The PROSUITE project
Development of a sustainability
assessment methodology and case
studies on biorefineries and organic
waste management
ERRMA meeting
Brussels, April, 2, 2014
Ghent University
Steven De Meester, Jo Dewulf
PROSUITE
Prospective Sustainability Assessment of Technologies
• Sustainability:
 Triple P
 Micro & macro
• Prospective
Development of basic engineering modules for LCA
Development of cost tool for LCC
• Four case studies: nano, CCS, IT, Biorefineries
New approach within
Prosuite
• 5 Impact categories:
– Impact on natural environment
– Impact on exhaustible resources
– Impact on human health
– Impact on social well-being
– Impact on prosperity
Mostly future
generations
Mostly present
generation
Prospective: engineering modules
Prospective: SCENT
Case study WP 6.1
Biorefineries: technology
assessment
Anaerobic digestion of
energy crops and organic
waste
Alkyd resins
Biobased PVC
Silage maize, use of
digestate fertilizer
Sugarcane Brazil
Biorefineries: inventory collection case 1
Background data: ecoinvent
database
Emissions
p
In
Emissions
s
ut
Inputs
Heat
CHP
CHP
Internal heat
and electricity
Internal heat
and electricity
Pretreatment
Gas bag and
condensation
Gas bag and
condensation
uts
p
In
Domestic
organic waste
Municipal waste
collection,
transport and
Agriculture
storage
Heat
Emissions
Transport andDigester
storage
Electricity
Electricity
Digester
Post-treatment
Composting with
biofilter
Storage digestate
Digestate
Wastewater
Waste to landfill
Reference = coal electricity
(387 TWh/y according to IEA blue map scenario 2030)
Compost
Wastewater
treatment plant
Sludge and
air emissions
Treated water
Inputs
De Meester, S.; Demeyer, J.; Peene, A.; Velghe, F.; Van Langenhove, H.; Dewulf, J. The environmental sustainability of anaerobic digestion as a biomass valorization
technology. Bioresource Technology, 121, 396-403, 2012.
Results case 1 (Condorcet)
8
Impact on social well being
7
Impact on prosperity
6
Impact on exhaustible
resources
Impact on natural
environment
Impact on human health
5
4
3
2
1
0
Reference System
Prospective System - silage
maize
Prospective System - Domestic
organic waste
Case 2: inventory
UGent: Literature
ecoinvent
database
Solvay: Primary
Solvay: Primary
Background data (e.g. electricity):
ecoinvent database
Alvarenga, R.; Dewulf, J.; De Meester, S.; Wathelet, A.; Villers, J.; Thommeret, R.; Hruska, Z. Life cycle assessment of bioethanol-based PVC. Part 1: Attributional approach.
Part 2: Consequential approach. Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining, 7, 386-405, 2013.
Results case 2 (Condorcet)
Condorcet with weighting
Conclusions
• Testing of new methodologies
– Modelling of economic and environmental inventories
• Biorefineries
– Often lower impact in environmental impact categories
Exceptions: PM emissions, eutrophication, etc.
– Economic and social impact less evident (e.g. agriculture)
• Full sustainability assessment
– New steps! New insights!
– 5 endpoints, micro and macro
– Still research needed (social quantification, resource
consumption, etc.)
Thank you!
steven.demeester@ugent.be
jo.dewulf@ugent.be - jo.dewulf@jrc.ec.europa.eu