IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v36y2011i12p6705-6713.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The complexity and challenges of determining GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from grid electricity consumption and conservation in LCA (life cycle assessment) – A methodological review

Author

Listed:
  • Soimakallio, Sampo
  • Kiviluoma, Juha
  • Saikku, Laura

Abstract

The way in which GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions associated with grid electricity consumption is handled in different LCA (life cycle assessment) studies, varies significantly. Apart from differences in actual research questions, methodological choices and data set selection have a significant impact on the outcomes. These inconsistencies result in difficulties to compare the findings of various LCA studies. This review paper explores the issue from a methodological point of view. The perspectives of ALCA (attributional life cycle assessment) and CLCA (consequential life cycle assessment) are reflected. Finally, the paper summarizes the key issues and provides suggestions on the way forward. The major challenge related to both of the LCA categories is to determine the GHG emissions of the power production technologies under consideration. Furthermore, the specific challenge in ALCA is to determine the appropriate electricity production mix, and in CLCA, to identify the marginal technologies affected and related consequences. Significant uncertainties are involved, particularly in future-related LCAs, and these should not be ignored. Harmonization of the methods and data sets for various purposes is suggested, acknowledging that selections might be subjective.

Suggested Citation

  • Soimakallio, Sampo & Kiviluoma, Juha & Saikku, Laura, 2011. "The complexity and challenges of determining GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from grid electricity consumption and conservation in LCA (life cycle assessment) – A methodological review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 6705-6713.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:36:y:2011:i:12:p:6705-6713
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2011.10.028
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544211006876
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2011.10.028?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Blum, Philipp & Campillo, Gisela & Münch, Wolfram & Kölbel, Thomas, 2010. "CO2 savings of ground source heat pump systems – A regional analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 122-127.
    2. Mohammadi, Hassan, 2009. "Electricity prices and fuel costs: Long-run relations and short-run dynamics," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 503-509, May.
    3. Usva, Kirsi & Hongisto, Mikko & Saarinen, Merja & Nissinen, Ari & Katajajuuri, Juha-Matti & Perrels, Adriaan & Nurmi, Pauliina & Kurppa, Sirpa & Koskela, Sirkka, 2009. "Towards certified carbon footprints of products - a road map for data production - Climate Bonus project report (WP3)," Research Reports 143:2, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Laurikka, Harri & Koljonen, Tiina, 2006. "Emissions trading and investment decisions in the power sector--a case study in Finland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 1063-1074, June.
    5. Shafiee, Shahriar & Topal, Erkan, 2010. "A long-term view of worldwide fossil fuel prices," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 988-1000, March.
    6. Izquierdo, M. & Moreno-Rodríguez, A. & González-Gil, A. & García-Hernando, N., 2011. "Air conditioning in the region of Madrid, Spain: An approach to electricity consumption, economics and CO2 emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1630-1639.
    7. Nijkamp, Peter & Wang, Shunli & Kremers, Hans, 2005. "Modeling the impacts of international climate change policies in a CGE context: The use of the GTAP-E model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 22(6), pages 955-974, December.
    8. Lee, Kun-Mo & Lee, Sang-Yong & Hur, Tak, 2004. "Life cycle inventory analysis for electricity in Korea," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 87-101.
    9. Salmela, Suvi & Varho, Vilja, 2006. "Consumers in the green electricity market in Finland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(18), pages 3669-3683, December.
    10. Saner, Dominik & Juraske, Ronnie & Kübert, Markus & Blum, Philipp & Hellweg, Stefanie & Bayer, Peter, 2010. "Is it only CO2 that matters? A life cycle perspective on shallow geothermal systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(7), pages 1798-1813, September.
    11. Sundqvist, Thomas, 2004. "What causes the disparity of electricity externality estimates?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(15), pages 1753-1766, October.
    12. Klaassen, Ger & Riahi, Keywan, 2007. "Internalizing externalities of electricity generation: An analysis with MESSAGE-MACRO," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 815-827, February.
    13. Eric D. Williams & Christopher L. Weber & Troy R. Hawkins, 2009. "Hybrid Framework for Managing Uncertainty in Life Cycle Inventories," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 13(6), pages 928-944, December.
    14. Markard, Jochen & Truffer, Bernhard, 2006. "The promotional impacts of green power products on renewable energy sources: direct and indirect eco-effects," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 306-321, February.
    15. Kiviluoma, Juha & Meibom, Peter, 2010. "Influence of wind power, plug-in electric vehicles, and heat storages on power system investments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1244-1255.
    16. Manne, Alan & Mendelsohn, Robert & Richels, Richard, 1995. "MERGE : A model for evaluating regional and global effects of GHG reduction policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 17-34, January.
    17. Santoyo-Castelazo, E. & Gujba, H. & Azapagic, A., 2011. "Life cycle assessment of electricity generation in Mexico," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1488-1499.
    18. Kara, M. & Syri, S. & Lehtila, A. & Helynen, S. & Kekkonen, V. & Ruska, M. & Forsstrom, J., 2008. "The impacts of EU CO2 emissions trading on electricity markets and electricity consumers in Finland," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 193-211, March.
    19. Graus, Wina & Worrell, Ernst, 2011. "Methods for calculating CO2 intensity of power generation and consumption: A global perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 613-627, February.
    20. Holttinen, Hannele & Tuhkanen, Sami, 2004. "The effect of wind power on CO2 abatement in the Nordic Countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(14), pages 1639-1652, September.
    21. Pehnt, Martin & Oeser, Michael & Swider, Derk J., 2008. "Consequential environmental system analysis of expected offshore wind electricity production in Germany," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 747-759.
    22. Soimakallio, S. & Mäkinen, T. & Ekholm, T. & Pahkala, K. & Mikkola, H. & Paappanen, T., 2009. "Greenhouse gas balances of transportation biofuels, electricity and heat generation in Finland--Dealing with the uncertainties," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 80-90, January.
    23. Wustenhagen, Rolf & Bilharz, Michael, 2006. "Green energy market development in Germany: effective public policy and emerging customer demand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(13), pages 1681-1696, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Soimakallio, Sampo & Saikku, Laura, 2012. "CO2 emissions attributed to annual average electricity consumption in OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 13-20.
    2. Rinne, S. & Syri, S., 2013. "Heat pumps versus combined heat and power production as CO2 reduction measures in Finland," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 308-318.
    3. Hast, A. & Syri, S. & Jokiniemi, J. & Huuskonen, M. & Cross, S., 2015. "Review of green electricity products in the United Kingdom, Germany and Finland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1370-1384.
    4. Hanimann, Raphael & Vinterbäck, Johan & Mark-Herbert, Cecilia, 2015. "Consumer behavior in renewable electricity: Can branding in accordance with identity signaling increase demand for renewable electricity and strengthen supplier brands?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 11-21.
    5. Diaz-Rainey, Ivan & Ashton, John K., 2008. "Stuck between a ROC and a hard place? Barriers to the take up of green energy in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 3043-3051, August.
    6. Abolhosseini, Shahrouz & Heshmati, Almas & Altmann, Jörn, 2014. "A Review of Renewable Energy Supply and Energy Efficiency Technologies," IZA Discussion Papers 8145, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Zhao, Xiaoli & Cai, Qiong & Zhang, Sufang & Luo, Kaiyan, 2017. "The substitution of wind power for coal-fired power to realize China's CO2 emissions reduction targets in 2020 and 2030," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 164-178.
    8. Nir Becker & David Soloveitchik & Moshe Olshansky, 2012. "A Weighted Average Incorporation of Pollution Costs into the Electrical Expansion Planning," Energy & Environment, , vol. 23(1), pages 1-15, January.
    9. Brauneis, Alexander & Mestel, Roland & Palan, Stefan, 2013. "Inducing low-carbon investment in the electric power industry through a price floor for emissions trading," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 190-204.
    10. Somogyi, Viola & Sebestyén, Viktor & Nagy, Georgina, 2017. "Scientific achievements and regulation of shallow geothermal systems in six European countries – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P2), pages 934-952.
    11. Sokka, L. & Sinkko, T. & Holma, A. & Manninen, K. & Pasanen, K. & Rantala, M. & Leskinen, P., 2016. "Environmental impacts of the national renewable energy targets – A case study from Finland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1599-1610.
    12. Hähnlein, Stefanie & Bayer, Peter & Ferguson, Grant & Blum, Philipp, 2013. "Sustainability and policy for the thermal use of shallow geothermal energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 914-925.
    13. Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2008. "Valuing the greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power: A critical survey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 2940-2953, August.
    14. Herbes, Carsten & Ramme, Iris, 2014. "Online marketing of green electricity in Germany—A content analysis of providers’ websites," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 257-266.
    15. Blum, Philipp & Campillo, Gisela & Kölbel, Thomas, 2011. "Techno-economic and spatial analysis of vertical ground source heat pump systems in Germany," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 3002-3011.
    16. Haehnlein, Stefanie & Bayer, Peter & Blum, Philipp, 2010. "International legal status of the use of shallow geothermal energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 2611-2625, December.
    17. Mewton, Ross T. & Cacho, Oscar J., 2011. "Green Power voluntary purchases: Price elasticity and policy analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 377-385, January.
    18. Litvine, Dorian & Wüstenhagen, Rolf, 2011. "Helping "light green" consumers walk the talk: Results of a behavioural intervention survey in the Swiss electricity market," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(3), pages 462-474, January.
    19. Toonen, Hilde M. & Lindeboom, Han J., 2015. "Dark green electricity comes from the sea: Capitalizing on ecological merits of offshore wind power?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1023-1033.
    20. Jacqueline Adelowo & Mathias Mier & Christoph Weissbart, 2021. "Taxation of Carbon Emissions and Air Pollution in Intertemporal Optimization Frameworks with Social and Private Discount Rates," ifo Working Paper Series 360, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:36:y:2011:i:12:p:6705-6713. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.