Environmental aspects of substituting bio-synthetic natural gas for natural gas in the brick industry.

TLDR: In this paper, the authors compared the life cycle of the environmental impact of natural gas and bio-SNG using the Global Emission Model for Integrated Systems (GEMIS) database.

Abstract: Firing of bricks is an essential manufacturing process during which the bricks obtain all the necessary properties. Life cycle assessment studies show that this process is also the most energy intensive in the brick manufacturing process and results in the largest environmental impact. Usually kilns are fired with natural gas, therefore substitution of fossil fuel with a renewable energy source is considered one of the most effective approaches for reduction of environmental impact. Bio-synthetic natural gas (bio-SNG) is one of the most feasible substitutes for natural gas and therefore the aim of the study was to compare the environmental impacts of those energy sources. Comparison of the life cycle of the environmental impact of natural gas and bio-SNG was carried out using the GEMIS (Global Emission Model for Integrated Systems) database. Both energy sources were compared on the basis of the life cycle of CO2 emissions, cumulated energy and material requirement, land use and employment effects. Results show that by replacing natural gas with bio-SNG, greenhouse gases could be reduced and employment increased. However, cumulated energy, material and land requirement is larger when bio-SNG is used instead of natural gas.