Inproceedings,
Integrating Life Cycle Analysis with Agent Based Modeling: Deciding on Bio-Electricity
NGI'08: Proc. NGInfra-IEEE Int'l Scientific Conf.: Building Networks for a Brighter Future, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, IEEE Press, (2008)
Abstract
In order to evaluate possible bio-electricity infrastructures that
may develop subject to economic and ecological decision-making, an
Agent Based Model (ABM) was created that uses Life Cycle Analysis
(LCA) to analyze the environmental impacts of the infrastructure
systems that emerge. By representing processes as distinct instances
of technologies, it is possible to have an infrastructure that self-assembles
as each owner of any technology must trade with other owners of technologies
to satisfy the individual input and output demands. The ABM is used
to generate and simulate the complex bioelectricity system evolution,
while an LCA is used to analyze it at each simulation tick by presenting
the results of calculating life cycle environmental performance.
Thereby, a methodology has been created that allows for a type of
dynamic LCA, which provides ecological information for decision-making.
Foundations, implementation and application of this new methodology
for dynamic LCA will be addressed and themes for further research
will be discussed.
