Life Cycle Emissions and Health Cost Impacts of Producing Ethanol and Electricity from Willow and Switchgrass in the Riparian Buffers of Mid-Atlantic United States.

ABSTRACT: The United States (US Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR) has the potential to grow a variety of perennial feedstocks such as switchgrass and shrub willow to increase domestic energy production. These cellulosic feedstocks have also shown improved ecosystem services, such as soil carbon sequestration, nitrate leaching reduction, and flood mitigation along rivers and streams as partially harvested riparian buffers. To examine the effects on greenhouse gases (GHGs) and criteria air pollutants (CAPs) from using these feedstocks to produce ethanol or electricity, we conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) and estimated the impact on human health costs when land use is changed from corn production for ethanol. Results indicate up to 54% reduced GHG per hectare from using willow and switchgr

SUBMITTER: Benvenutti LMM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424178 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature