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Implications of integrating electricity supply dynamics into life cycle assessment: A case study of renewable distributed generation

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  • Amor, Mourad Ben
  • Gaudreault, Caroline
  • Pineau, Pierre-Olivier
  • Samson, Réjean

Abstract

Electricity supply is frequently cited as a significant hot spot in life cycle assessment (LCA) results. Despite its importance, however, LCA research continues to overuse simplified methodologies regarding electricity supply modeling. This work aims to demonstrate the usefulness of electricity trade analysis (proposed model) for integrating the short-term dynamics of electricity supply and refining LCA results. Distributed generation using renewable energy is applied as a case study to demonstrate how electricity trade analysis provides more refined estimates when environmental impact abatements are assessed compared with the conventional (simplified) approaches in LCA. Grid-connected photovoltaic panel (3 kWp mono- and poly-crystalline) and micro-wind turbine (1, 10 and 30 kW) environmental impact abatements are investigated by determining the displaced marginal electricity production on an hourly basis. The results indicate that environmental impact abatements calculated using the developed short-term time horizon approach can be significantly different (up to 200% difference) from those obtained using a simplified approach. Recommendations are provided to LCA practitioners to address this issue of differing results.

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  • Amor, Mourad Ben & Gaudreault, Caroline & Pineau, Pierre-Olivier & Samson, Réjean, 2014. "Implications of integrating electricity supply dynamics into life cycle assessment: A case study of renewable distributed generation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 410-419.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:69:y:2014:i:c:p:410-419
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2014.03.063
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    2. Descateaux, Paul & Astudillo, Miguel F. & Amor, Mourad Ben, 2016. "Assessing the life cycle environmental benefits of renewable distributed generation in a context of carbon taxes: The case of the Northeastern American market," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1178-1189.
    3. Collet, Pierre & Flottes, Eglantine & Favre, Alain & Raynal, Ludovic & Pierre, Hélène & Capela, Sandra & Peregrina, Carlos, 2017. "Techno-economic and Life Cycle Assessment of methane production via biogas upgrading and power to gas technology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 282-295.
    4. Simone Cornago & Yee Shee Tan & Carlo Brondi & Seeram Ramakrishna & Jonathan Sze Choong Low, 2022. "Systematic Literature Review on Dynamic Life Cycle Inventory: Towards Industry 4.0 Applications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-22, May.
    5. Remigiusz Gawlik & Dominika Siwiec & Andrzej Pacana, 2024. "Quality–Cost–Environment Assessment of Sustainable Manufacturing of Photovoltaic Panels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-17, March.
    6. Krieger, Elena M. & Casey, Joan A. & Shonkoff, Seth B.C., 2016. "A framework for siting and dispatch of emerging energy resources to realize environmental and health benefits: Case study on peaker power plant displacement," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 302-313.
    7. Dahlia Byles & Salman Mohagheghi, 2023. "Sustainable Power Grid Expansion: Life Cycle Assessment, Modeling Approaches, Challenges, and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-25, May.
    8. B. T. Wittbrodt & J.M. Pearce, 2015. "Total U.S. cost evaluation of low-weight tension-based photovoltaic flat-roof mounted racking," Post-Print hal-02119670, HAL.
    9. Nicole A. Ryan & Jeremiah X. Johnson & Gregory A. Keoleian & Geoffrey M. Lewis, 2018. "Decision Support Algorithm for Evaluating Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Electricity Generation in the United States," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(6), pages 1318-1330, December.
    10. Frapin, Marie & Roux, Charlotte & Assoumou, Edi & Peuportier, Bruno, 2022. "Modelling long-term and short-term temporal variation and uncertainty of electricity production in the life cycle assessment of buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    11. Papageorgiou, Asterios & Ashok, Archana & Hashemi Farzad, Tabassom & Sundberg, Cecilia, 2020. "Climate change impact of integrating a solar microgrid system into the Swedish electricity grid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    12. Pedinotti-Castelle, Marianne & Astudillo, Miguel F. & Pineau, Pierre-Olivier & Amor, Ben, 2019. "Is the environmental opportunity of retrofitting the residential sector worth the life cycle cost? A consequential assessment of a typical house in Quebec," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 428-439.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Life cycle assessment; Short-term marginal technology; Electricity dynamics; Wind; Solar;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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