IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v367y2024ics0306261924007177.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Integrated life cycle assessment in off-grid energy system design—Uncovering low hanging fruit for climate mitigation

Author

Listed:
  • Viole, Isabelle
  • Valenzuela-Venegas, Guillermo
  • Sartori, Sabrina
  • Zeyringer, Marianne

Abstract

We perform an ex-ante life cycle assessment, integrating cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions into an off-grid energy system model. By applying a multi-objective optimization, minimizing both costs and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions, we find the Pareto boundary between these two goals. As a case study, we chose the power supply to an astronomical observatory in Chile, using mostly solar power and energy storage in batteries and hydrogen. We compare the ex-ante study to a prior ex-post life cycle assessment, and furthermore dive into sensitivities of our model regarding component lifetimes and costs. We find (i) low-hanging fruit in lowering emissions with small cost increases, (ii) ex-ante life cycle assessments’ possibility to find less CO2e intensive power systems compared to ex-post conducted studies, (iii) a pronounced sensitivity of the optimization model on assumed lifetimes of energy storage components. This study shows the importance of including life cycle CO2e emissions into the optimization objective of energy system models. This method uncovers the environmental and economic trade-offs associated with high shares of renewable energies in off-grid energy systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Viole, Isabelle & Valenzuela-Venegas, Guillermo & Sartori, Sabrina & Zeyringer, Marianne, 2024. "Integrated life cycle assessment in off-grid energy system design—Uncovering low hanging fruit for climate mitigation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 367(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:367:y:2024:i:c:s0306261924007177
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123334
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261924007177
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123334?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Viole, Isabelle & Valenzuela-Venegas, Guillermo & Zeyringer, Marianne & Sartori, Sabrina, 2023. "A renewable power system for an off-grid sustainable telescope fueled by solar power, batteries and green hydrogen," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    2. Falke, Tobias & Krengel, Stefan & Meinerzhagen, Ann-Kathrin & Schnettler, Armin, 2016. "Multi-objective optimization and simulation model for the design of distributed energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1508-1516.
    3. Cui, Yunfei & Geng, Zhiqiang & Zhu, Qunxiong & Han, Yongming, 2017. "Review: Multi-objective optimization methods and application in energy saving," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 681-704.
    4. Tobias Junne & Karl-Kiên Cao & Kim Kira Miskiw & Heidi Hottenroth & Tobias Naegler, 2021. "Considering Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Power System Expansion Planning for Europe and North Africa Using Multi-Objective Optimization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-26, February.
    5. Ridha, Hussein Mohammed & Gomes, Chandima & Hizam, Hashim & Ahmadipour, Masoud & Heidari, Ali Asghar & Chen, Huiling, 2021. "Multi-objective optimization and multi-criteria decision-making methods for optimal design of standalone photovoltaic system: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    6. Viviana Cigolotti & Matteo Genovese & Petronilla Fragiacomo, 2021. "Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cell Technology for Stationary Applications as Sustainable and Efficient Poly-Generation Energy Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-28, August.
    7. McCallum, Christopher S. & Kumar, Narendran & Curry, Robin & McBride, Katherine & Doran, John, 2021. "Renewable electricity generation for off grid remote communities; Life Cycle Assessment Study in Alaska, USA," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qiu, Rui & Liao, Qi & Yan, Jie & Yan, Yamin & Guo, Zhichao & Liang, Yongtu & Zhang, Haoran, 2021. "The coupling impact of subsystem interconnection and demand response on the distributed energy systems: A case study of the composite community in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    2. Fonseca, Juan D. & Commenge, Jean-Marc & Camargo, Mauricio & Falk, Laurent & Gil, Iván D., 2021. "Sustainability analysis for the design of distributed energy systems: A multi-objective optimization approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    3. Roy, Dibyendu & Samanta, Samiran & Roy, Sumit & Smallbone, Andrew & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2023. "Multi-objective optimisation of a power generation system integrating solid oxide fuel cell and recuperated supercritical carbon dioxide cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    4. Aunedi, Marko & Pantaleo, Antonio Marco & Kuriyan, Kamal & Strbac, Goran & Shah, Nilay, 2020. "Modelling of national and local interactions between heat and electricity networks in low-carbon energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    5. Athanasios Zisos & Dimitrios Chatzopoulos & Andreas Efstratiadis, 2024. "The Concept of Spatial Reliability Across Renewable Energy Systems—An Application to Decentralized Solar PV Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-18, November.
    6. You, Junyu & Ampomah, William & Sun, Qian, 2020. "Co-optimizing water-alternating-carbon dioxide injection projects using a machine learning assisted computational framework," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    7. Changyu Zhou & Guohe Huang & Jiapei Chen, 2019. "A Type-2 Fuzzy Chance-Constrained Fractional Integrated Modeling Method for Energy System Management of Uncertainties and Risks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-21, June.
    8. K. Arunprasath & S. Bathrinath & R. K. A. Bhalaji & Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Anish Nair, 2023. "An integrated approach to modelling of barriers in implementation of cellular manufacturing systems in production industries," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 14(4), pages 1370-1378, August.
    9. Zheng Yuan & Baohua Wen & Cheng He & Jin Zhou & Zhonghua Zhou & Feng Xu, 2022. "Application of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Analysis to Rural Spatial Sustainability Evaluation: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-31, May.
    10. Yu Liu & Shan Gao & Xin Zhao & Chao Zhang & Ningyu Zhang, 2017. "Coordinated Operation and Control of Combined Electricity and Natural Gas Systems with Thermal Storage," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-25, July.
    11. Weiwei Cui & Biao Lu, 2020. "A Bi-Objective Approach to Minimize Makespan and Energy Consumption in Flow Shops with Peak Demand Constraint," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, May.
    12. Sameti, Mohammad & Haghighat, Fariborz, 2018. "Integration of distributed energy storage into net-zero energy district systems: Optimum design and operation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 575-591.
    13. Nour Eddine, A. & Chalet, D. & Faure, X. & Aixala, L. & Chessé, P., 2018. "Effect of engine exhaust gas pulsations on the performance of a thermoelectric generator for wasted heat recovery: An experimental and analytical investigation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 715-727.
    14. Zhang, Na & Wang, Zefeng & Lior, Noam & Han, Wei, 2018. "Advancement of distributed energy methods by a novel high efficiency solar-assisted combined cooling, heating and power system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 179-186.
    15. Nizami, M.S.H. & Hossain, M.J. & Amin, B.M. Ruhul & Fernandez, Edstan, 2020. "A residential energy management system with bi-level optimization-based bidding strategy for day-ahead bi-directional electricity trading," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    16. Kamali, Sadegh & Amraee, Turaj, 2017. "Blackout prediction in interconnected electric energy systems considering generation re-dispatch and energy curtailment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 50-61.
    17. Karimi, Hamid & Jadid, Shahram, 2020. "Optimal energy management for multi-microgrid considering demand response programs: A stochastic multi-objective framework," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    18. Petrelli, Marina & Fioriti, Davide & Berizzi, Alberto & Bovo, Cristian & Poli, Davide, 2021. "A novel multi-objective method with online Pareto pruning for multi-year optimization of rural microgrids," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    19. Weifan Long & Xiaofei Chen & Qingsong Ma & Xindong Wei & Qiao Xi, 2022. "An Evaluation of the PV Integrated Dynamic Overhangs Based on Parametric Performance Design Method: A Case Study of a Student Apartment in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-18, June.
    20. Deng, Yuanwang & Liu, Huawei & Zhao, Xiaohuan & E, Jiaqiang & Chen, Jianmei, 2018. "Effects of cold start control strategy on cold start performance of the diesel engine based on a comprehensive preheat diesel engine model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 279-287.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:367:y:2024:i:c:s0306261924007177. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.