title: Future of lignite resources: a life cycle analysis.
abstract: Lignite is a low-quality energy source which accounts for 13 % of China's coal reserves. It is imperative to improve the quality of lignite for large-scale utilization. To further explore and analyze the influence of various key processes on the environment and economic costs, a lignite drying and compression technology is evaluated using an integrated approach of life cycle assessment and life cycle costs. Results showed that lignite mining, direct air emissions, and electricity consumption have most significant impacts on the environment. An integrated evaluation of life cycle assessment and life cycle costs showed that the most significant contributor to the environmental impacts and economic costs was the lignite mining process. The impact of transportation and wastewater treatment process on the environment and economic costs was small enough to be ignored. Critical factors were identified for reducing the environmental and economic impacts of lignite drying and compression technology. These findings provide useful inputs for both industrial practice and policy making for exploitation, processing, and utilization of lignite resources.
authors.affiliation: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, 17923 Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250061, China.
authors.forename: Qingsong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, 17923 Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250061, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, 17923 Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250061, China. yuanxl@sdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xueliang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7331-1059
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Environmental Monitor Station of Wudi Shandong Province, 116 Central Street, Wudi, Shandong, 251900, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Architecture & Built Environment; Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC), The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zuo
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003031:Coal / Q000032:analysis*; D004560:Electricity; D004736:Energy-Generating Resources; D004777:Environment; D008906:Mining; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Environmental impact assessment; Life cycle assessment; Life cycle cost; Lignite drying compression technology