Hydrogen production via biomass gasification - A life cycle assessment approach

The use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel is gaining more and more acceptance as the environmental impact of hydrocarbons becomes more evident. Hydrogen production is accomplished by steam reforming of natural gas and other fossil primary energy at approximately 97% of total. Thus, less than 3% is based on renewable energy sources. This work presents the environmental feasibility and efficiency of producing hydrogen from biomass via two processes. Biomass gasification followed by reforming of the syngas is compared to gasification followed by electricity generation and electrolysis. The technical and environmental performance of such systems is examined using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The systems under investigation are assumed to be located in an agricultural region of Greece. The classification of the inventory data to impact categories was made using the EcoIndicator 95 methodology. Although the gasification-steam reforming-PSA route is the most energy efficient the LCA study of the two biomass to hydrogen systems, indicates that the biomass-gasification-electricity-electrolysis route has a better environmental performance. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.