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Systems Accounting for Carbon Emissions by Hydropower Plant

Author

Listed:
  • Yuwen Chu

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Yunlong Pan

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Hongyi Zhan

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Wei Cheng

    (Beijing Engineering Corporation Limited, POWERCHINA, Beijing 100024, China)

  • Lei Huang

    (Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Zi Wu

    (Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Ling Shao

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
    State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    Key Laboratory of Carrying Capacity Assessment for Resource and Environment, Ministry of Land and Resource, Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract

Hydropower is the largest renewable source of electricity generation, the carbon emissions of which have attracted a lot attention. However, the system boundaries of existing studies are either incomplete or inaccurate. Therefore, this study provides a systems accounting framework for evaluating both the direct and indirect carbon emissions from a hydropower plant. It is based on the hybrid method as a combination of the process analysis and the input-output analysis. To demonstrate the framework, a case study for a typical pumped storage hydropower plant (NPSHP) is carried out. The total carbon emissions are estimated as 5828.39 kt in the life-cycle of the case system. The end-of-use stage causes the largest carbon emissions (38.4%), followed by the construction stage (34.5%), the operation stage (25.6%), and the preparation stage (1.5%). The direct carbon emissions are mainly released from sediments in the end-of-use stage and the surface of reservoirs in the operation stage (94.8%). The indirect carbon emissions are 2.8 times higher than the direct carbon emissions. The material, machinery, energy, and service inputs respectively account for 7.1%, 14.7%, 15.9%, and 62.3% of the total indirect carbon emissions by the case system. The indicator of EGOC (electricity generation on carbon emission) for the NPSHP is calculated as 26.06 g CO 2 -eq./kWh, which is lower than that of most other power plants.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuwen Chu & Yunlong Pan & Hongyi Zhan & Wei Cheng & Lei Huang & Zi Wu & Ling Shao, 2022. "Systems Accounting for Carbon Emissions by Hydropower Plant," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6939-:d:832756
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