Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems
Biomass plays a fundamental role in numerous decarbonisation strategies that seek to mitigate the short- and long-term effects of climate change. Within this context, decision-makers’ choices need to comprehensively consider potential sustainability effects associated with bioenergy systems. In part...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
|
Series: | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4918 |
id |
doaj-0c3f4cf336344246b9ec1a26cf13ae8d |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-0c3f4cf336344246b9ec1a26cf13ae8d2021-05-31T23:14:29ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1661-78271660-46012021-05-01184918491810.3390/ijerph18094918Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity SystemsMario Martín-Gamboa0Paula Quinteiro1Ana Cláudia Dias2Diego Iribarren3Chemical and Environmental Engineering Group, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Móstoles, SpainCentre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalCentre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalSystems Analysis Unit, IMDEA Energy, 28935 Móstoles, SpainBiomass plays a fundamental role in numerous decarbonisation strategies that seek to mitigate the short- and long-term effects of climate change. Within this context, decision-makers’ choices need to comprehensively consider potential sustainability effects associated with bioenergy systems. In particular, due to the lack of studies addressing the social sustainability of bioelectricity, the present work applies the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) methodology to compare the social performance of two biomass-to-electricity systems located in Portugal based on either fluidised-bed or grate furnace technology. S-LCA involves a comprehensive approach for holistic evaluation and data interpretation of social aspects. Six social indicators were benchmarked: child labour, forced labour, gender wage gap, women in the sectoral labour force, health expenditure, and contribution to economic development. The results show that the implementation of fluidised-bed furnaces as a more efficient conversion technology could reduce by 15–19% the selected negative social impacts, except women in the sectoral labour force. When enlarging the interpretation to a sustainability perspective, the general suitability of the fluidised-bed furnace system would be further emphasised under environmental aspects while jointly providing valuable insights for informed decision-making and sustainability reporting.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4918bioenergyelectricitylife cycle assessmentsocial risksustainability |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Mario Martín-Gamboa Paula Quinteiro Ana Cláudia Dias Diego Iribarren |
spellingShingle |
Mario Martín-Gamboa Paula Quinteiro Ana Cláudia Dias Diego Iribarren Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health bioenergy electricity life cycle assessment social risk sustainability |
author_facet |
Mario Martín-Gamboa Paula Quinteiro Ana Cláudia Dias Diego Iribarren |
author_sort |
Mario Martín-Gamboa |
title |
Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems |
title_short |
Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems |
title_full |
Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems |
title_fullStr |
Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comparative Social Life Cycle Assessment of Two Biomass-to-Electricity Systems |
title_sort |
comparative social life cycle assessment of two biomass-to-electricity systems |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1661-7827 1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
Biomass plays a fundamental role in numerous decarbonisation strategies that seek to mitigate the short- and long-term effects of climate change. Within this context, decision-makers’ choices need to comprehensively consider potential sustainability effects associated with bioenergy systems. In particular, due to the lack of studies addressing the social sustainability of bioelectricity, the present work applies the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) methodology to compare the social performance of two biomass-to-electricity systems located in Portugal based on either fluidised-bed or grate furnace technology. S-LCA involves a comprehensive approach for holistic evaluation and data interpretation of social aspects. Six social indicators were benchmarked: child labour, forced labour, gender wage gap, women in the sectoral labour force, health expenditure, and contribution to economic development. The results show that the implementation of fluidised-bed furnaces as a more efficient conversion technology could reduce by 15–19% the selected negative social impacts, except women in the sectoral labour force. When enlarging the interpretation to a sustainability perspective, the general suitability of the fluidised-bed furnace system would be further emphasised under environmental aspects while jointly providing valuable insights for informed decision-making and sustainability reporting. |
topic |
bioenergy electricity life cycle assessment social risk sustainability |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4918 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mariomartingamboa comparativesociallifecycleassessmentoftwobiomasstoelectricitysystems AT paulaquinteiro comparativesociallifecycleassessmentoftwobiomasstoelectricitysystems AT anaclaudiadias comparativesociallifecycleassessmentoftwobiomasstoelectricitysystems AT diegoiribarren comparativesociallifecycleassessmentoftwobiomasstoelectricitysystems |
_version_ |
1721417916894674944 |