IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v15y2011i4p1961-1967.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Nonrenewable energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions of a 1.5Â MW solar power tower plant in China

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, G.Q.
  • Yang, Q.
  • Zhao, Y.H.
  • Wang, Z.F.

Abstract

It is commonly assumed that renewable energy based systems have the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and save fossil energy from the grid. Nevertheless, any energy conversion systems need extra energy to deliver energy into society. It is necessary to estimate the total direct and indirect fossil energy cost and associated greenhouse gas emissions by any system over its entire life cycle. For the first MW class solar tower power plant in China, nonrenewable energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions are accounted respectively as 0.95 MJ/MJ and 0.04 kg CO2-eq/MJ during its expected 20 years of operating life, corresponding to a net nonrenewable energy saving of 3.92E+08 GJ and greenhouse gas emission mitigation of 4.17E+04 tonne CO2-eq compared to conventional thermal power systems in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, G.Q. & Yang, Q. & Zhao, Y.H. & Wang, Z.F., 2011. "Nonrenewable energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions of a 1.5Â MW solar power tower plant in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 1961-1967, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:15:y:2011:i:4:p:1961-1967
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364-0321(10)00449-1
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    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. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q. & Yang, Z.F. & Jiang, M.M., 2007. "Ecological footprint accounting for energy and resource in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1599-1609, March.
    2. Zhang, Bo & Chen, G.Q., 2010. "Physical sustainability assessment for the China society: Exergy-based systems account for resources use and environmental emissions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 1527-1545, August.
    3. Yang, Z.F. & Jiang, M.M. & Chen, B. & Zhou, J.B. & Chen, G.Q. & Li, S.C., 2010. "Solar emergy evaluation for Chinese economy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 875-886, February.
    4. Chen, G.Q. & Jiang, M.M. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, B. & Ji, Xi & Zhou, J.B., 2009. "Exergetic assessment for ecological economic system: Chinese agriculture," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(3), pages 397-410.
    5. Zhang, Bo & Chen, G.Q., 2010. "Methane emissions by Chinese economy: Inventory and embodiment analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 4304-4316, August.
    6. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 4: Fishery and rangeland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2079-2086, April.
    7. Yao, Zhihao & Wang, Zhifeng & Lu, Zhenwu & Wei, Xiudong, 2009. "Modeling and simulation of the pioneer 1MW solar thermal central receiver system in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 2437-2446.
    8. Lin, Boqiang & Sun, Chuanwang, 2010. "Evaluating carbon dioxide emissions in international trade of China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 613-621, January.
    9. Wei, Yi-Ming & Liu, Lan-Cui & Fan, Ying & Wu, Gang, 2007. "The impact of lifestyle on energy use and CO2 emission: An empirical analysis of China's residents," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 247-257, January.
    10. Chen, G.Q. & Qi, Z.H., 2007. "Systems account of societal exergy utilization: China 2003," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 208(2), pages 102-118.
    11. Liu, Lan-Cui & Fan, Ying & Wu, Gang & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2007. "Using LMDI method to analyze the change of China's industrial CO2 emissions from final fuel use: An empirical analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 5892-5900, November.
    12. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2006. "Exergy analysis for resource conversion of the Chinese Society 1993 under the material product system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8), pages 1115-1150.
    13. Zhang, Ming & Mu, Hailin & Ning, Yadong, 2009. "Accounting for energy-related CO2 emission in China, 1991-2006," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 767-773, March.
    14. Tsoutsos, Theocharis & Frantzeskaki, Niki & Gekas, Vassilis, 2005. "Environmental impacts from the solar energy technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 289-296, February.
    15. Chen, H. & Chen, G.Q., 2011. "Energy cost of rapeseed-based biodiesel as alternative energy in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 1374-1378.
    16. Tremeac, Brice & Meunier, Francis, 2009. "Life cycle analysis of 4.5Â MW and 250Â W wind turbines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(8), pages 2104-2110, October.
    17. Chen, G.Q. & Chen, B., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 1: Fossil fuels and energy minerals," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2038-2050, April.
    18. Ardente, Fulvio & Beccali, Marco & Cellura, Maurizio & Lo Brano, Valerio, 2008. "Energy performances and life cycle assessment of an Italian wind farm," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 200-217, January.
    19. Cirre, Cristina M. & Berenguel, Manuel & Valenzuela, Loreto & Klempous, Ryszard, 2009. "Reference governor optimization and control of a distributed solar collector field," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 193(3), pages 709-717, March.
    20. Chen, G.Q. & Chen, B., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on energy--Part 5: Resource structure and intensity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2087-2095, April.
    21. Crawford, R.H., 2009. "Life cycle energy and greenhouse emissions analysis of wind turbines and the effect of size on energy yield," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(9), pages 2653-2660, December.
    22. Li, Jun, 2009. "Scaling up concentrating solar thermal technology in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(8), pages 2051-2060, October.
    23. Chen, G.Q. & Chen, B., 2009. "Extended-exergy analysis of the Chinese society," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 1127-1144.
    24. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 2: Renewable energy sources and forest," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2051-2064, April.
    25. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 3: Agricultural products," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2065-2078, April.
    26. Chen, G.Q. & Zhang, Bo, 2010. "Greenhouse gas emissions in China 2007: Inventory and input-output analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6180-6193, October.
    27. Wang, Zhifeng, 2010. "Prospectives for China's solar thermal power technology development," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 4417-4420.
    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. Chen, G.Q. & Yang, Q. & Zhao, Y.H., 2011. "Renewability of wind power in China: A case study of nonrenewable energy cost and greenhouse gas emission by a plant in Guangxi," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(5), pages 2322-2329, June.
    2. Xia, X.H. & Huang, G.T. & Chen, G.Q. & Zhang, Bo & Chen, Z.M. & Yang, Q., 2011. "Energy security, efficiency and carbon emission of Chinese industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3520-3528, June.
    3. Zhang, Xiaohong & Wu, Liqian & Zhang, Rong & Deng, Shihuai & Zhang, Yanzong & Wu, Jun & Li, Yuanwei & Lin, Lili & Li, Li & Wang, Yinjun & Wang, Lilin, 2013. "Evaluating the relationships among economic growth, energy consumption, air emissions and air environmental protection investment in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 259-270.
    4. An, Qier & An, Haizhong & Wang, Lang & Gao, Xiangyun & Lv, Na, 2015. "Analysis of embodied exergy flow between Chinese industries based on network theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 318(C), pages 26-35.
    5. An, Qier & An, Haizhong & Wang, Lang & Huang, Xuan, 2014. "Structural and regional variations of natural resource production in China based on exergy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 67-77.
    6. Zhang, Lixiao & Yang, Zhifeng & Chen, Bin & Chen, Guoqian, 2009. "Rural energy in China: Pattern and policy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2813-2823.
    7. Song, Dan & Lin, Ling & Wu, Ye, 2019. "Extended exergy accounting for a typical cement industry in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 678-686.
    8. Jiang, M.M. & Chen, B. & Zhou, J.B. & Tao, F.R. & Li, Z. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Emergy account for biomass resource exploitation by agriculture in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 4704-4719, September.
    9. Chen, G.Q. & Jiang, M.M. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, B. & Ji, Xi & Zhou, J.B., 2009. "Exergetic assessment for ecological economic system: Chinese agriculture," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(3), pages 397-410.
    10. Zhang, Bo & Chen, G.Q., 2010. "Physical sustainability assessment for the China society: Exergy-based systems account for resources use and environmental emissions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 1527-1545, August.
    11. Chen, G.Q. & Qi, Z.H., 2007. "Systems account of societal exergy utilization: China 2003," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 208(2), pages 102-118.
    12. Chen, G.Q. & Chen, Z.M., 2011. "Greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources use by the world economy: Ecological input–output modeling," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2362-2376.
    13. Serrenho, André Cabrera & Warr, Benjamin & Sousa, Tânia & Ayres, Robert U. & Domingos, Tiago, 2016. "Structure and dynamics of useful work along the agriculture-industry-services transition: Portugal from 1856 to 2009," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-21.
    14. Shao, Ling & Wu, Zi & Chen, G.Q., 2013. "Exergy based ecological footprint accounting for China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 83-96.
    15. Tian, Xu & Chen, Bin & Geng, Yong & Zhong, Shaozhuo & Gao, Cuixia & Wilson, Jeffrey & Cui, Xiaowei & Dou, Yi, 2019. "Energy footprint pathways of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 330-340.
    16. Wu, X.F. & Chen, G.Q. & Wu, X.D. & Yang, Q. & Alsaedi, A. & Hayat, T. & Ahmad, B., 2015. "Renewability and sustainability of biogas system: Cosmic exergy based assessment for a case in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1509-1524.
    17. Zhang, L.X. & Wang, C.B. & Bahaj, A.S., 2014. "Carbon emissions by rural energy in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 641-649.
    18. Chen, G.Q. & Zhang, Bo, 2010. "Greenhouse gas emissions in China 2007: Inventory and input-output analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6180-6193, October.
    19. Amiri, Zahra & Asgharipour, Mohammad Reza & Campbell, Daniel E. & Armin, Mohammad, 2020. "Extended exergy analysis (EAA) of two canola farming systems in Khorramabad, Iran," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    20. Mei Gong & Göran Wall, 2016. "Exergy Analysis of the Supply of Energy and Material Resources in the Swedish Society," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-16, September.

    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:rensus:v:15:y:2011:i:4:p:1961-1967. 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/600126/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.