Abstract
Greenhouse impacts of different peat fuel utilisation chains were
studied. A life cycle approach was used in order to cover all important
emissions and sinks due to activities linked to the peat fuel production and
utilisation. Radiative forcing was used to describe the greenhouse impact, and
the results are given per one petajoule of energy produced. Carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and sinks were
considered. Investigated peat production reserves were pristine peatland
(fen), forestry-drained peatland, and cultivated (cropland) peatland. The
considered phases of the peat utilisation chain included peat fuel production,
storage, transport, combustion and the after-treatment of the cut-away
peatland. After-treatment alternatives were afforestation and restoration. The
greenhouse impact of a considered peat fuel chain was calculated by
subtracting the emissions/sinks of a production reserve in a state of
non-utilisation from the emissions/sinks of peat utilisation chain. According
to the results, the most climate-friendly peat production chain is cultivated
peatland-afforestation. Cultivated peatland has large greenhouse gas emissions
and these emissions from the land area are ceased by the removal of the peat
layer, when the area is utilised for peat fuel production. If forestrydrained
peatland or pristine fen is used for peat fuel production, the greenhouse
impacts of these chains are of the order of the greenhouse impact of the
utilisation chain for coal. Improvement of peat production and combustion
methods can be applied to decrease to some extent the greenhouse effect of
peat energy.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 211-223 |
| Journal | Boreal Environment Research |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
