The aim of this study was to conduct the first comprehensive life cycle assessment and economic analysis on ethanol produced from agave. Compositional and field data from a field experiment in Queensland, Australia was used. Our study shows that ethanol yields from agave (7414 L/ha/year) are comparable to Brazilian sugarcane (9900/L/ha/year) and higher than US corn ethanol (3800/L/ha/year). Furthermore, agave outperforms current first generation biofuel crops in water-related impacts, including Freshwater Eutrophication (96% lower than corn and 88% lower than sugarcane), Marine Ecotoxicity (59% lower than corn and 53% lower than sugarcane) and Water Consumption (46% lower than corn and 69% lower than sugarcane). The life cycle fossil energy use (Fossil Resource Scarcity) for agave is 58% lower than corn and 6% higher than sugarcane. The Global Warming impact for agave is also 62% and 30% lower than that of corn and sugarcane, respectively. Although its Land Use impact, measured by land occupied per unit ethanol output, is 98% higher than corn and 2% higher than sugarcane, agave can be grown on arid land that is not suitable for food crops. The economic analysis suggests that first generation ethanol production from agave is not commercially viable without government support. Overall, the results show that agave is promising for biofuel production in the water-energy-food-environment context.

这项研究的目的是对龙舌兰生产的乙醇进行首次综合生命周期评估和经济分析。使用来自澳大利亚昆士兰州的野外实验的成分和野外数据。我们的研究表明，龙舌兰的乙醇产量（7414 L / ha /年）可与巴西甘蔗（9900 / L / ha /年）相媲美，高于美国玉米乙醇（3800 / L / ha /年）。此外，龙舌兰在与水有关的影响方面优于当前的第一代生物燃料作物，包括淡水富营养化（比玉米低96％，比甘蔗低88％），海洋生态毒性（比玉米低59％，比甘蔗低53％）和耗水量（比玉米低46％，比甘蔗低69％）。龙舌兰的生命周期化石能源使用量（化石资源稀缺）比玉米低58％，比甘蔗高6％。龙舌兰的全球变暖影响也分别比玉米和甘蔗低62％和30％。虽然以土地单位乙醇产量所占土地来衡量的土地利用影响比玉米高98％，比甘蔗高2％，但龙舌兰可以在不适合粮食作物的干旱土地上种植。经济分析表明，如果没有政府的支持，从龙舌兰生产第一代乙醇是不可行的。总体而言，结果表明，在水-能源-食物-环境中，龙舌兰有望用于生产生物燃料。龙舌兰可以在不适合粮食作物的干旱土地上种植。经济分析表明，如果没有政府的支持，从龙舌兰生产第一代乙醇是不可行的。总体而言，结果表明，在水-能源-食物-环境中，龙舌兰有望用于生产生物燃料。龙舌兰可以在不适合粮食作物的干旱土地上种植。经济分析表明，如果没有政府的支持，从龙舌兰生产第一代乙醇是不可行的。总体而言，结果表明，在水-能源-食物-环境中，龙舌兰有望用于生产生物燃料。