Biomass, Biofuels, Biochemicals: Green-Economy: Systems Analysis for Sustainability

Biomass, Biofuels, Biochemicals: Green-Economy: Systems Analysis for Sustainability provides a theoretical background for performing systems analysis for sustainability. The book illustrates the application of these principles in practice, with case studies carefully chosen from around the world, including emerging technologies in the green economy. The book introduces the methods and tools to perform technical feasibility analysis, economic viability analysis, environmental risk assessment, resource sustainability assessment, and life cycle assessment (LCA), and also covers policy and social aspects of technologies and resilience thinking. The second part of the book focuses on case studies, emphasizing biofuels, bioproducts, and the global food-energy-water nexus.

Systems analysis for sustainability is an emerging discipline where any technologies, processes, or policies are evaluated comprehensively for sustainability. Trifold sustainability metrics, such as technical feasibility, economic viability, and environmental impacts, are commonly used to assess sustainability. In addition to these metrics, it is important to consider resource sustainability, policies, and social aspects for evaluating the sustainability of any proposed alternative. This approach results in identifying possible pitfalls early in the process so that truly sustainable alternative technologies, products, and policies can be formulated.