For example, we intend to include ecosystem services in the LCA, which is rarely included. This work will add greater dimension to the LCA method and be more data-inclusive than previous studies, providing a more holistic view and understanding of fossil and renewable energy systems. What value will research findings have in terms of furthering related or future research? The study’s goals are to (1) provide the public, businesses, and policymakers with quantifiable information on potential impacts, (2) support analyses that determine the most affordable and environmentally optimal energy mix for specific locations, and (3) identify where innovation, efficiency, and technology can lead to a better balance of consistent availability of electricity and sustainable environmental resources. This study takes a holistic approach to the LCA method to include the entire supply chain for each energy technology and plausible future generation portfolios. Moreover, the delivered cost of electricity may be higher than expected for renewable energy systems given the need for transmission grid expansion and dispatchable storage or backup generation. How do we think about the environmental implications of the transport of fuel (or critical materials) from extraction to use? In some cases, the wider set of environmental impacts may be significant for communities hosting mining, manufacturing, or energy facilities. Another example, combined cycle gas turbines can be placed in many locations but require fuel that is extracted in specific oil and gas fields. For example, building solar farms in a desert environment in west Texas imparts a different impact than if that same solar facility were constructed in a forest environment in northeast Texas. The economics and efficiency of various energy sources (wind, sunlight, gas) often depend on local environmental factors, and the various energy systems themselves will affect local environments differently. Transitioning energy grids from carbon-based fuel sources to renewable sources will be a unique optimization exercise for each location. Why is researching this problem important? This research increases the scope and flexibility of LCA modeling related to electricity generation in specific geographical areas of interest by including local and global supply chains and their potential impacts.
Openlca building study full#
These incomplete LCA analyses, lacking cradle-to-grave impacts, can distort the full picture of these unintended impacts from the global energy transition. However, the literature primarily focuses on GHG emissions during operations, often ignoring other environmental impacts that occur during operations and especially within the international upstream supply chains.
These LCAs track potential environmental impacts along the supply chain of these technologies. The literature on this transition includes life cycle analyses (LCAs) conducted on various electricity generation technologies, such as natural gas combined cycle gas turbines, wind turbines, and solar panels, as well as electricity storage technologies (batteries). Demand for minerals such as lithium, graphite, cobalt, copper, rare earths, and nickel, which are necessary for manufacturing wind, solar, and battery equipment, is expected to grow 7 to 40 times between 20 ( IEA, 2021). However, a societal shift in electricity generating technologies is extremely complex at global scale, involving a number of uncertainties that need to be addressed to avoid negative unintended consequences. Globally, the energy transition away from greenhouse gas (GHG)–intense, carbon-based fuels and toward more sustainable and renewable energy is generally accepted as a means to mitigate impacts of climate change. What is the specific problem this research addresses?
State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery (STARR).Reservoir Characterization Research Laboratory (RCRL).Mudrock Systems Research Laboratory (MSRL).Fracture Research and Application Consortium (FRAC).Center for Integrated Seismicity Research (CISR).
Geological Sequestration of Greenhouse Gases.