Search results for "Life-cycle assessment"
showing 10 items of 130 documents
Life Cycle Assessment of repurposed electric vehicle batteries: an adapted method based on modelling energy flows
2018
Abstract After their first use in electric vehicles (EVs), the residual capacity of traction batteries can make them valuable in other applications. Although reusing EV batteries remains an undeveloped market, second-use applications of EV batteries are in line with circular economy principles and the waste management hierarchy. Although substantial environmental benefits are expected from reusing traction batteries, further efforts are needed in data collection, modelling the life-cycle stages and calculating impact indicators to propose a harmonized and adapted life-cycle assessment (LCA) method. To properly assess the environmental benefits and drawbacks of using repurposed EV batteries …
Reuse of electric vehicle batteries in buildings: An integrated load match analysis and life cycle assessment approach
2019
Abstract The increasing use of renewable energy technologies for electricity generation in buildings will require a growing number of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to enhance the reliability of electricity supply. The increasing number of retired electric vehicle (EV) batteries, expected from the automotive sector, can match this demand as EV batteries can be used as BESS, considering that they have about 80% of their original energy capacity. In this context, the study aims at examining the system, consisting of a BESS made by retired Li-ion EV batteries, a photovoltaic plant (20 kW) and the electricity grid, that provides the electricity required by an existing nearly net zero res…
Primary Data Collection and Environmental/Energy Audit of Hot Mix Asphalt Production
2020
The development of the road construction sector determines the consequences on consumption of non-renewable resources, energy expenditure and environmental pollution. Recent sustainability issues have highlighted the importance of efficient design and quality-oriented techniques in this sector, due to the huge amount of materials involved in construction and maintenance activities. Thus, it is necessary to properly quantify the environmental impacts of asphalt mixtures used for pavement construction, considering the whole life cycle of the products. Life cycle assessment (LCA) represents the most appropriate methodological framework for assessing the environmental burdens of a product, from…
Ecological and economic indicators for the evaluation of almond (Prunus dulcis l.) orchard renewal in sicily
2020
Globally, almond production is experiencing a growing trend thanks to a strong interest in the health, gastronomic, and industrial properties that are linked to the fruits and their derivatives. After a constant and marked decline in the second half of the last century, the Mediterranean Basin is thoroughly reassessing this crop, which provides significant results with a modern orchard management. The opportunity determined by the transition from traditional to modern systems have increased the interest in evaluating the different environmental impacts of the two cultivation models that still coexist today. In this work, through the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and an econ…
A Simplified LCA Tool for Solar Heating and Cooling Systems
2016
Abstract This paper presents a user-friendly Life Cycle Assessment tool, which aims to support researchers, designers and decision-makers in evaluating the life cycle energy and environmental advantages related to the use of solar heating and cooling (SHC) systems in substitution of conventional ones, considering specific climatic conditions and building loads. The tool was developed within the Task 48 “Quality Assurance & Support Measures for Solar Cooling Systems”, promoted by the International Energy Agency in the framework of the SHC Programme.
Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Photovoltaic Panels
2020
The photovoltaic (PV) sector has undergone both major expansion and evolution over the last decades, and currently, the technologies already marketed or still in the laboratory/research phase are numerous and very different. Likewise, in order to assess the energy and environmental impacts of these devices, life cycle assessment (LCA) studies related to these systems are always increasing. The objective of this paper is to summarize and update the current literature of LCA applied to different types of grid-connected PV, as well as to critically analyze the results related to energy and environmental impacts generated during the life cycle of PV technologies, from 1st generation (traditiona…
Energy and environmental assessment of retrofit actions on a residential building
2014
Energy and environmental performances of buildings strictly depend on many factors related to the choice of construction materials, technical equipment, installation and use. In the following chapter a set of retrofit actions to improve the thermal performance of an existing conventional building is presented. The energy and environmental assessment of these actions is carried out following a life cycle approach. The embodied energy and the environmental impacts arisen from the production, transportation and installation phases of the required materials and components are calculated. Further, energy saving and environmental benefits and drawbacks concerning the assessed retrofit actions are…
Flash infrared annealing as a cost-effective and low environmental impact processing method for planar perovskite solar cells
2019
Abstract For successful commercialization of perovskite solar cells, straightforward solutions in terms of environmental impact and economic feasibility are still required. Flash Infrared Annealing (FIRA) is a rapid method to fabricate perovskite solar cells with efficiencies >18% on simple, planar architecture, which allows a film synthesis in only 1.2 s, faster than the previous report based in a meso architecture and all of them without the usage of antisolvent. In this work, through a comparative study with the common lab-scale method, the so-called antisolvent (AS), the main photovoltaic parameters and working mechanisms obtained from impedance spectroscopy (IS) measurements show simil…
Environmental Assessment of an Innovative High-Performance Experimental Agriculture Field
2022
To increase food availability, optimizing production systems and reducing burdens related to human activities is essential in a scenario of population growth and limited natural resources. In this context, the life cycle methodology can represent a valuable asset for assessing the environmental performance of agricultural products and services. This study sought to investigate and characterize potential impacts of an experimental tomato field at the University of Perugia and evaluate if the production increment obtained using high-reflective mulching compensated for the emissions caused by this extra component. The first-year crop campaign was the baseline reference to measure the system’s …
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT EXPERIENCES FOR SOLAR HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS
2018
Solar heating and cooling systems can significantly contribute to the energy and climate European goals. A complete assessment of this contribution needs the analysis of these systems from a life-cycle perspective, in order to estimate the energy and environmental costs of their manufacturing and end-of-life, and to compare these costs with the benefits obtained during operation. A well-established methodology to fulfil this task is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The paper describes some LCA experiences of solar heating and cooling systems, developed within the Task 53 “New generation solar cooling & heating systems (PV or solar thermally driven systems)” of the International Energy A…