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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Task 12 PV Sustainability - Life Cycle Assessment of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Module Delamination with Hot Knife Technology

The objective of this study is to complete a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a novel technology that separates the crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) module front glass from the backsheet using hot knife technology. This is known to be the most challenging step in module recycling, where the choice of delamination approach can determine the process selection for the next steps of the recycling process, the economic value of the recovered materials, and environmental performance. The life cycle inventory (LCI) reported here is based on primary data from the technology manufacturer. Different LCIs are established following the cut-off approach and the end-of-life (EOL) approach. The environmental impacts of the hot knife delamination process are analysed based on six indicators, and the main contributors to delamination efforts are identified. For the EOL approach, the potential environmental benefits from the recovered materials are compared to the environmental impacts caused by the delamination process. The functional unit of this analysis is the delamination of 1 kg of used framed c-Si PV modules at the place of installation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comprehensive Cradle to Grave Life Cycle Analysis of On-Road Vehicles in the United States based on GREET

To properly compare and contrast the environmental performance of one vehicle technology against another, it is necessary to consider their production, operation, and end-of-life fates. Since 1995, Argonne’s GREET® life cycle analysis model (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies) has been annually updated to model and refine the latest developments in fuels and materials production, as well as vehicle operational and composition characteristics. Updated cradle-to-grave life cycle analysis results from the model’s latest release are described for a wide variety of fuel and powertrain options for U.S. light-duty and medium/heavy-duty vehicles. Light-duty vehicles include a passenger car, sports utility vehicle (SUV), and pick-up truck, while medium/heavy-duty vehicles include a Class 6 pickup-and-delivery truck, Class 8 day-cab (regional) truck, and Class 8 sleeper-cab (long-haul) truck. Powertrain coverage includes internal combustion (spark ignition and compression ignition) engines, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid, full battery electric, and fuel cell vehicles powered by conventional and low carbon energy sources. The results offer insights into the current state of these technologies, as well as a projection of the likely environmental implications of future fuel and vehicle advancements through a time-series evaluation of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.

Kelly, Jarod C.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Systematic feature design for cycle life prediction of lithium-ion batteries during formation

Optimization of the formation step in lithium-ion battery manufacturing is challenging due to limited physical understanding of solid-electrolyte interphase formation and the long testing time (∼100 days) for cells to reach the end of life. We propose a systematic feature-design framework that requires minimal domain knowledge for accurate cycle life prediction during formation. By only using two simple Q (V) features designed from our framework, extracted from formation data without any additional diagnostic cycles, we achieved an average of 9.87% error for cycle life prediction. Here, the physics-based investigation guided by the two designed features shows that the voltage ranges identified by our framework capture the effects of formation temperature and microscopic-particle resistance heterogeneity. By designing highly predictive, robust, and interpretable features, our approach can accelerate industrial battery formation research, leveraging the interplay between data-driven feature design and mechanistic understanding.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies that maximize portfolio-wide life cycle cost reduction, resilience, and environmental justice benefits

While strategies to achieve net-zero emissions at an individual site are well understood, new analysis methods are required for organizations seeking to achieve net-zero across multiple facilities, each with concurrent priority goals. At a portfolio level, distinct locations present varied challenges that cannot be addressed through singular solutions, and competing goals can take precedence with the assumption that net-zero emissions strategies deter from energy resilience and cost savings, therefore negatively impacting nearby communities. This study tests these assumptions by analyzing 16 diverse sites (varying in size, climate, and energy use) to identify strategies that reduce emissions and assess the impact these strategies have on life cycle costs, resilience, and communities with environmental justice concerns. Methods were developed to approximate missing information essential to net-zero evaluation. Established methods were augmented to evaluate life cycle costs, resilience, and environmental justice impacts across a set of strategies and accommodate the multi-criteria analyses. Potential benefits from identified strategies were quantified using site characteristics and a set of corresponding metrics. The net-zero analysis found that 11 sites could use on-site strategies to eliminate all but 2% of emissions generated. The remaining emissions can be offset, for instance through sequestration, executed at the portfolio scale. On-site carbon-free energy was found to reduce 51% of emissions across all sites; efficiency reduced 19% of emissions; sequestration 16%; procured carbon-free energy 15%; fuel switching 1.6%; and fleet electrification 1.3%. Building electrification, however, increased emissions by 4.4%. Different strategies also provide cost, resilience, and/or environmental justice benefits—the degree to which varies with individual site conditions. The findings indicate an advantage to considering the strategies as a comprehensive set, which leads to co-benefits, both in the ability to achieve net-zero goals and in advancing other goals. The results present the case for comprehensive advanced planning at the portfolio level to prioritize investments that will balance the minimization of emissions and life cycle cost with the maximization of resilience and environmental justice benefits. The novel methods for evaluation and integration, valuation of benefits, and consideration at the portfolio scale allow organizations to select investments that simultaneously address multiple key priorities.

Net-Zero Emissions↗
DOE OSTI2020

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment Spreadsheet tool for Deep Direct-Use Geothermal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Campus

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) spreadsheet tool was developed to analyze potential environmental benefits of a deep direct-use (DDU) geothermal energy system (GES) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U of IL) campus. The LCA spreadsheet tool is a unique contribution to the feasibility study that provides further insight into the cradle-to-grave environmental impacts associated with the GES over the operating life time, as well as other DDU GES with similar objectives. The tool allows for a more in-depth analysis of the feasibility of DDU GES with respect to the overall environmental impacts. For the U of IL assessment, a doublet (two-well) system is evaluated, which is connected to aboveground mechanical system to supply heating to six agricultural research facilities. The additional of new equipment are assessed for the technical and economic feasibility. The results from this study will also allow geothermal resources from the entirety of the Illinois Basin (ILB) to be assessed and allow the DDU technology to be extended to additional areas of the ILB and other low-temperature sedimentary basins with similar characteristics.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Blending low-carbon hydrogen with natural gas: Impact on energy and life cycle emissions in natural gas pipelines

In this article, hydrogen (H 2 ) is considered an alternative energy carrier to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to power and heat generation. A quantitative analysis was conducted to estimate the energy intensity and GHG emissions associated with the transportation of NG/H 2 mixture in high-pressure transmission pipeline, considering blending ratios up to 100% of low-carbon H 2 . The life cycle emissions were obtained by including upstream supply chain emissions, compression and transportation emissions, and end use combustion emissions of the NG/ H 2 blend. This study accounts for global warming potential of fugitive methane and H 2 emissions associated with pipeline transportation of the blend in the life cycle analysis. A significant reduction in the overall life cycle GHG emissions can be achieved when delivering the same volume throughput but at a reduced energy flow to end users. However, to maintain the nominal energy throughput of the pipeline regardless of the H 2 mole fraction, a maximum reduction of about 6% is obtained as the H 2 mole fraction in the blend will be practically limited to approximately 30% H 2 when the pipeline operates at capacity.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Review of Ultrasonic Methods for Monitoring, Damage Detection, and Processing of Lithium-Ion Batteries Throughout Their Life Cycle

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the leading technology used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and grid-level electrochemical energy storage applications. The ever-increasing use of LIBs has highlighted a gap in understanding of their behavior throughout their life cycle. Current monitoring systems rely on electrical and sometimes temperature measurements to assess the internal state which limits information about complex electrochemical processes. In response, ultrasonic testing (UT) has shown promise for non-invasive assessment due to its ease of use and sensitivity to mechanical changes which are correlated with electrochemical changes within the battery. We summarize the research in UT methods applied to LIBs throughout their life cycle. We also discuss physics-based and data-driven modeling approaches used to interpret ultrasonic signals in the context of LIBs, with an emphasis on the existing challenge of establishing rigorous links between electrochemical behavior and elastic and poroelastic wave physics to gain insight regarding physical changes in the LIB that can be directly measured using UT. Finally, we discuss the challenges of implementing UT across the LIB life cycle and identify opportunities for further research. This review aims to provide helpful guidance to researchers and practitioners of UT in the growing field of UT for electrochemical battery systems.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Life cycle assessment of novel heat exchanger for dry cooling of power plants based on encapsulated phase change materials

Cooling systems in power plants account for approximately 40% of total freshwater withdrawals in the U.S. Due to dwindling access to freshwater resources worldwide, continued operation of wet cooling systems poses a significant engineering challenge. To reduce water consumption, a novel air-cooled heat exchanger has been developed using encapsulated phase change material (EPCM) for dry cooling of power plants. Compared to traditional finned-tube air-cooled condensers, this novel EPCM heat exchanger improves the heat transfer coefficient and power plant efficiency while reducing the pressure drop and cooling system cost. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) are used to evaluate the environmental and economic performance of EPCM heat exchangers from cradle-to-grave and to compare them to wet cooling and traditional air-cooled condensers. A thermodynamic model is developed to predict the EPCM heat exchanger performance for plant-scale operations. Equipment and construction costs for heat exchangers are estimated based on design parameters obtained from the thermodynamic model. Both process-LCA and economic-input–output LCA are used to simulate and test the sensitivity of EPCM alternatives with commercial wet and dry cooling technologies. We investigate options for EPCM end-of-life management upon retiring the heat exchanger and construct a process-based LCA model to estimate a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions credit for recycling the EPCM. The life cycle GHG emission of the novel dry cooling technology is 1.16 kg CO 2 eq. /MWh compared with the 1.1–4.3 kg CO 2 eq. /MWh reported for commercial dry cooling technologies and consumes 9.5 L/MWh e of water for cradle-to-gate life cycle, which is significantly lower than that of wet cooling systems. The TEA shows many advantages of EPCM cooling technology over the state-of-art dry cooling solutions. Overall, the EPCM heat exchanger provides a better alternative compared to existing dry cooling and wet cooling technologies.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Laser ablation of high-loading Li-ion battery electrodes improves accessible capacity and cycle life for Behind-the-Meter Storage

Adoption of Behind-the-Meter Storage (BTMS) requires design of batteries that enable high safety, long cycle life, and low cost at the system level. Pairing Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) with LiMn 2 O 4 (LMO) achieves targets related to safety and cycle life, but these materials' low energy densities contribute to higher cost at the system scale. Increasing electrode loading is a simple approach to improve energy density, but comes with a trade-off in electrode utilization due to long, tortuous Li + diffusion pathways. Here, laser ablation is used to microstructure (pattern) high-loading electrodes to enhance electrode performance through improved Li + diffusion pathways. Four cell types, comprising combinations of standard or patterned anode and cathode, were prepared to evaluate the effects of laser ablation at each electrode. A rate test shows that patterning electrodes enhances active material utilization at ≳1C rates. Patterning the cathode yields the most benefit, as cells with a patterned cathode demonstrate a ~20% higher accessible capacity than those without at 1.4C. Additionally, 1C capacity retention of cells with patterned cathode (91% through 3000 cycles) is significantly improved over cells with only the anode patterned (64%) and non-patterned electrodes (50%). Characterization of post-mortem cells before and after refreshing their electrolyte suggests that 1C capacity retention is improved by mitigation of electrode "dry-out". We hypothesize that the microstructure acts as a reservoir of additional electrolyte, or a path for gas to escape, so that active material remains wetted throughout long-term cycling, and/or the microstructure may reduce localized, gas-forming overpotentials in the high-loading electrode.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

High-Rate Long Cycle-Life Li-Air Battery Aided by Bifunctional InX3 (X = I and Br) Redox Mediators

Redox mediators (RMs) are solution-based additives that have been extensively used to reduce the charge potential and increase the energy efficiency of Li–oxygen (Li–O 2 ) batteries. However, in the presence of RMs, achieving a long cycle-life operation of Li–O 2 batteries at a high current rate is still a major challenge. In this study, we discover a novel synergy among InX 3 (X = I and Br) bifunctional RMs, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) nanoflakes as the air electrode, dimethyl sulfoxide/ionic liquid hybrid electrolyte, and LiTFSI as a salt to achieve long cycle-life operations of Li–O 2 batteries in a dry air environment at high charge–discharge rates. Our results indicate that batteries with InI3 operate up to 450 cycles with a current density of 0.5 A g –1 and 217 cycles with a current density of 1 A g –1 at a fixed capacity of 1 A h g –1 . Batteries with InBr 3 operate up to 600 cycles with a current density of 1 A g –1 . These batteries can also operate at a higher charge rate of 2 A g –1 up to 200 cycles (for InBr 3 ) and 160 cycles (for InI 3 ). Our experimental and computational results reveal that while X 3 – is the source of the redox mediator, LiX at the MoS 2 cathode, In 3+ reacts on the lithium anode side to form a protective layer on the surface, thus acting as an effective bifunctional RM in a dry air environment. This evidence for a simultaneous improvement in the current rates and cycle life of a battery in a dry air atmosphere opens a new direction for research for advanced energy storage systems.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Utilizing data-based modeling with low life cycle GHG emissions algae biofuels for engine optimization

Aquatic microalgae are a highly promising feedstock for the production of biocrude and tailored biofuels, with distinct advantages over traditional terrestrial crops, such as reduced land use and avoidance of food production competition. However, unlocking their full potential requires the development of biofuels with low life cycle greenhouse emissions biofuels, such as algae biofuels, which can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the transportation systems without requiring a complete overhaul of existing engine technology. In this study, we employ cutting-edge data-based AI modeling techniques to optimize the performance of heavy-duty engines, with a focus on transitioning towards biofuels with low life cycle greenhouse emissions biofuels. Our methodology offers significant advantages over traditional sweep testing, enabling efficient and accurate optimization of engine performance with minimal time and resources consumption. Our findings demonstrate the potential of utilizing this approach, with up to 55% NOx emissions reductions and up to 2% reduction in fuel consumption compared to the baseline optimized point. Moving forward, we plan to utilize a 30% blend of algae biofuels with diesel fuel, with the ultimate goal of achieving up to 60% lifecycle GHG emissions. Lastly, we plan to compare the results with 100% renewable biodiesel to add an additional dimension of investigating the impact of fuel chemistry on engine optimization. Overall, this study underscores the vital importance of biofuels for reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and supporting a sustainable future. By harnessing the power of data-based AI modeling with low life cycle greenhouse emissions biofuels, we can accelerate the adoption of more environmentally friendly transportation systems and reduce their impact on the planet. Our findings contribute to this transition and offer insights for developing efficient and effective strategies for addressing global climate change.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Life-Cycle Assessment Integration into Scalable Open-Source Numerical Models (LiAISON) for Analyzing Emerging Low-Carbon Technologies

Decarbonizing the industrial sector is a significant challenge in achieving a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions economy by 2050 and the Paris Agreement, i.e., a global climate change mitigation target of achieving a maximum average temperature change potential of 1.5 degrees C or less by 2100 with respect to pre-industrial levels. In the United States (US), the industrial sector accounts for 23% of total GHG emissions and is home to a number of hard-to-electrify activities. The chemicals subsector has the single largest subsector emissions profile after direct emissions from fossil fuel combustion and leakage from fossil fuel distribution systems. Within the chemicals subsector, many processes depend on hydrogen or ammonia precursors. Decarbonizing these two commodities would contribute significantly to decarbonizing the industrial sector as hydrogen could also be used for low carbon steel production (e.g., hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron) and other industrial applications. Emerging technologies require the application of prospective life cycle assessment (LCA), which can account for technology (foreground) scaling and process improvements via learning-by-doing, among others. In many cases, the future system context (background) in which the technologies are assumed to operate in is equally relevant. Background scenarios generated by integrated assessment models (IAM) can coherently incorporate potential future dynamics of the energy-climate-human-land system. Further, IAM scenarios are harmonized across socioeconomic and climate change mitigation pathways, which facilitates the comparability of prospective LCAs using different IAMs. We introduce an open source prospective LCA framework, the Life-cycle Assessment Integration into Scalable Open-source Numerical models (LiAISON), to analyze the non-linear relationships between technology foreground and the future energy system background across a series of midpoint and resource use metrics The integration of LCA and IAM data is achieved using prospective environmental Impact assessment (PREMISE). We showcase it by assessing two Power-to-Hydrogen (PtH2) processes, namely Solid Oxide Electrolysis (SOE) and Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Electrolysis (PEME). We compare the technologies to a baseline of hydrogen production via natural gas-based Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) in a US context of multiple energy system and climate change mitigation futures. Besides providing an analysis that specifies the LCA results ranges with temporal and geospatial explicitness across the two technologies, metrics, and impact assessment methods, this research also aims to establish a base framework that can be expanded to use other IAM generated scenarios and US open-source life cycle inventory (LCI) databases. We find that the temporal environmental performance of either technology or their difference to SMR is directly influenced by the underlying background dynamics. Under baseline projections (i.e., no decarbonization goals), neither process reaches parity with the incumbent technology across several environmental metrics. Under the decarbonization scenarios, the underlying sectoral shifts result in declining impacts over time, compared to 2020 levels, except for metal depletion levels, which increase. The background shifts postulate a heavily decarbonized economy and energy system, which help technologies reach parity with SMR between 2040-2050 (RCP2.6) and 2030-2040 (RCP1.9) for global warming. Despite declines across several other metrics over time, neither PtH2 technology break even with SMR by 2100 besides for global warming.

decarbonizing↗
DOE OSTI2024

Life-Cycle Assessment Integration into Scalable Open-Source Numerical Models (LiAISON) for Analyzing Emerging Low-Carbon Technologies

Decarbonizing the industrial sector is a significant challenge in achieving a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions economy by 2050 and the Paris Agreement, i.e., a global climate change mitigation target of achieving a maximum average temperature change potential of 1.5 degrees Celsius or less by 2100 with respect to pre-industrial levels. In the United States (US), the industrial sector accounts for 23% of total GHG emissions and is home to a number of hard-to-electrify activities. The chemicals subsector has the single largest subsector emissions profile after direct emissions from fossil fuel combustion and leakage from fossil fuel distribution systems. Within the chemicals subsector, many processes depend on hydrogen or ammonia precursors. Decarbonizing these two commodities would contribute significantly to decarbonizing the industrial sector as hydrogen could also be used for low carbon steel production (e.g., hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron) and other industrial applications. Emerging technologies require the application of prospective life cycle assessment (LCA), which can account for technology (foreground) scaling and process improvements via learning-by-doing, among others. In many cases, the future system context (background) in which the technologies are assumed to operate in is equally relevant. Background scenarios generated by integrated assessment models (IAM) can coherently incorporate potential future dynamics of the energy-climate-human-land system. Further, IAM scenarios are harmonized across socioeconomic and climate change mitigation pathways, which facilitates the comparability of prospective LCAs using different IAMs. We introduce an open source prospective LCA framework, the Life-cycle Assessment Integration into Scalable Open-source Numerical models (LiAISON), to analyze the non-linear relationships between technology foreground and the future energy system background across a series of midpoint and resource use metrics. The integration of LCA and IAM data is achieved using prospective environmental Impact assessment (PREMISE). We showcase it by assessing two Power-to-Hydrogen (PtH2) processes, namely Solid Oxide Electrolysis (SOE) and Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Electrolysis (PEME). We compare the technologies to a baseline of hydrogen production via natural gas-based Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) in a US context of multiple energy system and climate change mitigation futures. Besides providing an analysis that specifies the LCA results ranges with temporal and geospatial explicitness across the two technologies, metrics, and impact assessment methods, this research also aims to establish a base framework that can be expanded to use other IAM generated scenarios and US open-source life cycle inventory (LCI) databases. We find that the temporal environmental performance of either technology or their difference to SMR is directly influenced by the underlying background dynamics. Under baseline projections (i.e., no decarbonization goals), neither process reaches parity with the incumbent technology across several environmental metrics. Under the decarbonization scenarios, the underlying sectoral shifts result in declining impacts over time, compared to 2020 levels, except for metal depletion levels, which increase. The background shifts postulate a heavily decarbonized economy and energy system, which help technologies reach parity with SMR between 2040-2050 (RCP2.6) and 2030-2040 (RCP1.9) for global warming. Despite declines across several other metrics over time, neither PtH2 technology break even with SMR by 2100 besides for global warming.

decarbonizing↗
DOE OSTI2022

Life cycle assessment of utilizing freshly cut urban wood: A case study

Large amounts of urban wood resources are generated through tree removals in urban areas. Therefore, there is a growing interest to improve the environmental performance of the urban wood supply chain by quantifying the environmental impacts of creating high-value products from urban tree removals to enhance its utilization. By surveying existing urban wood utilization operations for primary data in two major cities: Baltimore, Maryland, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a new life cycle inventory (LCI) dataset per m 3 of dry urban hardwood lumber and live edge slabs was created. Incorporating the new LCI data into life cycle assessment method, the total global warming (GW) impact of converting urban trees to kiln-dried lumber was estimated to be 122 kg CO 2 eq and 336 kg CO 2 eq per m 3 of lumber produced for Baltimore and Milwaukee, respectively. In both cases, the total environmental impact of the product was dominated by the conversion of urban trees to kiln dried lumber at the sawmill processing stage. Using scenario analysis for the source of heat generation used in kiln (force) drying wood, substituting wood fuel from coproducts for natural gas in a boiler for Milwaukee resulted in a substantial reduction in fossil-derived GW impact. Urban and traditional hardwood lumber production follow similar GW impact trajectories over their life-cycle stages with the lumber processing stage having the highest environmental impacts for both. Finally, increasing the overall lumber yield and decreasing kiln (force) drying would substantially improve the environmental performance of urban hardwood lumber and help make it comparable to traditional lumber.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Expanding the horizon of bio-naphtha beyond gasoline blend: property characterization and conversion opportunity assessment through technoeconomic and life-cycle analyses

Bio-naphtha, a common by-product of biorefineries, is expected to experience substantial growth in supply due to increasing demands for renewable diesel and synthetic aviation fuel (SAF). However, demand for bio-naphtha itself as a gasoline blendstock is limited because of the electrification of light-duty vehicles. This work investigated valorization opportunities for bio-naphtha from catalytic fast pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, and hydrotreated esters and fatty acids pathways. These opportunities include producing polymer-grade olefin via steam cracking, SAF via steam cracking followed by olefin oligomerization, and renewable aromatics benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) and hydrogen via catalytic reforming. Process models were developed in Aspen Plus V14 and Aspen HYSYS V14 to calculate the mass and energy balances for each conversion step. Technoeconomic assessment and life-cycle analysis were conducted to evaluate the minimum fuel/product selling price, conversion cost, and life-cycle CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emission reduction. Technoeconomic assessment results suggest a minimum fuel/product selling price as low as $1.9/kg of olefins, $6.30/gal of gasoline-equivalent SAF, and $1.2/kg of BTX without any incentives. For all pathways, these prices are dominated by bio-naphtha feedstock costs, which account for at least 76% of the total cost. Compared with petroleum baselines, bio-naphtha-derived SAF, olefins, and BTX can achieve significant CO2e emission reductions from the use of renewable carbon resources. The results of life-cycle analysis and subsequent technoeconomic assessment, incorporating carbon credits, indicate the economic viability of using bio-naphtha for polymer-grade olefin and BTX production, with product costs comparable to market prices.

Xu, Shuang↗
DOE OSTI2020

Dynamic Life-Cycle Analysis of Fast Pyrolysis Biorefineries: Impacts of Feedstock Moisture Content and Particle Size

The commercialization of biorefineries has been met with significant obstacles due to the technical difficulties of handling solid biomass feedstocks, which are highly variable in physical properties and chemical compositions. An understanding of the principles of unit operations along the supply chain is key to the success of the biofuel industry. This study applies a dynamic life-cycle analysis (DLCA) methodology by developing quantitative relationships between the inputs and outputs for each unit operation based on scientific understanding of the causal effects. Using the DLCA, we assessed system sustainability of drop-in fuel production from fast pyrolysis of pine residues followed by hydro-processing. Life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated for 4641 runs involving two key feedstock parameters: moisture content after field drying and particle size of the feed to pyrolyzer. Moisture contents varied between 25% and 35%, while particle sizes varied between 0.5 and 5 mm in these runs. The life-cycle GHG emissions of these cases vary from 22 to 40 g/MJ. Close examination of each unit operation's contribution to the total GHG emissions reveals that low moisture content after field drying produces savings in energy consumption during feedstock transportation and on-site drying. However, although small particle size leads to overall higher fuel yield, it also requires a significant amount of energy for feedstock size reduction and fuel production. The energy penalty outweighs the benefit of increased fuel yields, especially when fine particles (<1 mm) are used for pyrolysis; thus, small particle size leads to increased GHG emissions overall. The results highlight the trade-offs between the energy demand for preprocessing and the conversion yields, which can be addressed with DLCA.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Life-cycle environmental impacts of single-junction and tandem perovskite PVs: a critical review and future perspectives

For new technologies, such as perovskite solar cells (PSC), life cycle analysis (LCA) offers a fundamental framework for examining potential environmental, energy and health impacts and mitigation options before large-scale commercialization and for guiding improvements in development and production that further reduce their environmental footprint. However, credible LCA studies require actual process-based material, energy and emissions data, which may not exist before the technologies are commercially produced. Thus, the perovskite LCA literature is based on linear extrapolations of laboratory data. In this paper we critically reviewed the PSC LCA literature, explain the reasoning for a wide divergence of results, and determined which data apply to scalable industrial production, materials and processes. Our investigation probed into the formulation of each layer of a PSC device, and its potential for industrial scale fabrication. We found that electricity use is the main contributor to reported LCA results, explaining the large difference, ranging from 7.78 kWh to 1,460 kWh/m –2 , among various studies. Subsequently, we identified and discuss methodological errors in some of these estimates. In terms of life-cycle toxicity most of the reviewed LCA studies do not attribute any major overall toxicity impact to the presence of lead in the PSC devices. We also reviewed and critiqued studies describing “worst-case” scenarios of accidental release of lead into the environment, and, in spite of statements in those studies, we found them to be inconclusive. Lastly, we discussed end-of-life (EoL) management options for resource recovery and for minimizing environmental impacts.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Life Cycle Inventories and Data Gap Analysis for Rare Earth Elements: Neodymium and Dysprosium from Mining to Magnets

The United States demand for Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnets, produced from rare earth elements (REEs) such as (Nd) and Dysprosium (Dy), far exceeds its nascent domestic production capacity, rendering it reliant on vulnerable global supply chains dominated by China. To guide research and development investments in securing U.S. REE supply, defensible benchmark metrics across environmental, economic, and social dimensions are needed. In this study, we built globally-representative, process-based cradle-to-cradle life cycle inventories for Nd and Dy in NdFeB magnets lifecycles, encompassing primary material acquisition, beneficiation, smelting and refining, metal processing, specialty alloy and chemical transformation, subcomponent manufacturing, consumer application (use phase) and end-of-life management. We carried out detailed literature review, and applied process engineering principles to build industry-representative upscaled life cycle inventories for both metals. We used these models to conduct bottom-up literature review and gap analysis on existing literature, compilation of data sources for each life cycle stage (and transformations where necessary), and a preliminary technoeconomic analysis (TEA)/life cycle costing analysis (LCCA). Findings from this work emphasize the need for metal specific, representative REE LCIs to establish robust benchmarks for advancing sustainable REE technologies and guiding R&D in REE supply chains.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗