Life cycle energy efficiency indicators of rapeseed oil butyl esters

Life cycle analysis is one of the methods allowing to classify fuel as biofuel. The main index is energy efficiency indicator, which for biofuel should be equal to 1 or higher. There is no information about life cycle energy efficiency indicators of rapeseed oil butylesters (RBE). In this study we have analyzed the energy efficiency indicator (R1) (according to the standards ISO 14040-14049) for RBE, synthesized applying traditional (with NaOH as catalyst) and biotechnological (with immobilized lipase Lypozyme TL IM) methods. The analysis was performed taking into account the rapeseed productivity in Lithuania, European Union and Ireland for different years. The values of energy efficiency indicator (R1) were compared for rapeseed methylesters, produced by applying the chemical and biotechnological methodsVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij