Assessment of Climate Impact of Energy Peat Utilisation Scenatios From a Life Cycle Perspective – Importance of Peatland Type, Production Method and Aftertreatment

Authors:
Kristina Holmgren, Linus Hagberg

Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Stockholm

Keywords:
climate-impact, drained-peatland, energy-peat, life-cycle-assessment, radiative-forcing

Documentfile:
Holmgren, Hagberg 2012: Assessment of Climate Impact of Energy Peat Utilisation Scenatios From a Life Cycle Perspective – Import

Summary:

Theme II. Peat for horticulture, energy and other uses

SUMMARY

This study presents updated calculations of the climate impact of energy peat utilisation scenarios for average Swedish conditions. It concludes that it is possible to achieve peat utilisation chains where the climate impact, considered over a 100 year period, is lower than the climate impact of the peat combustion stage only. The initial conditions at the peatland used for peat cutting, the peat production method and the chosen aftertreatment of the cutaway are important factors for the overall climate impact.
The study contains a discussion on the use of radiative forcing and GWP summarised emissions as measures of climate impact.