4 Goal and Scope Definition
4.1 Goal Definition
The goal aspects should be accurately defined at the commence of
the study, e.g., type of target algal fuels. Notably, defining the goal
is the first step of LCA of algal fuel production systems, independent of whether the LCA analysis is constrained to the production
of certain types of algal fuels or it is a comparative analysis between
algal fuels and other fuels. The following six aspects as elaborated
by Bjørn et al. [24] and Albertı ´ et al. [25] should be addressed and
documented during the goal definition in LCA study of algal fuel
production systems:
1. Prospect use(s) of the outcomes/deliverables;
2. Constraints imposed because of the methodology, assumptions, and impact coverage;
3. Motivations behind the survey and decision-context;
4. Intended audience of the outcomes/deliverables;
5. Comparative surveys to be revealed to the public; and
6. Commissioner of the study and other influential actors.
It should be noted that the selection between the use of attributional or consequential approach is a key decision at the goal
definition stage [26]. According to Carneiro et al. [26], an attributional LCA analysis appraises the performance of a system under
investigation statically in which a life-cycle basis is considered to
evaluate the environmental inputs and outputs. However, a consequential LCA analysis assesses the performance of a system dynamically by considering modifications to it in order to better
understand the environmental inputs from both direct and indirect
processes induced by those modifications. Even though the attributional approach is the most widely used method in LCA analyses,
the consequential procedure seems to be the most suitable methodology for analyzing bioenergy systems. For algal fuel production
systems, the key consequential feature would be attributed to landuse change induced by biomass production units substituting
pre-existing land areas in a direct manner or caused by marketmediated price responses reflecting through the global market in
an indirectly manner.
4.2 Scope Definition
The study object should be explicitly defined in the goal definition,
it should be identified as closely as possible, for example, a specific
algal species, a processing step, a policy option, etc., and their
function in the LCA platform under investigation should be
specified.
Life Cycle Analysis
127
4.1 Goal Definition
The goal aspects should be accurately defined at the commence of
the study, e.g., type of target algal fuels. Notably, defining the goal
is the first step of LCA of algal fuel production systems, independent of whether the LCA analysis is constrained to the production
of certain types of algal fuels or it is a comparative analysis between
algal fuels and other fuels. The following six aspects as elaborated
by Bjørn et al. [24] and Albertı ´ et al. [25] should be addressed and
documented during the goal definition in LCA study of algal fuel
production systems:
1. Prospect use(s) of the outcomes/deliverables;
2. Constraints imposed because of the methodology, assumptions, and impact coverage;
3. Motivations behind the survey and decision-context;
4. Intended audience of the outcomes/deliverables;
5. Comparative surveys to be revealed to the public; and
6. Commissioner of the study and other influential actors.
It should be noted that the selection between the use of attributional or consequential approach is a key decision at the goal
definition stage [26]. According to Carneiro et al. [26], an attributional LCA analysis appraises the performance of a system under
investigation statically in which a life-cycle basis is considered to
evaluate the environmental inputs and outputs. However, a consequential LCA analysis assesses the performance of a system dynamically by considering modifications to it in order to better
understand the environmental inputs from both direct and indirect
processes induced by those modifications. Even though the attributional approach is the most widely used method in LCA analyses,
the consequential procedure seems to be the most suitable methodology for analyzing bioenergy systems. For algal fuel production
systems, the key consequential feature would be attributed to landuse change induced by biomass production units substituting
pre-existing land areas in a direct manner or caused by marketmediated price responses reflecting through the global market in
an indirectly manner.
4.2 Scope Definition
The study object should be explicitly defined in the goal definition,
it should be identified as closely as possible, for example, a specific
algal species, a processing step, a policy option, etc., and their
function in the LCA platform under investigation should be
specified.
Life Cycle Analysis
127