Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass Waste and Coal Co-Firing: Advancing Circular Economy in Energy Production

This study uses life cycle analysis (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impacts of co-firing bituminous coal with agricultural biomass waste, such as coconut and rice husks, emphasising circular economy principles. Seven experimental scenarios with different coal-to-biomass ratios were designed, ranging from pure coal to pure biomass. The results show that Scenario B (100% rice husk) achieved the best overall environmental performance, with the lowest global warming potential (300 kg CO2 equivalent), eutrophication potential (4.742 kg PO4 equivalent), and smog formation potential (0.012 kg C2H4 equivalent). Additionally, Scenario F (15% biomass mix) recorded the lowest acidification potential (57.39 kg SO2 eq), indicating that even partial substitution can yield significant environmental benefits. In contrast, Scenario C (100% coal) exhibited the highest acidification (164.08 kg SO2 eq) and eutrophication (8.82 kg PO4 eq) potential. Overall, the results demonstrate that co-firing biomass waste significantly reduces pollutant emissions compared to burning coal alone. This study highlights the effectiveness of biomass waste co-firing in mitigating environmental impacts, promoting resource recovery, and supporting a sustainable energy transition within a circular economy framework.