Environmental Assessment of a Hybrid Solar-Biomass Energy Supplying System: A Case Study

Abstract

Local energy supply by renewable energy, such as solar energy and biomass, using distributed energy systems plays an important role in global energy structure. This study investigated the environmental performance of a hybrid solar-biomass energy supplying system by life-cycle assessment method. The results showed that in terms of environmental and energy impacts, the construction stage and the disassembly and recycling stage of the system contribute little to the whole life-cycle environmental impacts. According to the results of most of the selected impact categories, the solar subsystem contributed the most environmental emissions during construction stage, followed by the two anaerobic reactors; therefore, the excessive pursuit of high solar energy proportion can correspondingly lead to even more serious environmental problems. The integrated energy supplying system significantly reduces non-renewable energy consumption, climate change impacts, acidification as well as eutrophication effects due to the replacement of alternatives such as lignite coal, and from fertilizer production. The present hybrid solar-biomass energy supplying system not only produces clean thermal energy but also reduces the disposal of organic wastes and produces valuable agricultural products.