scholarly journals A Conceptual Review on Using Consequential Life Cycle Assessment Methodology for the Energy Sector

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3076
Author(s):  
Quyen Le Luu ◽  
Sonia Longo ◽  
Maurizio Cellura ◽  
Eleonora Riva Sanseverino ◽  
Maria Anna Cusenza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
System Modelling ◽  
Economic Modelling ◽  
Input Output ◽  
Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Environmental Models

Energy is engaged in the supply chain of many economic sectors; therefore, the environmental impacts of the energy sector are indirectly linked to those of other sectors. Consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) is an appropriate methodology to examine the direct and indirect environmental impacts of a product due to technological, economic or social changes. To date, different methodological approaches are proposed, combining economic and environmental models. This paper reviews the basic concept of CLCA and the coupling of economic and environmental models for performing CLCA in the energy sector during the period 2006–2020, with the aim to provide a description of the different tools, highlighting their strengths and limitations. From the review, it emerges that economic modelling tools are frequently used in combination with environmental data for CLCA in the energy sector, including equilibrium, input-output, and dynamic models. Out of these, the equilibrium model is the most widely used, showing some strengths in availability of data and energy system modelling tools. The input-output model allows for describing both direct and indirect effects due to changes in the energy sector, by using publicly available data. The dynamic model is less frequently applied due to its limitation in availability of data and modelling tools, but has recently attracted more attention due to the ability in modelling quantitative and qualitative indicators of sustainability.

scholarly journals A Review on Consequential Life Cycle Assessment in the Power Sector

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1157-1168
Author(s):  
Le Quyen Luu ◽  
Sonia Longo ◽  
Maurizio Cellura ◽  
Eleonora Riva Sanseverino
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Economic Modelling ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
System Boundaries ◽  
Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Economic Interactions ◽  
Indirect Impacts

The existing policy for greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement aims at decarbonisation of the power sector. The interrelations between the power sector and other economic sectors raise a question of whether the GHG emission reduction policy in the power sector is as effective as it is claimed. Consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) has been developed to assess the environmental impacts of any industrial/productive sector in relation with changes in the policy and its indirect impacts on other economic sectors. This review is conducted on CLCA studies in the power sector in terms of system boundaries expansion and socio-economic interactions and the ability to quantify indirect environmental impacts. It is indicated that CLCA expanded the system boundaries by applying mutatis mutandis assumption to include several affected products with various scales of change. Economic modelling tools are frequently applied to make assumptions on the extent of change. The applications of these tools also help to identify the environmental profile of product systems and the socio-economic changes such as economic growth and consumer behaviours. Thanks for the expansion of system boundaries and inclusion of socio-economic interactions, the total environmental impacts of power sector are comprehensively quantified. The variations of the total environmental impacts, with different magnitude of change, were observed in several reviewed case studies. In term of GHG emissions, some products become cleaner, for example battery; however, in most of the cases, the power system in general becomes more polluted when indirect impacts on other economic sectors are included.

scholarly journals Choice of Allocations and Constructs for Attributional or Consequential Life Cycle Assessment and Input-Output Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 656-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Majeau-Bettez ◽  
Thomas Dandres ◽  
Stefan Pauliuk ◽  
Richard Wood ◽  
Edgar Hertwich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Input Output ◽  
Output Analysis ◽  
Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Input Output Analysis

scholarly journals Quantifying Total Environmental Impact of the Power Sector Using Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment: a case study for Thailand

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 ◽  
pp. 05003
Author(s):  
Isara Muangthai ◽  
Sue J. Lin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Input Output ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Ecosystem Quality ◽  
Indirect Impacts

The electricity generation is vital to industries and economic development in Thailand. In this study, the input-output life cycle assessment (IO-LCA) is applied to estimate the direct and indirect impacts from the power generation sector for the years 2005 and 2010. Based on the input-output analysis, more than 90% of the total environmental impact of Thailandʼs power sector involves ten relevant sectors. Results reveal that the most significant environmental damage was on natural resources followed by human health, climate change, and ecosystem quality. The most dominant environmental impacts were non-renewable energy, global warming and respiratory inorganic effects. Furthermore, the power sector, which accounts for 80% and 61% of total each impact in 2010 respectively, had a large direct impact on climate change and human health. On the contrary, the coal and lignite, and metal ore sectors contributed significantly to indirect impacts on ecosystem quality and resources. Regarding the results, some additional suggestions can be made to improve current policies in Thailand, including the implementation of green manufacturing in the iron and steel production, and installing control devices in all power plant units. Consequently, IO-LCA can be applied to other industries for assessing their total environmental impacts, and planning CO2 mitigation strategies.

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