improve eco-efficiency, and assist in economic calculations within institutional
organizations. In addition, in a broader conception, LCA also serves as the basis for
reporting the data required by environmental regulatory agencies (Bicalho et al.
2017).
Given the above, the use of this mathematical tool emerges with the purpose of
defining the performance of biofuels in order to assist in decision making, which
provides an understanding of environmental impacts and possible increases in the
efficiency of their biofuels processes, reducing costs, and promoting the marketing
of its products in a sustainable way (Deprá et al. 2017).
Finally, with the objective of expanding the knowledge base and promoting the
environmental importance of biofuels, the objective of the chapter was to elucidate
the fundamental aspects of the implementation of an LCA as well as to report
studies on microalgae biofuels.
2 Life Cycle Assessment for Biofuels
Life cycle assessment was devised in the late 1960s by the US Department of
Energy. As a goal, the first studies were conducted to investigate the life cycle
aspects of products and materials that address issues such as energy requirements
and energy efficiency. In this context, life cycle analysis has become a key tool for
assessing the sustainability potential of the processes. Therefore, this tool aims to
establish an environmental approach with the objective of not restricting a systemic
view of the productive chain, but rather an action on its environmental aspects and
the opportunities for improvement that can be observed from a more comprehensive
analysis (Curran 2006).
Afterward, in the early 1990s, the pressure of the environment and the need to
use the LCA tool to be widely recognized led to the establishment of LCA standards mandated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (ISO
14040 2006). This basis for implementation provided by the ISO series, in the
current state, is applied in different ways and, therefore, often leads to divergent
results (Gnansounou et al. 2009). Figure 1 shows the four basic steps that guide the
implementation of the LCA in order to perform the analysis in a homogeneous and
standardized way.
2.1 Definition of the Purpose and Scope
The first step in initiating a case study using the life cycle analysis tool is to
establish the goal and scope definition. Depending on the purpose and scope of the
LCA, there are four main options of the system boundary: cradle to gate, gate to
gate, cradle to grave, and gate to tomb (Jacquemin et al. 2012). The cradle to grave
option is the broader scope limit where the life cycle of a product undergoes at least
142
M. C. Deprá et al.
organizations. In addition, in a broader conception, LCA also serves as the basis for
reporting the data required by environmental regulatory agencies (Bicalho et al.
2017).
Given the above, the use of this mathematical tool emerges with the purpose of
defining the performance of biofuels in order to assist in decision making, which
provides an understanding of environmental impacts and possible increases in the
efficiency of their biofuels processes, reducing costs, and promoting the marketing
of its products in a sustainable way (Deprá et al. 2017).
Finally, with the objective of expanding the knowledge base and promoting the
environmental importance of biofuels, the objective of the chapter was to elucidate
the fundamental aspects of the implementation of an LCA as well as to report
studies on microalgae biofuels.
2 Life Cycle Assessment for Biofuels
Life cycle assessment was devised in the late 1960s by the US Department of
Energy. As a goal, the first studies were conducted to investigate the life cycle
aspects of products and materials that address issues such as energy requirements
and energy efficiency. In this context, life cycle analysis has become a key tool for
assessing the sustainability potential of the processes. Therefore, this tool aims to
establish an environmental approach with the objective of not restricting a systemic
view of the productive chain, but rather an action on its environmental aspects and
the opportunities for improvement that can be observed from a more comprehensive
analysis (Curran 2006).
Afterward, in the early 1990s, the pressure of the environment and the need to
use the LCA tool to be widely recognized led to the establishment of LCA standards mandated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (ISO
14040 2006). This basis for implementation provided by the ISO series, in the
current state, is applied in different ways and, therefore, often leads to divergent
results (Gnansounou et al. 2009). Figure 1 shows the four basic steps that guide the
implementation of the LCA in order to perform the analysis in a homogeneous and
standardized way.
2.1 Definition of the Purpose and Scope
The first step in initiating a case study using the life cycle analysis tool is to
establish the goal and scope definition. Depending on the purpose and scope of the
LCA, there are four main options of the system boundary: cradle to gate, gate to
gate, cradle to grave, and gate to tomb (Jacquemin et al. 2012). The cradle to grave
option is the broader scope limit where the life cycle of a product undergoes at least
142
M. C. Deprá et al.