IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i11p6939-d832756.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6939/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6939/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Varun, & Prakash, Ravi & Bhat, I.K., 2012. "Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions estimation for small hydropower schemes in India," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 498-508.
    2. Akhil Kadiyala & Raghava Kommalapati & Ziaul Huque, 2016. "Evaluation of the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydroelectricity Generation Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Gagnon, Luc & van de Vate, Joop F., 1997. "Greenhouse gas emissions from hydropower : The state of research in 1996," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 7-13, January.
    4. Wu, Xudong & Li, Chaohui & Shao, Ling & Meng, Jing & Zhang, Lixiao & Chen, Guoqian, 2021. "Is solar power renewable and carbon-neutral: Evidence from a pilot solar tower plant in China under a systems view," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    5. Bullard, Clark W. & Penner, Peter S. & Pilati, David A., 1978. "Net energy analysis : Handbook for combining process and input-output analysis," Resources and Energy, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 267-313, November.
    6. Ahmed Samour & M. Mine Baskaya & Turgut Tursoy, 2022. "The Impact of Financial Development and FDI on Renewable Energy in the UAE: A Path towards Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-14, January.
    7. Mahmud, M.A. Parvez & Huda, Nazmul & Farjana, Shahjadi Hisan & Lang, Candace, 2020. "Life-cycle impact assessment of renewable electricity generation systems in the United States," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 1028-1045.
    8. Levasseur, A. & Mercier-Blais, S. & Prairie, Y.T. & Tremblay, A. & Turpin, C., 2021. "Improving the accuracy of electricity carbon footprint: Estimation of hydroelectric reservoir greenhouse gas emissions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    9. dos Santos, Marco Aurelio & Rosa, Luiz Pinguelli & Sikar, Bohdan & Sikar, Elizabeth & dos Santos, Ednaldo Oliveira, 2006. "Gross greenhouse gas fluxes from hydro-power reservoir compared to thermo-power plants," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 481-488, March.
    10. Akhil Kadiyala & Raghava Kommalapati & Ziaul Huque, 2016. "Evaluation of the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Different Biomass Feedstock Electricity Generation Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-12, November.
    11. Benjamin K. Sovacool & Patrick Schmid & Andy Stirling & Goetz Walter & Gordon MacKerron, 2020. "Differences in carbon emissions reduction between countries pursuing renewable electricity versus nuclear power," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(11), pages 928-935, November.
    12. Mirziyoyeva, Ziroat & Salahodjaev, Raufhon, 2022. "Renewable energy and CO2 emissions intensity in the top carbon intense countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 507-512.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Małgorzata Jastrzębska, 2022. "Installation’s Conception in the Field of Renewable Energy Sources for the Needs of the Silesian Botanical Garden," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-28, September.

    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. Gemechu, Eskinder & Kumar, Amit, 2022. "A review of how life cycle assessment has been used to assess the environmental impacts of hydropower energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    2. Xuerong Li & Faliang Gui & Qingpeng Li, 2019. "Can Hydropower Still Be Considered a Clean Energy Source? Compelling Evidence from a Middle-Sized Hydropower Station in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Lechón, Yolanda & Lago, Carmen & Herrera, Israel & Gamarra, Ana Rosa & Pérula, Alberto, 2023. "Carbon benefits of different energy storage alternative end uses. Application to the Spanish case," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    4. Ion V. Ion & Antoaneta Ene, 2021. "Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Reservoirs: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-14, October.
    5. Guerra, K. & Haro, P. & Gutiérrez, R.E. & Gómez-Barea, A., 2022. "Facing the high share of variable renewable energy in the power system: Flexibility and stability requirements," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 310(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Song, Cuihong & Gardner, Kevin H. & Klein, Sharon J.W. & Souza, Simone Pereira & Mo, Weiwei, 2018. "Cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas emissions from dams in the United States of America," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 945-956.
    8. Ghandehariun, Samane & Ghandehariun, Amir M. & Bahrami Ziabari, Nima, 2024. "Complementary assessment and design optimization of a hybrid renewable energy system integrated with open-loop pumped hydro energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    9. Valerii Havrysh & Antonina Kalinichenko & Edyta Szafranek & Vasyl Hruban, 2022. "Agricultural Land: Crop Production or Photovoltaic Power Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-23, April.
    10. Evans, Annette & Strezov, Vladimir & Evans, Tim J., 2009. "Assessment of sustainability indicators for renewable energy technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(5), pages 1082-1088, June.
    11. Murillo Vetroni Barros & Cassiano Moro Piekarski & Antonio Carlos De Francisco, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation in Brazil: An Analysis of the 2016–2026 Period," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-14, June.
    12. He, Jiaxin & Liu, Ying & Lin, Boqiang, 2018. "Should China support the development of biomass power generation?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 416-425.
    13. Montalvo-Navarrete, Juan M. & Lasso-Palacios, Ana P., 2024. "Energy access sustainability criteria definition for Colombian rural areas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PA).
    14. Héctor Álvarez & Guillermo Domínguez & Almudena Ordóñez & Javier Menéndez & Rodrigo Álvarez & Jorge Loredo, 2021. "Mine Water for the Generation and Storage of Renewable Energy: A Hybrid Hydro–Wind System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-18, June.
    15. Aberilla, Jhud Mikhail & Gallego-Schmid, Alejandro & Azapagic, Adisa, 2019. "Environmental sustainability of small-scale biomass power technologies for agricultural communities in developing countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 493-506.
    16. Zhang, Jin & Xu, Linyu & Li, Xiaojin, 2015. "Review on the externalities of hydropower: A comparison between large and small hydropower projects in Tibet based on the CO2 equivalent," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 176-185.
    17. Osmani, Atif & Zhang, Jun & Gonela, Vinay & Awudu, Iddrisu, 2013. "Electricity generation from renewables in the United States: Resource potential, current usage, technical status, challenges, strategies, policies, and future directions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 454-472.
    18. Akhil Kadiyala & Raghava Kommalapati & Ziaul Huque, 2016. "Evaluation of the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydroelectricity Generation Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-14, June.
    19. Chia‐Hao Liu & Manfred Lenzen & Joy Murray, 2012. "A disaggregated emissions inventory for Taiwan with uses in hybrid input‐output life cycle analysis (IO‐LCA)," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 36(2), pages 123-141, May.
    20. Fan, Yee Van & Romanenko, Sergey & Gai, Limei & Kupressova, Ekaterina & Varbanov, Petar Sabev & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír, 2021. "Biomass integration for energy recovery and efficient use of resources: Tomsk Region," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).

    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:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6939-:d:832756. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.