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Title: Soil organic carbon change can reduce the climate benefits of biofuel produced from forest residues
Replacing fossil fuels with biofuels offers a promising path to decarbonizing the transportation sector, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Utilizing waste biomass such as forest residues is particularly appealing, as it avoids land-use change and associated GHG emissions. Current biofuel life cycle assessment (LCA) adopted by regulatory agencies considers forest residues as carbon-neutral feedstock and typically ignores soil organic carbon (SOC) changes from residue removal. Our study quantifies SOC change caused by removing forest residues in the Southern US and found that they can make a substantial contribution to the carbon footprint of biofuel derived from forest residues. Our results emphasize the need to include soil carbon assessment in future LCAs, biofuel policy, and forest management, even when waste biomass is used and no land-use change is involved.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2038439
PAR ID:
10487180
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Joule
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Joule
ISSN:
2542-4351
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
biofuel greenhouse gas emissions soil organic carbon forest residues life cycle assessment fast pyrolysis fuel policy carbon intensity forest management climate policy
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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