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Ihering Alcoforado on 25 Oct 11Resources, Conservation and Recycling Volume 53, Issue 8, June 2009, Pages 434-447 doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2009.03.013 | How to Cite or Link Using DOI Cited By in Scopus (56) Permissions & Reprints Energy- and greenhouse gas-based LCA of biofuel and bioenergy systems: Key issues, ranges and recommendations Francesco Cherubinia, , , Neil D. Birda, Annette Cowieb, Gerfried Jungmeiera, Bernhard Schlamadingerc, 1, Susanne Woess-Gallascha Purchase a Joanneum Research, Elisabethstraße 5, 8010 Graz, Austria b Forest Resources Research, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, P.O. Box 100, Beecroft 2119, Australia c TerraCarbon, Dr. Eckenerstraße 21b, 8043 Graz, Austria Received 21 July 2008; revised 19 December 2008; Accepted 3 March 2009. Available online 7 May 2009. Abstract With increasing use of biomass for energy, questions arise about the validity of bioenergy as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology able to reveal these environmental and energy performances, but results may differ even for apparently similar bioenergy systems. Differences are due to several reasons: type and management of raw materials, conversion technologies, end-use technologies, system boundaries and reference energy system with which the bioenergy chain is compared. Based on review of published papers and elaboration of software data concerning greenhouse gas and energy balances of bioenergy, other renewable and conventional fossil systems, this paper discusses key issues in bioenergy system LCA. These issues have a strong influence on the final results but are often overlooked or mishandled in most of the studies available in literature. The article addresses the following aspects: recognition of the biomass carbon cycle, including carbon stock changes in biomass and soil over time; inclusion of nitrous oxide and methane emissions from agricultural activities; selection of the appro