Life Cycle Analysis of Transportation Fuel Pathways

The International Energy Agency Implementing Agreement on Advanced Motor Fuels (IEA-AMF) has recently discussed the need to further its involvement in life cycle analysis (LCA) of various technological options for transportation fuels and technologies. The IEA-AMF believes it can play a role in integrating and disseminating fact based information on LCA as it relates to various transportation technology pathways. Members of the AMF have been exposed to some examples of the results of assessments of GHG emissions from LCA models in the past. However, while LCA modeling could be a useful tool for AMF members, its limitations and strengths need to be properly understood and explained.

The purpose of this work is to improve the understanding of the concept of life cycle analysis of transportation fuels and some of its pertinent issues among non-technical people, senior managers, and policy makers. This work should provide some guidance to nations considering LCA-based policies and to people who are affected by existing policies or those being developed.As there are numerous potential analysis tools and methodologies available to evaluate the environmental performance of products over their life cycle, there have been a lot of difficulties associated with assessing results from different studies on the life cycle performance of transportation fuels. Each different modeling tool tends to give different results, even when the same fuel is modelled. This causes much confusion for policy makers, trade officials, and even scientists involved in the modelling. Naturally, the question of which result is correct is often raised. The question that should be asked, however, is not which result is correct, but instead “why are the results different?”.

It is possible that a number of models modelling the same fuel in different countries can give different results and all still be correct based on the data available. This project has focused on putting LCA modelling into context, while highlighting the importance of understanding modelling methods, using a three-tiered approach:

1. Provide a general overview of Life Cycle Analysis principles (ISO methodologies, multiple approaches, etc.).

2. Characterize Transportation Fuels LCA specific sensitivities (such as scope and system boundaries, data sources, geo-physical differences, etc.).

3. Where appropriate and feasible put sensitivities into context using specific examples.