School of Engineering and AMBER, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland; Circular Bioeconomy Research Group, Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre, Munster Technological University, Tralee, V92 CX88, Ireland; BiOrbic, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 D04 V1W8, Ireland.
School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Nov 1;949:175035. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175035. Epub 2024 Jul 30.
The significant grasslands of Europe and its member states represents a significant feedstock opportunity for circular bioeconomy development. The development of green biorefineries (GBR), to supply protein for the feed industry from grass, could help many European member states to address significant deficits in protein availability and reduce imports. The current study assesses the environmental footprint of alternative GBR protein extraction techniques from grasses and legumes using life cycle assessment. The focus is on comparing feedstock and technology pathways that could displace soya bean imports. The study finds that leaf protein concentrate (LPC) produced from grass had an improved environmental performance when compared to soya bean meal (SBM), across the assessed feedstock (perennial ryegrass or grass-clover mixtures) and technology pathways (one-stage maceration versus multi-stage maceration). For example, in the case of Climate Change the emission intensity for LPC was 57-85 % lower per tonne of crude protein (CP) compared with SBM. Acidification burdens were 54-88 % lower, and Eutrophication: Freshwater burdens were 74-89 % lower. Some scenarios of GBR produced LPC with a larger Energy Resources: Non-Renewable burden than SBM, though this could be mitigated with higher renewable energy (biogas and wind energy) integration within the scenario. Grass-clover scenarios generally achieved a lower intensity of emissions compared to ryegrass scenarios, particularly in the category of Climate Change, where feedstock cultivation represented a significant contributor to impacts. Overall, GBR can produce high quality protein with a lower environmental burden than SBM, but choice of feedstock and system design are critical factors for overall environmental performance.
欧洲及其成员国的重要草原为循环生物经济发展提供了重要的原料机会。绿色生物精炼厂（GBR）的发展可以从草中为饲料行业提供蛋白质，这可以帮助许多欧洲成员国解决蛋白质供应不足的问题，并减少进口。本研究使用生命周期评估评估了从草和豆类中提取替代 GBR 蛋白质的技术的环境足迹。重点是比较可以替代大豆进口的原料和技术途径。研究发现，与大豆粉（SBM）相比，从草中提取的叶蛋白浓缩物（LPC）在评估的原料（多年生黑麦草或草-三叶草混合物）和技术途径（单阶段浸提与多阶段浸提）方面具有更好的环境性能。例如，在气候变化方面，每吨粗蛋白（CP）的 LPC 的排放强度比 SBM 低 57-85%。酸化负担低 54-88%，富营养化：淡水负担低 74-89%。一些 GBR 生产的 LPC 与 SBM 相比，具有更大的能源资源：不可再生资源负担的情景，但通过在情景中更高的可再生能源（沼气和风能）整合，可以减轻这种情况。三叶草草情景通常比黑麦草情景具有更低的排放强度，特别是在气候变化类别中，饲料作物的种植对影响有重大贡献。总体而言，GBR 可以生产出比 SBM 环境负担更低的高质量蛋白质，但原料选择和系统设计是整体环境性能的关键因素。
