RE-THINKING ENERGY

HIØ/Værste February 4 2013, Oslo

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and renewable energy

Hanne Lerche Raadal, researcher and PhD-candidate Østfoldforskning (Ostfold Research)

Short introduction Ostfold Research (Østfoldforskning)• Norwegian research company, localised in Fredrikstad • Number of staff: 20, annual turnover: approx 22 million NOK• Performs applied research and development within

Environmental Protection, based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology:• Optimal packaging and food products• Energy and waste resources• Constructions and the service sector• Innovation processes

Compression and pipeline

transport of CO2

Injection and storage

of CO2

Electricity

Gas productionoffshore

at Heidrun

Gas transport:Haltenpipe

Gasterminal

Electricity production at CCGT

Tjeldbergodden

Electricity to grid

Biofuelproduction

Transport

Post-combustion CO2 capture plant

Emissions of NO2, MEA, NH3 andCO2

CO2Exhaust.

MEA

Hazardous waste

Steam (CCS-3)

Steam production (boiler)

Steam

Exhaust

Gas (CCS-1)

Biofuel (CCS-2)

• Project examples, energy related:• Energy Trading and Environment

2020• LCA of gas power, including

carbon capture and storage (CCS). Statoil

• Energy indicators for electricity production. CEDREN

• LCA of power and heat based on biomass resources. NVE

Introduction to LCA Methodology• A system analysis according to ISO 14044

• a systematic survey and assessment of health, environmental and resource effects throughout the whole life cycle of a product, or product system.

• Carrying out a Life Cycle Assessment includes:• Identifying the entire life cycle of the product, from raw material

extraction, through materials processing, use and disposal at the end of the product's life (from "cradle to grave").

• Identifying and describing the energy and material uses and releases into the environment from all• Processes • Transportation steps

• Defining the functional unit (FU) of the analysis, reflecting the product’s function, efficiency and life span.

The life cycle of a product

Extraction and processing of raw materials

Production of the

product

Raw material A

Raw material B

Raw material BUse and

maintenance of the product

Waste managemen

t

Example FU: Production, use and waste management (15 years lifespan)

Impact Assessment of the LCA

• Impact assessment is a process where the potential impacts of the resource requirements and environmental loads are characterised and assessed.

– Classification = what environmental impacts do the emissions contribute to?• emissions of N2O and CH4 contribute to global warming (just

like CO2)

– Characterisation = how much is the potential contribution? • N2O and CH4 have a global warming potential that is 298 and

25 times the global warming potential of CO2, respectively.

Inventory Results

Characterisation Results

SO2

NOx

HCletc.

NH3

NOx

Petc.CO2

CH4

CFCsetc.

Acidification potential

Eutrophication potential

Global warming potential(kg CO2-equivalents)

More characterisation categories.(ref. Hitch Hicker’s Guide to LCA, Baumann H., Tillman A.M.)

Cla

ssifi

catio

n

Classification and characterisation

1. Resource consumption• Non-renewable energy • Materials• Water• Land use

2. Health impacts• Toxic effects• Occupational Health• Psychosomatic effects

3. Environmental Impacts• Global warming• Ozone depletion• Acidification• Eutrophication (nutrient

enrichment)• Photochemical oxidation (smog)• Ecotoxicological effects• Biological diversity

4. Other impacts• Other inputs/outputs

The life cycle of the generation and use of fuel

Extraction and producton of fuel Use stage

Life cycle of fuel generation, distribution and use

LCA CO2-emissions from 1 km drivingPetrol engines

Gas enginesCombustion (engine)

Production (fuel)

Diesel engines

g C

O2-

equi

v. /

km

Fos

sil

Fos

sil

Fos

sil

2% and 0.5% CH4-loss in the

upgrading process

The life cycle of the generation and use of electricity

Extraction of fuels, production of materials (steel, concrete, etc)

Operation of electricity plant Distribution of electricityUse/consumption of electricity

Life cycle of electricity generation, distribution and use

LCA CO2 emissions from electricity technologies

* Data collected by Ostfold Research.

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Coal Diesel and heavy oil

Natural gas Photovoltaic Nuclear Wind* Hydro, reservoir

(inundation included)*

Hydro, reservoir

(inundation excluded)*

Hydro (run-of-river)*

g CO

2-eq

v./k

Wh

0,0

20,0

40,0

60,0

80,0

100,0

120,0

140,0

160,0

Reservoir hydro including gross emissions from flooded land

Reservoir hydro excluding emissions from flooded land

Run-of-river

g CO

2-eq

uiv.

/kW

h

standard deviation

mean

min - max

[x] sample size

(8)

(21) (11)

Raadal et al., 2010

Average GHG emissions from Norwegian hydropower

Data based on:• LCAs of electricity

generation from 11 Norwegian hydropower stations.

• Represents 4.3% of the annual Norwegian hydropower generation (NVE)

Modahl and Raadal, 20120,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

Global warming potential (GWP)

g CO2

-eqv

./kW

h

Norwegian hydropower modelling December 2012 (AR 07.12)Global Warming Potential

Infrastructure, maintenance and daily use

Inundation of land

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Coal Diesel and heavy oil

Natural gas Photovoltaic Nuclear Wind* Hydro, reservoir

(inundation included)*

Hydro, reservoir

(inundation excluded)*

Hydro (run-of-river)*

g CO

2-eq

v./k

Wh

* Data collected by Ostfold Research.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

< 100 kW 100kW - 500kW 500kW - 1MW 1MW - 5MW All cases

g CO2

-equ

iv./k

Wh

[5] [17]

[17] [22]

[63]

standard deviation

mean

min - max

[x] sample size

Raadal et al., 2010

LCA CO2 emissions from electricity technologies

IPCC, 2011: IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation

Wind power - development

LCA of two Norwegian wind power farms

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Basis scenario (solid rock foundation) Basis scenario (gravitation foundation)

Kjøllefjord wind farm Fjeldskår wind farm

Wind power

g CO

2-eq

v./k

Wh

Cables, internal

Cables, external

Transformer station

Service building

Roads and construction work

Reinvestment, common infrastructure

Transport of mobile crane

Foundation

Tower

Rotor

Nacelle

Reinvestment, nacelle

Operation, transport

Operation, use of electricity

Operation, use of materials

Infrastructure

11.0 g CO2-equiv/kWh

15.1 g CO2-equiv/kWh

Kjøllefjord (Statkraft) Fjeldskår (Agder Energi)

17 turbines, each 2.3 MW

5 turbines, each 0.75 MW

Poduction of materials(mainly steel)

Wind Power Kjøllefjord• Output from LCA software tool

(SimaPro)

Nacelle(2.6 g)

Rotor(3.1 g)

Tower(1.9 g)

Reinvestments, nacelle(1.2 g)

Roads and constructions

(1.0 g)

Glass-epoxy

Steel Diesel

1 kWh(11.0 g CO2-eqv.)

Foundation(0.4 g)

Waste treatment

SteelSteel

How to demand and claim specific electricity from a common grid?

• Traditionally, the choice of electricity supplier has been based on electricity prices alone

• Environmental profile of the consumed electricity based on geographical locations.

Guarantee of Origin (GO): a choice based on the electricity’s origin

Tracking system for the electricity’s origin, based on economic transactions.

Electricity Disclosure

• The Electricity Market Directive 2009/72/EC, Article 3(9)– All suppliers of electricity are required to disclose their electricity

portfolio with regards to:• energy source• environmental impacts, specifying

– the emissions of CO2

– the production of radioactive waste

Attributes = The disclosed indicators, representing the environmental information associated with the electricity generation processes.

• Aim of Electricity Disclosure:• To provide consumers with relevant information about power

generation and to allow for informed consumer choice - not to be based on electricity prices alone.

http://www.reliable-disclosure.org/electricity-disclosure/

Guarantee of Origin (GO)

• Defined in the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC)– Shall provide proof to a final customer that a given share or quantity of

energy was produced from renewable sources as required by Article 3(6) of Directive 2003/54/EC (repealed by Directive 2009/72/EC, The Electricity Market Directive).

– Standard size of 1 MWh– Specific information requirements

• Energy source and start and end dates of production• Whether and to what extent the installation has benefited from investment

support• Etc.

• Applicable for electricity disclosure

Principle of the system

GO market

Cancellation

The traditional electricity product divided into two separate products:1. The environmental attributes related to the generation of the electricity2. The physical electricity being delivered.

GO = Guarantee of Origin

Regulated system – national authorities responsible for monitoring and account keeping, as well as balancing the electricity generation and relating GOs.

0

50

100

150

200

250

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

TWh

Cancelled EECS certificates

A growing market

EECS = The European Energy Certification System• A harmonised system for international trade of Guarantees of Origin (GOs)

Source: AIB

About 100 TWh from Norway, of which 16 was

used in Norway

Statistics – EECS certificates

240 TWh• 11 % of the power

consumption in corresponding countries

• 29 % of European RES generation

Connection GOs and Electricity Disclosure

Production Electricity Mix(Country or Region)

“Green” customers purchasing GOs

“Ordinary” customers, purchasing electricity without any specific requirements

Electricity Disclosure

Attributes related to the purchased GOs.

Attributes related to the Production Electricity Mix, corrected by attributes which have been allocated by other tracking systems (e.g. GOs)= Residual Mix

Customers

Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE)The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate

Electricity Disclosure for Norwegian electricity consumers

Production Electricity Mix(Country or Region)

“Green” customers purchasing GOs

“Ordinary” customers, purchasing electricity without any specific requirements

Information about power generationCustomers

Nuclear32%

Fossil45%

Renewable23%

307 g CO2-equiv./kWh

Contractual purchased electricity

Renewable100 %

GO Hydropower

2 g CO2-equiv./kWh

Short summary

• LCA gives environmental information about a product’s total value chain, thus not only focusing on separate stages.

• The environmental profile of different energy carriers, such as electricity and fuels, depends largely on the primary energy source (bio, wind, hydro, coal, oil, natural gas, etc.).

• It is possible to demand specific electricity (by purchasing Guarantees of Origin) even though you are connected to a common electricity grid.

• Consumers should always strive to demand environmental preferable products, asking for environmental information from their suppliers.

Thank you for listening!

Good luck with today’s work

Avoiding double countingDouble counting:Attributes from the same instance of generated electricity are claimed more than once.

The attributes relating to the purchased GOs must be excluded from the Residual Mix.

EU financed projects, E-TRACK and RE-DISS: Developed a methodology for a pan-European calculation of Residual Mixes.

http://www.reliable-disclosure.org/

Source: NVE , before the 11th of June 2012

???Attribute

deficit related to 87 TWh

Nuclear41 %

Fossil51 %

Renewable8 %

European Attribute Mix 2011

Norwegian Residual Mix 2011

Electricity consumption covered by GOs:16 TWh (13% of total consumption)

Electricity consumption covered by Residual Mix:109 TWh (87% of total consumption)

22 TWh(21%)

128 TWh

90 TWh

87 TWh

(79%)

Source: RE-DISS ,http://www.reliable-disclosure.org

Source: NVE , the 11th of June 2012http://www.nve.no/no/Kraftmarked/Sluttbrukermarkedet/Varedeklarasjon1/Varedeklarasjon-for-2011/