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Biofuel Supply Chains: Impacts, Indicators and Sustainability Metrics
Citation:
SMITH, R. L. Biofuel Supply Chains: Impacts, Indicators and Sustainability Metrics. Chemical Engineering Transactions. AIDIC, Italian Association of Chemical Engineering, Milano, Italy, 21:1135 - 1140, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public
Description:
The U.S. EPA’s Office of Research and Development has introduced a program to study the environmental impacts and sustainability of biofuel supply chains. Analyses will provide indicators and metrics for valuating sustainability. In this context, indicators are supply chain ratios (e.g., biomass / land area, yield / process feed), while metrics are combinations of terms through the supply chain (e.g., cumulative exergy, ecological footprint). The analysis will consider potential impacts, indicators and metrics of existing and future-scenario supply chains. Future scenarios will be considered from the perspective of design alternatives, where current supply chains may be retrofitted and new supply chains designed for improved environmental performance. The design procedure will require steps of analysis and synthesis to evaluate and put together parts of the design. The U.S. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory has expertise in process design, environmental impacts and sustainability metrics which will be used in creating and analyzing designs. The results of this research program will include the development of design rules and guidelines directed at increasing environmental sustainability.
URLs/Downloads:
BIOFUEL SUPPLY CHAINS: IMPACTS, INDICATORS AND SUSTAINABILITY METRICS
PRES 2010
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