Technoeconomic analysis and life cycle analysis of potential biobased products from high-priority landscapes
Colorado Front Range landscape view.
Life cycle assessment is an internationally standardized method that researchers use to evaluate the environmental impacts of products or systems throughout their life cycle, from raw material acquisition through the production process to product disposal. Following the ISO standards, the Life Cycle Assessment consists of four iterative methodological phases: goal and scope definition, life-cycle inventory analysis, life-cycle impact assessment, and interpretation.
Life Cycle Assessment is a well-established tool to examine the environmental impacts and sustainability of wood products manufacturing over their entire life cycle. This project uses the Colorado Front Range landscape, a high-risk landscape designated as part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, as a pilot to evaluate biobased products using Life Cycle Assessment and technoeconomic analysis. The goal of this project is to recommend the most viable products and provide a model for use in other high-risk landscapes.
Using the Colorado Front Range as a pilot, the project will use techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the sustainability of emerging biobased products, including the technical feasibility, economic costs, and life cycle environmental impacts of different biobased products at the commercial scale. This will result in recommending the most viable products based on potential climate change mitigation, technology readiness level, and minimum selling price compared to commercial alternatives. The pilot will determine the effectiveness for use on other high-risk landscapes.
Objectives
This project will work with the supply chain team to develop a guiding document from on-the- ground assessment of the pilot landscape, Colorado Front Range. As an exploratory analysis, researchers will develop estimates for the economic feasibility and life-cycle environmental (carbon) impacts of potential uses for residual biomass, including biochar, biorefinery produced renewable packaging and other materials for the pilot landscape.
In 2024, Collaborators successfully executed the joint venture agreement with the University of Wisconsin. One additional scientist joined the project team, and the team is currently coordinating field work on the Colorado Front Range Landscape for later in 2024.
Expected Results
Expected Outcomes
Use estimates will determine the most viable products for the pilot landscape based on minimum selling price (MSP), technology readiness level (TRL), and potential climate change mitigation, and, if applicable, with comparisons to commercial alternatives. Researchers will provide detailed information on the technology readiness level (TRL) for the identified biobased products and will identify which bioproducts have a TRL > 7, and MSPs like their commercial alternatives.
Researchers will develop outreach and educational materials (e.g., infographics) for stakeholders, along with extension and technology transfer personnel.
Geographies and High-Risk Landscapes to be Addressed
Colorado Front Range Landscape
People
Principal Investigator
-
Person
Richard Bergman, PhD
Supervisory Research Forest Products Technologisthttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/richard.d.bergman
Co-lead
-
Person
Nathaniel Anderson, PhD
Research Foresterhttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/nathaniel.m.anderson
Collaborators
Rocky Mountain Research Station
University of Wisconsin, Madison