Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of energy sources: Difference between revisions

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Comparisons of life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions attempt to calculate the emissions of greenhouse gases or solely carbon dioxide over the full life of a power source, from groundbreaking to fuel sources to waste management back to greenfield status.

2008 Sovacool survey

A meta analysis of 103 life cycle studies of greenhouse gas-equivalent emissions for nuclear power plants, produced by Professor Benjamin Sovacool, found that the lifetime emissions of a nuclear power plant is 66 g CO2e/kWh, based on the mean value of all 103 papers. Results for renewable energy sources were: wind power = 9-10 g/kWh; hydroelectricity = 10-13 g/kWh; biomass = 14-35 g/kWh; solar thermal power = 13 g/kWh; solar photovoltaic = 32 g/kWh.^[1]

Renewable electricity technologies are thus "two to seven times more effective than nuclear power plants on a per kWh basis at fighting climate change".^[2]

**Lifecycle greenhouse gas emission estimates for electricity generators**^[1]
Technology	Description	Estimate (g CO2/kWh_e)
Wind	2.5 MW offshore	9
Hydroelectric	3.1 MW reservoir	10
Wind	1.5 MW onshore	10
Biogas	Anaerobic digestion	11
Hydroelectric	300kW run-of-river	13
Solar thermal	80 MW parabolic trough	13
Biomass	various	14-35
Solar PV	Polycrystaline silicone	32
Geothermal	80 MW hot dry rock	38
Nuclear	various reactor types	66
Natural gas	various combined cycle turbines	443
Diesel	various generator and turbine types	778
Heavy oil	various generator and turbine types	778
Coal	various generator types with scrubbing	960
Coal	various generator types without scrubbing	1050

2007 Oxford survey

A 2007 report published by the Oxford Research Group listed the following results: coal = 755 g/kWh; natural gas = 385 g/kWh; biomass = 29 - 62 g/kWh; wind = 11 - 37 g/kWh; nuclear = 11 - 130 g/kWh (using the minimum and maximum results amongst 3 studies). The report concluded that "Emissions from nuclear power lie somewhere between biomass and natural gas ... Furthermore, as the available average ore grade declines CO2 (and other Greenhouse Gases) emissions from nuclear power will increase." ^[3]

Other studies

File:Vattenfall Electricity CO2 Lifecycle.PNG

The Vattenfall study found Nuclear, Hydro, and Wind to have far less greenhouse emissions than other sources represented.^[4]

In terms of individual studies, a wide range of estimates are made for many fuel sources which arise from the different methodologies used. Those on the low end tend to leave parts of the life cycle out of their analyses, while those on the high end often make unrealistic assumptions about the amount of energy used in some parts of the life cycle.^[5]

A study of life-cycle emissions by Swedish utility Vattenfall reported that nuclear power produced 3.3 g CO2/kWh, natural gas produced 400 and coal 700.^[4]

Another report - Life-Cycle Energy Balance and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Nuclear Energy in Australia - conducted by the University of Sydney in 2008 produced the following results: nuclear = 60-65 g CO2/kWh; wind power = 20 g/kWh; solar PV = 106 g/kWh. Furthemore, the study critised the Vattenfall report : "it omits the energy and greenhouse gas impacts of many upstream contributions".^[6]

In a study conducted in 2006 by the UK's Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), which used figures from the Torness study^[7], nuclear power's life cycle was evaluated to emit the least amount of carbon dioxide (very close to wind power's life cycle emissions) when compared to the other alternatives (fossil fuel, coal, and some renewable energy including biomass and PV solar panels). ^[8]

A 2005 study^[9], issued by stormsmith, reported that carbon dioxide emissions from nuclear power plants per kilowatt hour could range from 20% to 120% of those for natural gas-fired power stations depending on the availability of high grade ores.^[9]

External links

Wise uranium CO2 calculator

References

^ ^a ^b Benjamin K. Sovacool. Valuing the greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power: A critical survey. Energy Policy, Vol. 36, 2008, p. 2950.
^ Benjamin K. Sovacool. A Critical Evaluation of Nuclear Power and Renewable Electricity in Asia, Journal of Contemporary Asia, Vol. 40, No. 3, August 2010, p. 386.
^ Edited by Frank Barnaby, James Kemp (2006). "Secure Energy? Civil Nuclear Power, Security and Global Warming" (PDF). Oxford Research Group. Retrieved 2007-07-13. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^ ^a ^b Vattenfall (2005). "Life cycle assessment: Vattenfall's Electricity in Sweden" (PDF).
^ "Nuclear energy: assessing the emissions". Nature. September 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
^ Lenzen, M. (2008). "Life cycle energy and greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear energy: A review. Energy Conversion and Management 49, 2178-2199" (PDF). University of Sydney. Retrieved 2007-07-13. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
^ AEA Technology environment (May 2005). "Environmental Product Declaration of Electricity from Torness Nuclear Power Station". Retrieved 31 January 2010.
^ Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (2006). "Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-07-13.
^ ^a ^b Storm van Leeuwen and Philip Smith (2003). "Nuclear Power — The Energy Balance". Retrieved 2006-11-10.

[sov-1] Benjamin K. Sovacool. Valuing the greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power: A critical survey. Energy Policy, Vol. 36, 2008, p. 2950.

[2] Benjamin K. Sovacool. A Critical Evaluation of Nuclear Power and Renewable Electricity in Asia, Journal of Contemporary Asia, Vol. 40, No. 3, August 2010, p. 386.

[oxf-3] Edited by Frank Barnaby, James Kemp (2006). "Secure Energy? Civil Nuclear Power, Security and Global Warming" (PDF). Oxford Research Group. Retrieved 2007-07-13. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)

[vat-4] Vattenfall (2005). "Life cycle assessment: Vattenfall's Electricity in Sweden" (PDF).

[5] "Nuclear energy: assessing the emissions". Nature. September 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2010.

[syd-6] Lenzen, M. (2008). "Life cycle energy and greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear energy: A review. Energy Conversion and Management 49, 2178-2199" (PDF). University of Sydney. Retrieved 2007-07-13. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)

[briten-7] AEA Technology environment (May 2005). "Environmental Product Declaration of Electricity from Torness Nuclear Power Station". Retrieved 31 January 2010.

[POST-8] Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (2006). "Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-07-13.

[stormsmith-9] Storm van Leeuwen and Philip Smith (2003). "Nuclear Power — The Energy Balance". Retrieved 2006-11-10.

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==2008 Sovacool survey==
 A [[meta analysis]] of 103 life cycle studies of greenhouse gas-equivalent emissions for nuclear power plants, produced by  [[Benjamin K. Sovacool | Professor Benjamin Sovacool]], found that the lifetime emissions of a [[nuclear power plant]] is 66 g CO2e/kWh, based on the mean value of all 103 papers. Results for renewable energy sources were: [[wind power]] = 9-10 g/kWh; [[hydroelectricity]] = 10-13 g/kWh; [[biomass]] = 14-35 g/kWh; [[solar thermal power]] = 13 g/kWh; [[solar photovoltaic]] = 32 g/kWh.<ref name=sov/>
+Renewable electricity technologies are thus "two to seven times more effective than nuclear power plants on a per kWh basis at fighting climate change".<ref>Benjamin K. Sovacool. A Critical Evaluation of Nuclear Power and Renewable Electricity in Asia, ''Journal of Contemporary Asia'', Vol. 40, No. 3, August 2010, p. 386.</ref>
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