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Exploring technologically, temporally and geographically-sensitive life cycle inventories for wind turbines: A parameterized model for Denmark

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  • Sacchi, Romain
  • Besseau, Romain
  • Pérez-López, Paula
  • Blanc, Isabelle

Abstract

In life cycle assessments of wind turbines and, more generally, of Renewable Energy Systems (RES), environmental impacts are usually normalized by electricity production to express their performance per kilowatt-hour. For most RES, manufacture and installation dominate the impacts. Hence, results are sensitive to parameters governing both impacting phases and electricity production. Most available studies present the environmental performance of generic wind turbines with assumed fixed values for sensitive parameters (e.g. electricity production) that often vary between studies and fail to reflect specificities of wind farm projects. This study presents an approach to build a comprehensive parameterized model that generates unique wind turbine life cycle inventories conditioned by technologically, temporally and geographically-sensitive parameters. This approach allows for the characterization of the carbon footprint of five sets of turbines in Denmark, where wind power is highly developed. The analysis shows disparities even between turbines of similar power output, mostly explained by the service time, load factor and components weights but also by background processes (evolution of electricity mix and recycled steel content). Project-specific inventories with technologically, temporally and geographically-sensitive parameters are essential for supporting RES development projects. Such inventories are especially important to evaluate highly-renewable electricity mixes, such as that of Denmark.

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  • Sacchi, Romain & Besseau, Romain & Pérez-López, Paula & Blanc, Isabelle, 2019. "Exploring technologically, temporally and geographically-sensitive life cycle inventories for wind turbines: A parameterized model for Denmark," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 1238-1250.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:132:y:2019:i:c:p:1238-1250
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2018.09.020
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    Cited by:

    1. Francisco Haces-Fernandez, 2020. "GoWInD: Wind Energy Spatiotemporal Assessment and Characterization of End-of-Life Activities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-20, November.
    2. McKenna, Russell & Pfenninger, Stefan & Heinrichs, Heidi & Schmidt, Johannes & Staffell, Iain & Bauer, Christian & Gruber, Katharina & Hahmann, Andrea N. & Jansen, Malte & Klingler, Michael & Landwehr, 2022. "High-resolution large-scale onshore wind energy assessments: A review of potential definitions, methodologies and future research needs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 659-684.
    3. Li, Jinying & Li, Sisi & Wu, Fan, 2020. "Research on carbon emission reduction benefit of wind power project based on life cycle assessment theory," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 456-468.
    4. Louise Christine Dammeier & Joyce H. C. Bosmans & Mark A. J. Huijbregts, 2023. "Variability in greenhouse gas footprints of the global wind farm fleet," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(1), pages 272-282, February.
    5. Emma L. Delaney & Paul G. Leahy & Jennifer M. McKinley & T. Russell Gentry & Angela J. Nagle & Jeffrey Elberling & Lawrence C. Bank, 2023. "Sustainability Implications of Current Approaches to End-of-Life of Wind Turbine Blades—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Sacchi, R. & Terlouw, T. & Siala, K. & Dirnaichner, A. & Bauer, C. & Cox, B. & Mutel, C. & Daioglou, V. & Luderer, G., 2022. "PRospective EnvironMental Impact asSEment (premise): A streamlined approach to producing databases for prospective life cycle assessment using integrated assessment models," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    7. Besseau, Romain & Sacchi, Romain & Blanc, Isabelle & Pérez-López, Paula, 2019. "Past, present and future environmental footprint of the Danish wind turbine fleet with LCA_WIND_DK, an online interactive platform," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 274-288.
    8. Li, Chen & Mogollón, José M. & Tukker, Arnold & Dong, Jianning & von Terzi, Dominic & Zhang, Chunbo & Steubing, Bernhard, 2022. "Future material requirements for global sustainable offshore wind energy development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

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