The changing nature of life cycle assessment

• Published in: Biomass & bioenergy 2015-11, Vol.82, p.13-26
• Main Authors: McManus, Marcelle C., Taylor, Caroline M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioenergy; Biofuels; LCA; Policy; Research Paper; Sustainability; Uncertainty
• ISSN: 0961-9534; 1873-2909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2015.04.024

LCA has evolved from its origins in energy analysis in the 1960s and 70s into a wide ranging tool used to determine impacts of products or systems over several environmental and resource issues. The approach has become more prevalent in research, industry and policy. Its use continues to expand as it seeks to encompass impacts as diverse as resource accounting and social well being. Carbon policy for bioenergy has driven many of these changes. Enabling assessment of complex issues over a life cycle basis is beneficial, but the process is sometimes difficult. LCA's use in framing is increasingly complex and more uncertain, and in some cases, irreconcilable. The charged environment surrounding biofuels and bioenergy exacerbates all of these. Reaching its full potential to help guide difficult policy discussions and emerging research involves successfully managing LCA's transition from attributional to consequential and from retrospective to prospective. This paper examines LCA's on-going evolution and its use within bioenergy deployment. The management of methodological growth in the context of the unique challenges associated with bioenergy and biofuels is explored. Changes seen in bioenergy LCA will bleed into other LCA arenas, especially where it is important that a sustainable solution is chosen. •Uncertainty needs to be addressed and accepted in LCA's development.•Increased use of LCA is changing it, leading to questions about effectiveness.•(Bio)energy LCA is a driver for many changes in LCA: challenges are seen here first.•Both the driver and the force of the driver of LCA have changed (increased).