Thread by @PietroMonticone

Life cycle assessment demonstrates environmental co-benefits and trade- offs of low-carbon electricity supply options

sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Electricity production is the most important contributor to anthropogenic climate change (25% of GHG emissions in 2010).

A stabilization of the global temperature can only be achieved when CO2 emissions from electricity production are radically reduced and eventually go to zero.

Many electricity generation technologies can achieve lower GHG emissions per kWh than coal, gas or oil fired power plants:

• solar
• wind
• hydro
• nuclear
• biomass
• geothermal .

However, low-carbon power generation technologies also cause environmental impacts throughout their life cycle, including in their construction and decommissioning.

These impacts differ from technology to technology.

Here are the relevant life-cycle indicators :
• climate change
• freshwater ecotoxicity
• freshwater eutrophication
• human toxicity
• metal depletion
• PM emissions
• photo-chemical ozone formation
• terrestrial acidification
• land occupation (urban and arable)

The environmental impacts of different types of power plants compared to the current global average power mix are represented with the radar charts below.

• Coal

• Natural Gas

• Ground-mounted PV

• Roof-mounted PV

• Concentrating Solar

• Wind

• Hydro

• Geothermal

• Nuclear

• Biomass

• Biomass with CCS*

* Biomass with CCS shows net negative greenhouse gas emissions, not shown on the logarithmic chart, the results range from −107% to −122% of the 2010 global electricity mix.

Conclusions

• Power technologies not involving combustion have lower environmental impacts for practically all impact categories.

• CCS increases impacts apart from greenhouse gas emissions.

• MD is higher for low-carbon technologies, especially solar and wind, than their FF counterparts

• Bio has pollution-related impacts that are comparable to the present electricity mix, much higher LO, but brings the potential for carbon-negative energy production (with CCS).

cc: @CarloStagnaro @DanieleVisioni @liberioltre @micheleboldrin @jacopogiliberto @chiccotesta @lucianocapone @GretaThunberg