What is the best strategy to reduce our dependence on Carbon intensive energy?

What is the best strategy to reduce our dependence on Carbon intensive energy?

1. How do carbon emissions vary from different fuel types in reality?

2. How sensitive are these different types to carbon accounting?

1. How do carbon emissions vary from different fuel types in reality?

2. How sensitive are these different types to carbon accounting?

Comparison study of Nuclear, Coal and Wind Energy with respect to Carbon Accounting

Samuel ChapmanSc117@hw.ac.uk

Carbon Accounting of Electricity Production.Carbon Accounting of Electricity Production.

Material based analysis (gCO2/kg) Life cycle analysis of products - Amount of materials must be known for a given project

in tonnes/kilograms Requires inventories of all materials used in construction

Mass of material x GHG embodiment per unit mass Widely used: “Inventory of Carbon & Energy” - Bath University. Still no standard inventory. Only valid for defined system boundary - process specific

Cost based analysis (gCO2/£) Life cycle analysis of processes - Inventory establishment for lifetime monetary cost of

plant. Emission factor found using GHG intensities - amount of GHG emitted from production of one unit worth

Input-Output analysis Assessment of how carbon intensive an economy is Not case specific due to input-output tables & averaged intensities Study suggests gives fuller account of emissions during construction1

Combination of the two

Material based analysis (gCO2/kg) Life cycle analysis of products - Amount of materials must be known for a given project

in tonnes/kilograms Requires inventories of all materials used in construction

Mass of material x GHG embodiment per unit mass Widely used: “Inventory of Carbon & Energy” - Bath University. Still no standard inventory. Only valid for defined system boundary - process specific

Cost based analysis (gCO2/£) Life cycle analysis of processes - Inventory establishment for lifetime monetary cost of

plant. Emission factor found using GHG intensities - amount of GHG emitted from production of one unit worth

Input-Output analysis Assessment of how carbon intensive an economy is Not case specific due to input-output tables & averaged intensities Study suggests gives fuller account of emissions during construction1

Combination of the two

1

Sensitivity of Electricity Production methods to carbon accountingSensitivity of Electricity Production methods to carbon accounting

Using published Life Cycle Assessments to deduce sensitivities of different production methods to quantifiable assessment.

Sensitivity = Contribution Score x Data RatingWhere Contribution score: The smaller the value, the lesser the

contribution to total life cycle emissions

Data Rating: 1 - available, published data2 - generic data, assumptions and availability of choice present3 - missing data, omitted data

Using published Life Cycle Assessments to deduce sensitivities of different production methods to quantifiable assessment.

Sensitivity = Contribution Score x Data RatingWhere Contribution score: The smaller the value, the lesser the

contribution to total life cycle emissions

Data Rating: 1 - available, published data2 - generic data, assumptions and availability of choice present3 - missing data, omitted data

Source: Environment product Declaration of electricity from Torness Nuclear Power Plant by AEA Technology

Torness Life Cycle CO2 Emissions

The same technique was used for coal and wind energy:

Based on typical UK coal plant data

Based on Lewis Wind Farm project data & Danish data

Sensitivity vs.

Total Life Cycle Emissions

Sensitivity vs.

Total Life Cycle Emissions

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Coal Nuclear Wind

Sensitivity of Different Electricity production methods w.r.t. carbon accounting

989.7

255.3

5.0524.6

6.8

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

gC

O2

/kW

h

Coal Nuclear Wind

Total Life Cycle Emissions

Nuclear Power is currently the most vulnerable to carbon accounting

Sources:

1. AEA Technology - Environment product Declaration of electricity from Torness Nuclear Power Plant

2. Naser Odeh & Timothy Cockerill - LCA of typical coal power plant & LCA of coal plant with CCS

3. Lewis Wind Farm Proposal4. Elsam Engineering - LCA of onshore sited

wind farms

What does it all mean?What does it all mean?

Need to open debate of accountability of electricity production methods.

We need to have clear boundary definitions set that concern the entire life cycle of projects - pressure on all energy related industries to account in a standard manner

Reduce the number of assumptions made in assessments Reduce involvement in projects with high degrees of uncertainty

Need to open debate of accountability of electricity production methods.

We need to have clear boundary definitions set that concern the entire life cycle of projects - pressure on all energy related industries to account in a standard manner

Reduce the number of assumptions made in assessments Reduce involvement in projects with high degrees of uncertainty

Need a structure in place to meet legislation House of Commons suggests current average of

541gCO2/kWh emissions factor to our electricity. This is the key figure to bring down, since it relates to every electricity-using object in Britain. Refers to our energy mix

Need a structure in place to meet legislation House of Commons suggests current average of

541gCO2/kWh emissions factor to our electricity. This is the key figure to bring down, since it relates to every electricity-using object in Britain. Refers to our energy mix

Need to reach a point where we can assess all aspects of electricity production and, like the car’s MOT certificate, be able to say about a project: fix or scrap, based on quantifiable assessment.

Need to reach a point where we can assess all aspects of electricity production and, like the car’s MOT certificate, be able to say about a project: fix or scrap, based on quantifiable assessment.

I would like to invite you to open discussion on this topic.I would like to invite you to open discussion on this topic.