects of development proposals prior to major decisions
being taken and commitments made.”
A shortcoming is the narrow spatial and temporal scope,
typically limited to the site of the project.

International
Association for
Impact Assessment
(IAIA), 1999

Eco-efficiency Centered on producing cost-effective goods and services

while reducing their environmental impact; i.e.,
“producing more with less.”

Ecological
footprinting

A measure of the demand placed on the Earth's resources
through human activity. This is developed in terms of
the biologically productive area (land and sea) required
to produce the materials used and to assimilate the
wastes produced. Developing consistency in the
methods used to calculate ecological footprint is
currently a key focus.

Wackernagal et al.,
2002

Carbon
footprinting
(ISO 14064)

“A measure of the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 )
and methane (CH 4 ) emissions of a defined population,
system or activity, considering all relevant sources, sinks
and storage within the spatial and temporal boundary of
the population, system or activity of interest. Calculated
as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) using the relevant
100-year global warming potential (GWP100).”

UK Carbon Trust,
2008

Life Cycle
Assessment
(LCA) (ISO
14040 series)

Analytical tool to assess environmental impacts of
processes through definition of goal and scope, inventory
analysis, impact assessment, interpretation. Uses
assessment software packages including SimaPro™,
Umberto ® , GaBi™, and TEAM™.
Key advantages of this approach include that it is not
location specific, allows comparison across processes,
and is built on a strong literature database.

Consoli et al., 1993;
ISO 14044, 2006

Net energy
recovery (NER)

NER = energy produced/energy input