Journal of Natural Environment

Environmental life cycle assessment of graphene production from biomass waste: the impact of transitioning energy sources to renewable energy on global warming potential

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran.

2 Faculty of Chemistry, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

3 Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.

10.22059/jne.2025.388187.2752

Abstract

In recent years, graphene has garnered significant attention in fields such as electronics and energy storage due to its remarkable properties, including high electrical and thermal conductivity. Producing graphene from bio-waste has emerged as an innovative approach to reducing costs and enhancing environmental sustainability. This method can contribute to resource efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts. However, life cycle assessments of graphene production from bio-waste are limited, and its environmental impacts depend on the synthesis method and the energy sources utilized. In this study, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment was conducted with a functional unit of producing 1 kilogram of graphene to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the production phase. The findings indicate that producing graphene from bio-waste, such as banana peels, wheat straw, and populus wood waste, can reduce environmental impacts. Among the evaluated bio-waste sources, graphene derived from wheat straw exhibited the highest environmental impact in the global warming category, equivalent to 580.91 kilograms of CO2. In contrast, graphene produced from populus wood waste demonstrated the lowest impact in this category, equivalent to 122.49 kilograms of CO2. Future scenario analyses suggest that incorporating renewable energy sources into Iran’s electricity mix could significantly reduce the global warming potential of graphene production between 2030 and 2050. This reduction is particularly notable for populus wood waste, with a projected decrease of 29% to 57% over the analyzed years.

Keywords

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Journal of Natural Environment
Volume 78, Monitoring and Management of Natural Environmental Pollutants
June 2025
Pages 229-241