4 Life Cycle Inventory Analysis
The life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis deals with the collection,
elaboration, and organization of system inputs and outputs.
During the data collection, the practitioner uses the flow diagram (Fig. 2) as a guideline to register all the inputs and outputs of
the system. Data can be primary, i.e., measured and gathered in
person on the site, or secondary, i.e., collected from reports and
literature as averages and statistical projections [34]. To increase the
accuracy of the analysis, the major flows should be collected as
primary data [26].
The data are presented in a table as exemplified in Table 1. The
first column shows the list of material and energy used in the system
Table 1
Life cycle inventory table of seaweed cultivation in Denmark exemplified from Seghetta et al. [40]
Phases
Unit Amount
Lifetime (year) Amount year
À1 Material composition
Seed line production
Electricity
kWh 5
1
5
Danish energy mix
Deployment of lines
Screw anchor
kg
60
20
3
Iron
Buoys
kg
344
8
43
Polyethylene
Concrete block
kg
8,000
20
400
Concrete
Headline rope
kg
130
13
10
Polypropylene
Boat use
L
65
1
65
Diesel
Maintenance
0
Diesel for boat
L
85
1
85
Diesel
Harvest
0
Diesel for boat
L
65
1
65
Diesel
Industrial bags
kg
1
1
1
Polypropylene
Outputs
Unit Amount year
À1
Products
Seaweed (dry weight) kg
1,000
Emissions to air
Emissions during biomass conversion
Methane loss
kg
2.45
Ammonia loss
kg
0.02
Functional unit 1 ha of sea surface
108
Michele Seghetta and Pietro Goglio
The life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis deals with the collection,
elaboration, and organization of system inputs and outputs.
During the data collection, the practitioner uses the flow diagram (Fig. 2) as a guideline to register all the inputs and outputs of
the system. Data can be primary, i.e., measured and gathered in
person on the site, or secondary, i.e., collected from reports and
literature as averages and statistical projections [34]. To increase the
accuracy of the analysis, the major flows should be collected as
primary data [26].
The data are presented in a table as exemplified in Table 1. The
first column shows the list of material and energy used in the system
Table 1
Life cycle inventory table of seaweed cultivation in Denmark exemplified from Seghetta et al. [40]
Phases
Unit Amount
Lifetime (year) Amount year
À1 Material composition
Seed line production
Electricity
kWh 5
1
5
Danish energy mix
Deployment of lines
Screw anchor
kg
60
20
3
Iron
Buoys
kg
344
8
43
Polyethylene
Concrete block
kg
8,000
20
400
Concrete
Headline rope
kg
130
13
10
Polypropylene
Boat use
L
65
1
65
Diesel
Maintenance
0
Diesel for boat
L
85
1
85
Diesel
Harvest
0
Diesel for boat
L
65
1
65
Diesel
Industrial bags
kg
1
1
1
Polypropylene
Outputs
Unit Amount year
À1
Products
Seaweed (dry weight) kg
1,000
Emissions to air
Emissions during biomass conversion
Methane loss
kg
2.45
Ammonia loss
kg
0.02
Functional unit 1 ha of sea surface
108
Michele Seghetta and Pietro Goglio