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Life Cycle Environmental Impact of Onshore and Offshore Wind Farms in Texas

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  • Jesuina Chipindula

    (Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA)

  • Venkata Sai Vamsi Botlaguduru

    (Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA)

  • Hongbo Du

    (Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA)

  • Raghava Rao Kommalapati

    (Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA)

  • Ziaul Huque

    (Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Prairie View A & M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA)

Abstract

The last decade witnessed a quantum increase in wind energy contribution to the U.S. renewable electricity mix. Although the overall environmental impact of wind energy is miniscule in comparison to fossil-fuel energy, the early stages of the wind energy life cycle have potential for a higher environmental impact. This study attempts to quantify the relative contribution of individual stages toward life cycle impacts by conducting a life cycle assessment with SimaPro ® and the Impact 2002+ impact assessment method. A comparative analysis of individual stages at three locations, onshore, shallow-water, and deep-water, in Texas and the gulf coast indicates that material extraction/processing would be the dominant stage with an average impact contribution of 72% for onshore, 58% for shallow-water, and 82% for deep-water across the 15 midpoint impact categories. The payback times for CO 2 and energy consumption range from 6 to 14 and 6 to 17 months, respectively, with onshore farms having shorter payback times. The greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) were in the range of 5–7 gCO 2 eq/kWh for the onshore location, 6–9 CO 2 eq/kWh for the shallow-water location, and 6–8 CO 2 eq/kWh for the deep-water location. A sensitivity analysis of the material extraction/processing stage to the electricity sourcing stage indicates that replacement of lignite coal with natural gas or wind would lead to marginal improvements in midpoint impact categories.

Suggested Citation

  • Jesuina Chipindula & Venkata Sai Vamsi Botlaguduru & Hongbo Du & Raghava Rao Kommalapati & Ziaul Huque, 2018. "Life Cycle Environmental Impact of Onshore and Offshore Wind Farms in Texas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:6:p:2022-:d:152596
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