Life cycle assessment of wind power production
6 Enrollments Level : IntermediateRelevance
In light of international climate goals such as those outlined in the Paris Agreement, which aim to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to temperature levels in the late 19th century, analysing the environmental and economic impacts of renewable energy systems has become increasingly vital. With renewable energies like wind power playing a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions, understanding their life cycle impacts is crucial. The background of this analysis stems from the interdisciplinary field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which provides a systematic approach to evaluating the environmental footprint of products and processes.
Abstract
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method for comprehensively analysing the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle. This Building Block examines the environmental impacts of wind power plants, particularly their Global Warming Potential (GWP), through such assessments. Electricity generation from wind power plants is studied under various scenarios to understand, among other things, the variation in GWP values depending on geographical conditions and full-load hours. Detailed insights into the environmental impacts of electricity generation are provided, taking into account regional weather-related differences as well as forecast scenarios for the production and operation of these systems. The goal is to gain a better understanding of effective resource allocation to achieve global climate goals.
Students will gain in-depth insight into the importance of comprehensive analyses for evaluating climate impacts in renewable energy. Additionally, this module combines quantitative analysis of environmental impacts from the production and operation of wind power plants with an economic analysis from another Building Block. This facilitates a profound understanding of the significance of holistic analysis in assessing climate effects and economic aspects in achieving global climate objectives.
Learning Outcomes
Understanding Environmental Impacts: Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to evaluate the environmental impacts, particularly the Global Warming Potential (GWP), of wind energy systems throughout their life cycle.
Analysing Scenario Variations: Students will learn to analyse and interpret variations in GWP values under different scenarios, considering factors such as geographical conditions and full-load hours, and understand how these variations affect resource allocation for achieving global climate goals.
Integrating Economic and Environmental Analyses: Students will gain skills in combining quantitative environmental impact assessments with economic analyses, enabling them to perform holistic evaluations of renewable energy projects that consider both climate effects and economic aspects.
Prior Knowledge
Basic Principles of Environmental Science: Students should have a foundational understanding of environmental science concepts, including climate change, greenhouse gases, and sustainability.
Energy Systems and Technologies: Familiarity with different types of energy systems, particularly renewable energy technologies like wind and photovoltaic (PV) systems, will help students grasp the technical aspects of the analysis.
Keywords
- LCA
- RenewableEnergy
- GlobalWindSystems
- Ecologicalimpact
- Environment
- P4ELECS
- WindEnergy
Elements
1. About this Building Block
About this Building Block
2. Reader
Reader and exercises
Reader in form of a presentation which includes exercises