The life-cycle energy and environmental emissions of a typical offshore wind farm in China

Yang, Jiaqing; Chang, Yuan; Zhang, Lixiao; Hao, Yan; Qin, Yan; Wang, Changbo

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.082

Cited by 84 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), provides a cogent way of assessing the environmental impacts related to phases of a product's life [15][16][17]. LCA assists all relevant stakeholders such as developers, designers, policymakers, and researchers in attaining relevant data pertaining to the environmental effects of different energy options.…”

Section: Problem and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the Environmental Impacts and Energy Performance of a Wind Farm System Utilizing the Life-Cycle Assessment Method: A Practical Case Study

et al. 2019

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The ever-increasing popularity of finding alternative forms of renewable energy has seen an increased interest and utilization of wind energy. The objective of this research therefore, is to evaluate the environmental impacts and energy performance of wind farms. This study was operationalized in Jordan using a life-cycle assessment (LCA) method. The environmental impact is evaluated through lifecycle emissions that include all emissions during various phases of the project. The energy performance is illustrated by the energy indicators. The latter is the energy payback ratio (EPR) and the energy payback time (EPT). This study was conducted on a 38 Vestas V112 3-MW wind turbine located in the southern region of Tafilah in Jordan that is host to the country’s first wind farm. SimaPro 7.1 software was used as the modeling platform. Data for this study were collated from various sources, including, manufacturers, the wind turbine farm, and local subcontractors. A software database was used for the modeling process, and the data obtained modeled in accordance with ISO 14040 standards. The findings of this study indicate that the impacts of the transportation and installation phases were moderate, with the largest negative environmental impact deriving from the manufacturing phase. To remedy some of the negative impacts in these phases, green cement was used for the turbine foundation to limit the environmental impacts to be had during the installation phase, while the transportation phase saw the utilization of locally-manufactured turbines. Furthermore, an evaluation of the study’s results revealed that the energy payback period of the wind farm is approximately 0.69 year (8 months), while the payback ratio is 29, and the annual CO2 saving estimated to be at 2.23 × 108 kg, 3.02 × 108 kg, 3.10 × 108 kg for an annual generated power of 371, 501, and 515 GWh/year.

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Section: Problem and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The LCA method is often employed to measure the environmental effects and energy performance of wind energy [16]. LCA can facilitate the identification of opportunities to enhance the environmental aspects of products in several aspects of their life cycle.…”

Section: Life Cycle Assessment Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the Environmental Impacts and Energy Performance of a Wind Farm System Utilizing the Life-Cycle Assessment Method: A Practical Case Study

et al. 2019

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“…Martínez et al [33] discussed the contributions of the copper and fiberglass of the Rotor-Nacelle-Assembly (RNA), whereas Razdan and Garrett [34] suggested the use of iron, steel, aluminium and concrete as primary contributors to environmental impacts. The component which affects most importantly the environment was reported to be the foundation [35], whereas other studies estimated the steel tower and the nacelle as the components with highest LCA footprints [36]. The effect of the size of the wind turbine was investigated by Crawford [37] who reported no significant variation in the energy yield between small and large wind turbines, while on the other hand Smoucha et al [38] stated that the installation of higher-rated over lower-rated turbines allows for greater environmental benefits.…”

Section: Life Cycle Assessment Of Wind Turbine Towersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Assessment of Tall Onshore Hybrid Steel Wind Turbine Towers

2020

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Increasing needs for taller wind turbines with bigger capacities, intended for places with high wind velocities or at higher altitudes, have led to new technologies in the wind energy industry. A recently introduced structural system for onshore wind turbine towers is the hybrid steel tower. Comprehension of the environmental response of this hybrid steel structural system is warranted. Even though life cycle assessments (LCAs) for conventional wind turbine tubular towers exist, the environmental performance of this new hybrid structure has not been reported. The present paper examines the LCA of 185 m tall hybrid towers. Considerations made for the LCA procedure are meticulously described, including particular attention at the erection and transportation stage. The highest environmental impacts arise during the manufacturing stage followed by the erection stage. The tower is the component with the largest carbon emissions and energy requirements. The obtained LCA footprints of hybrid towers are also compared to the literature data on conventional towers, resulting in similar environmental impacts.

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“…Rather, policy focus is on research and industrial development of the supposed clean energy alternatives to fossil fuel sources. In response to the encouraging regulatory and policy environment, there has been a massive development of renewable energy sources such as wind [55], EVs [56] and photovoltaics [57] in China. However, the regulatory regime on renewables is silent on the climate change implications of energy requirements for the manufacture and installation of the supposed clean energy systems in China.…”

Section: Chinamentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Transition: Embodied Energy in Clean Technologies and the Need for International Regulatory Proactivity

Abraham-Dukuma

2019

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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The present study is an observation of the absence of policy focus and preparedness to address the greenhouse footprints and eventual climate change implications of some clean energy systems in the energy transition debate. Electric vehicles, wind turbines and photovoltaics constitute sample clean technologies under the study. A technical literature review is the approach for forming an appreciable understanding of the life cycle emissions of the sample clean energy technologies. Content and critical legal analysis are adopted for the examination of international and domestic legal regimes on clean energy sources, with India, China, the United States and the United Kingdom as domestic foci. The results of the study are the reality of supposed clean energy technologies as sources of greenhouse gas emissions, although considerably low compared to fossil fuel sources, and the apparent lack of international and domestic legal mechanisms to address the life cycle emissions of these technologies and the need for proactive policy actions.

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The life-cycle energy and environmental emissions of a typical offshore wind farm in China

Cited by 84 publications

References 38 publications

Evaluating the Environmental Impacts and Energy Performance of a Wind Farm System Utilizing the Life-Cycle Assessment Method: A Practical Case Study

Evaluating the Environmental Impacts and Energy Performance of a Wind Farm System Utilizing the Life-Cycle Assessment Method: A Practical Case Study

Life Cycle Assessment of Tall Onshore Hybrid Steel Wind Turbine Towers

Energy Transition: Embodied Energy in Clean Technologies and the Need for International Regulatory Proactivity

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