From the environment to health, LPG among the cleanest sources

Consider the entire life cycle and measure the impacts not only on the environment and health but also on the consumption of resources. With these premises, a study by the Milan Polytechnic commissioned by Assogasliquidi-Federchimica was conducted to compare the main sources of energy for domestic and industrial use. The analysis, conducted by the Aware research group (Assessment on waste and resources) of the Politecnico, assessed the potential environmental impacts associated with the national LPG supply chain for stationary use, compared with the most common energy alternatives, analyzing 16 impact categories in three areas considered. Read also For the domestic sector, the use of LPG in boilers was compared with some alternative energy scenarios, such as the consumption of A1 pellets in air stoves, the use of diesel fuel in old boilers and the use of electrical heat (hydronic in a harsh climate and air-to-air in a temperate climate). In detail, the pellet supply chain is worse in 12 of the 16 impact categories considered, with an increase between 39% (carcinogenic human toxicity) and 8,769% (soil consumption) with a + 1094% in the intake of particulate matter . From the collection of the inventory data relating to the emission factors in the combustion phase, a data of absolute importance emerges, relating to the concentration of benzo (a) pyrene in the emissions of pellet-fueled appliances, which is three orders of magnitude higher than those connected to the use of LPG (+ 19,650%). The diesel industry, on the other hand, is worse than that of LPG in 9 of the 16 impact categories, with increases of up to 156% (ionizing radiation impact). The reason is mainly attributable to the greater environmental impact of diesel fuel in the production phase, together with the lower environmental loads that the LPG supply chain presents during the combustion phase. From the data collected on the emission factors during the combustion phase, it appears that the emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) associated with diesel-fueled appliances are higher than those generated by combustion in a boiler fueled by LPG (+ 627%). Finally, as regards the environmental impacts of the life cycle of electric heat pumps, the results of the comparison with the LPG supply chain depend heavily on the electrical supply mix. When electricity is taken from the electricity grid, the use of LPG is better in 10 out of 16 categories for the hydronic pump and in 9 out of 16 categories for the air-to-air system. The expected increase in the share of renewable energy injected into the grid is destined to make the LPG supply chain progressively less advantageous than the electricity one: however, it should be noted that, even in the extreme case of powering the pump with a domestic photovoltaic system, the use Nonetheless, LPG would remain better in 4 impact categories (human toxicity, eutrophication in fresh water, consumption of water resources and consumption of resources, materials and metals). In this regard, however, the study underlines that the LPG supply chain is inclined to move towards the production of bio-LPG and / or mixtures of LPG with renewable fuels in the near future; it will therefore also be appropriate to make a comparison between these new supply chains and the electric alternative powered by a renewable mix.In the context of the industrial sector, the analysis concerned the comparison between the LPG and diesel supply chains considering the different user profiles (80% small business sector and 20% large industries). In a very similar way to the comparison for the domestic sector, it emerges that LPG provides better environmental performance in 10 of the 16 impact categories analyzed. The diesel industry records impacts ranging from + 11% (ecotoxicity impact category of fresh water) to + 149% (ionizing radiation impact category). allowed to analyze in detail the LPG supply chain, identifying the segments where to intervene to make the environmental profile more efficient. The results showed that the greatest impacts of the supply chain are attributable to the fuel production phase, therefore it is considered useful to evaluate, again from an Lca perspective, the performance associated with production processes of LPG of biogenic origin, or of LPG blends and renewable fuels. A further parameter of efficiency is represented by the promotion of the use of alternative sources (such as photovoltaic and cogeneration) in the LPG production process itself, especially for those volumes available as by-products of refinery processes. The same goes for a further renewal of the tanker fleet for LPG road transport where, at the moment, the companies involved in the study have a fleet of vehicles mainly in the Euro 5 class, thus guaranteeing a fairly low environmental load in the distribution phase. carbon steel storage tank life possible to better absorb human toxicity impact and resource consumption. The replacement of old domestic and industrial boilers with modern condensing appliances powered by LPG should be encouraged for an effective reduction of emissions into the atmosphere for the same useful heat produced.