In Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the accounting of biogenic carbon is little harmonized. Different, even contradictory, approaches are identified in current standards for different sectors of the economy (biofuel, bio-based plastics, construction, etc.). The general objectives of this study are to identify the issues at stake in these approaches, in order to issue recommendations for several actors.

Biomass energy, or bioenergy, is energy produced from renewable biomass, for which the assessment of environmental impacts through life cycle assessment (LCA) presents a number of challenges, in particular methodological ones. The general objectives of this study are to analyze current practices for carrying out LCAs of biomass energy, and to provide recommendations on current and future best practices.