Page 161 - Biofuels for a More Sustainable Future

Life cycle sustainability assessment in the energy sector 147

of miscanthus, and therefore the resulting TETP of miscanthus power, is
highly variable depending on the cultivation site.
In terms of social indicators (Fig. 5.8), the life cycle of biomass power
generates more employment than all other technologies with the exception
of solar PV and potentially wind power. For the majority of the indicators it
is a mid-ranking option but seems particularly beneficial in terms of inter-
generational equity: as shown in the figure, it is typically the case that renew-
able energy options incur high abiotic depletion of elements due to their
large requirements for metal per unit energy generated. In contrast, fossil fuel
options cause orders of magnitude less depletion of elements, but obviously
far higher depletion of fossil fuels. In contrast, biomass shows depletion of
elements that is approximately 90%–99% lower than either wind or solar
PV, but fossil fuel depletion that is approximately 85% lower than coal
power over the whole life cycle.

Fig. 5.8 Social sustainability indicator results (EMP, employment; FFA, fossil fuel
avoided; DFS, diversity of fuel supply; FSC, fuel storage capabilities; WI, worker
injuries; HTP, human toxicity potential; HHR, human health impacts from radiation;
LAF, large accident fatalities; NP, nuclear proliferation; ADPe, abiotic depletion of
elements; ADPf, abiotic depletion of fossil fuels; VRW, volume of radioactive waste).