Life cycle approach for the sustainability assessment of intensified biorefineries

In the global push to develop bio-based products that can help meet climate-related goals, researchers have increasingly utilized life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies. These methodologies have been applied to understand environmental impacts associated with all the stages of the life cycle of an existing product or process. These methods have also evolved into a powerful eco-design tool, where LCA can be applied in the initial stages of the development of a product or process, with the aim of guiding choices toward a greater sustainability. In recent years, LCA approach has expanded to include economic (life cycle cost or LCC) and social (social life cycle assessment or S-LCA) considerations, and thus it has emerged as a reference for more comprehensive assessments aimed at including the multiple dimensions of sustainability. This chapter presents the main LCA tools that can be used to assess the environmental, economic and social impact of emerging bioproducts. To properly evaluate new bioproducts requires a review of the facilities that can produce them (“biorefineries”) as well as impacts felt both upstream and downstream of the processing facility. Some of the challenges with LCA, as well as with S-LCA implementation are considered. A case study is then presented more in detail in order to demonstrate how these assessment tools can guide research and development activities in this field.