Sustainability assessment of straight vegetable oil used as self-supply biofuel in agriculture

Abstract

This work proposes and analyses a model for an agricultural fuel self-supply exploitation. The model is based on the current extended crop rotation of wheat and barley in Anoia region (Catalonia, Spain). The introduction of rapeseed to the current crop rotation and its conversion into oil to be used as agricultural fuel is presented. Life cycle assessment methodology is used to carry out an environmental and an economic assessment. Environmental results show a preference for the vegetable oil based scenario in terms of CO2 equivalent emissions and energy consumption as well as no major difference in land used for the considered scenarios. Economic assessment shows a preference for the rapeseed introduction in the current crop rotation agricultural system without converting the seed into oil and using it as biofuel. The basis to develop the life cycle social assessment is also presented, calculating a social impact category as an example.