Life Cycle Analysis of Residential Heating Alternatives for Fine Particulate Matter Reduction in Central and Southern Cities in Chile

Master's Thesis from the year 2016 in the subject Environmental Sciences, grade: 3.8/4.0, Columbia Universität New York, language: English, abstract: The goal of this study was to compare the environmental impact of the current residential heating systems in Central and Southern cities in Chile, with alternative energy sources such as electricity, as well as the impact of a higher contribution of solar energy in the Central Interconnected System (SIC). A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was conducted in order to compare its environmental impact. The study is divided into 4 parts: Chapter 1 describes the goal and scope of the LCA, Chapters 2 and 3 provides information of the current electricity matrix in the locations where the study is developed, as well as the most common heating technologies. Chapters 4 and 5 describes the proposed scenarios and environmental impact results. Projections of economic growth in Chile in the following years involve higher energy demand and therefore, the need of an efficient energy supply in order to ensure both sustainable and economic growth. In that context, consumption of firewood represents an important role, considering the high availability of this energy source in Chile. In the entire country, the capacity of energy generation from biomass is estimated to be from 310 MW to 470 MW. The main use of firewood is for residential heating, however, firewood is associated not only with environmental issues, but also with public health problems. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) is an air pollutant that are two and one half microns or less in width, that is an issue when reaches high levels. These particles are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs, exposure to fine particles can produce asthma and hearth disease. Long term exposure to fine particulate matter could be related with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function and increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease. Other alternatives commonly used are liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric heaters, refined oil, etc. Data from the Ministry of the Environment (MMA) shows the low air quality of various cities in the Center and South of Chile.