title: Life cycle assessment of lignocellulosic ethanol: a review of key factors and methods affecting calculated GHG emissions and energy use.
abstract: Lignocellulosic ethanol has potential for lower life cycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline and conventional grain-based ethanol. Ethanol production 'pathways' need to meet economic and environmental goals. Numerous life cycle assessments of lignocellulosic ethanol have been published over the last 15 years, but gaps remain in understanding life cycle performance due to insufficient data, and model and methodological issues. We highlight key aspects of these issues, drawing on literature and a case study of corn stover ethanol. Challenges include the complexity of feedstock/ecosystems and market-mediated aspects and the short history of commercial lignocellulosic ethanol facilities, which collectively have led to uncertainty in GHG emissions estimates, and to debates on LCA methods and the role of uncertainty in decision making.
authors.affiliation: Savant Technical Consulting, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Kelsey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gerbrandt
authors.affiliation: Savant Technical Consulting, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Pei Lin
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Savant Technical Consulting, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simmonds
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, St. Paul, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberley A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.affiliation: Savant Technical Consulting, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Civil Engineering, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: heatherl.maclean@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: MacLean
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: W Michael
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: Savant Technical Consulting, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Civil Engineering, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Bradley A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Saville
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D057168:Distillation; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D006868:Hydrolysis; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D002482:Cellulose