Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuels 101

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Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuels 101
https://www.glbrc.org/outreach/educational-materials/life-cycle-assessment-biofuels-101

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, U.S. Department of Energy

In this activity, students conduct a life cycle assessment of energy used and produced in ethanol production, and a life cycle assessment of carbon dioxide used and produced in ethanol production.

Activity takes about two to three 50 minute class periods.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

See how this Short Demonstration/Experiment supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

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Middle School

Performance Expectations: 3

MS-ESS3-4: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.

MS-ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 7

MS-ESS3.D1: Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

MS-ETS1.B2: There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet the criteria and constraints of a problem.

MS-ETS1.B3: Sometimes parts of different solutions can be combined to create a solution that is better than any of its predecessors.

MS-ETS1.C1: Although one design may not perform the best across all tests, identifying the characteristics of the design that performed the best in each test can provide useful information for the redesign process—that is, some of those characteristics may be incorporated into the new design.

MS-PS1.B2: The total number of each type of atom is conserved, and thus the mass does not change.

MS-PS1.B3: Some chemical reactions release energy, others store energy.

MS-PS3.D1: The chemical reaction by which plants produce complex food molecules (sugars) requires an energy input (i.e., from sunlight) to occur. In this reaction, carbon dioxide and water combine to form carbon-based organic molecules and release oxygen.

Cross Cutting Concepts: 3

Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter

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Science and Engineering Practices: 6

Developing and Using Models, Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

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Developing and Using Models, Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

MS-P2.2: Develop or modify a model— based on evidence – to match what happens if a variable or component of a system is changed.

MS-P2.4: Develop and/or revise a model to show the relationships among variables, including those that are not observable but predict observable phenomena.

MS-P7.2: Respectfully provide and receive critiques about one’s explanations, procedures, models, and questions by citing relevant evidence and posing and responding to questions that elicit pertinent elaboration and detail.

MS-P7.3: Construct, use, and/or present an oral and written argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation or a model for a phenomenon or a solution to a problem.

MS-P7.5: Evaluate competing design solutions based on jointly developed and agreed-upon design criteria.

MS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information (e.g. about a proposed object, tool, process, system) in writing and/or through oral presentations.

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High School

Performance Expectations: 2

HS-ESS3-4: Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

HS-ETS1-1: Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 7

HS-ESS2.D4: Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.

HS-ESS3.A2: All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors.

HS-ESS3.C2: Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation.

HS-ETS1.A2: Humanity faces major global challenges today, such as the need for supplies of clean water and food or for energy sources that minimize pollution, which can be addressed through engineering. These global challenges also may have manifestations in local communities

HS-LS2.B3: Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.

HS-PS1.B1: Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.

HS-PS3.D2: The main way that solar energy is captured and stored on Earth is through the complex chemical process known as photosynthesis.

Cross Cutting Concepts: 4

Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter

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Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter

HS-C4.2: When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models.

HS-C4.3: Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales.

HS-C5.2: Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.

HS-C5.3: Energy cannot be created or destroyed—only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between systems.

Science and Engineering Practices: 4

Developing and Using Models, Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

See Details »

Developing and Using Models, Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

HS-P2.1: Evaluate merits and limitations of two different models of the same proposed tool, process, mechanism or system in order to select or revise a model that best fits the evidence or design criteria.

HS-P2.6: Develop and/or use a model (including mathematical and computational) to generate data to support explanations, predict phenomena, analyze systems, and/or solve problems.

HS-P7.3: Respectfully provide and/or receive critiques on scientific arguments by probing reasoning and evidence, challenging ideas and conclusions, responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, and determining additional information required to resolve contradictions.

HS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (i.e., orally, graphically, textually, mathematically).

Grade Level

High School (9-12)
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College Lower (13-14)
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Topics

Carbon Cycle
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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Fossil Fuels
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Other Alternatives
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Climate Literacy

This Short Demonstration/Experiment builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Humans can take action

Energy Literacy

This Short Demonstration/Experiment builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines

1. Questioning, Analysis and Interpretation Skills:C) Collecting information
Other materials addressing:
C) Collecting information.

2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.1 The Earth as a Physical System:C) Energy
Other materials addressing:
C) Energy.

2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.4 Environment and Society:C) Resources
Other materials addressing:
C) Resources.

3. Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues:3.1 Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues:C) Identifying and evaluation alternative solutions and courses of action
Other materials addressing:
C) Identifying and evaluation alternative solutions and courses of action.

3. Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues:3.2 Decision-Making and Citizenship Skills:C) Planning and taking action
Other materials addressing:
C) Planning and taking action.

3. Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues:3.2 Decision-Making and Citizenship Skills:D) Evaluating the results of actions
Other materials addressing:
D) Evaluating the results of actions.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

Appropriate for use in a high school AP Biology class. Too complex for a beginning biology or environmental science class.

About the Content

When selecting alternative fuels, it is important to consider the relative advantages and disadvantages of each. This activity tasks students to assess the life cycle energy and carbon dioxide emission costs of gasoline, corn ethanol, and cellulosic ethanol.
Comments from expert scientist: This activity provides generally good explanations to the life cycle assessment science. Students should not get an impression that biomass is carbon neutral. It is good to emphasize that not all biomass is equal. Some biomass follows food-to-fuel pathway therefore they emit more carbon than others because they may cause land conversion and rainforest clearance.

About the Pedagogy

Activity includes Teacher Instructions and Answer Key, Student Activities and Worksheets, PowerPoint presentations, and Supplementary Materials.
Quite a long and complex activity; well organized.
Chemistry background is required.
Several options are available for increasing or decreasing depth of content.
Informational PowerPoints include scripts for teachers
The activity includes two (optional) videos: Life Cycle Assessment of Energy, Life Cycle Assessment of Carbon (not reviewed.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

Links to other resources are on the first teacher page

Entered the Collection: February 2015 Last Reviewed: February 2015

Jump to this Short Demonstration/Experiment »

Middle School (see details)

Middle School

Performance Expectations: 3

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 7

Cross Cutting Concepts: 3

Science and Engineering Practices: 6

High School (see details)

High School

Performance Expectations: 2

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 7

Cross Cutting Concepts: 4

Science and Engineering Practices: 4

Grade Level

Topics

Climate Literacy

Energy Literacy

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines

Teaching Tips

About the Content

About the Pedagogy

Technical Details/Ease of Use

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