Greenhouse gas performance of heat and electricity from wood pellet value chains – based on pellets for the Swedish market

Increased bioenergy demand has triggered a discussion on the sustainability of solidbiomass-based fuels and a system for sustainability criteria has been discussed within the EU.This paper assesses the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for heat and electricity from selectedwood pellet value chains for the Swedish market and the associated potential emissions reduction inrelation to fossil fuels using a life cycle assessment (LCA) perspective, and in relation to the approachdescribed in recent EU policy developments. Nine different wood pellet value chains for heat and/or power production in Sweden are assessed (including pellets from Sweden, Latvia, Russia, andCanada). Selected assumptions are varied in a sensitivity analysis. The total factory-gate GHG emissionsat the conversion facility for the wood pellet value chains studied, range between 2 and 25 gCO2-eq/MJ pellets with Swedish pellets at the lower end, and Russian pellets using natural gas fordrying the raw material at the higher end. Imported pellets from Latvia, Russia, and Canada that usebiomass for drying may also reach relatively low levels of GHG emissions. The potential GHG reductionas compared to a certain fossil fuel default energy comparator is 64–98% for the electricity producedin the pellet value chains studied and 77–99% for the heat produced. Thus, many wood pelletvalue chains on the Swedish market will most likely be able to meet strict demands for sustainabilityfrom a GHG perspective