Life Cycle Inventories Of Hydroelectric Power Generation
Life Cycle Inventories ofHydroelectric Power GenerationKarin Flury, Rolf Frischknechtcommissioned byÖko-Institute e.V.Uster,ESU-services Ltd.Rolf FrischknechtNiels JungbluthSybille BüsserKarin FluryRené IttenSalome SchoriMatthias Stuckiwww.esu-services.chKanzleistrasse 4T 41 44 940 61 91T 41 44 940 61 32T 41 44 940 61 35T 41 44 940 61 02T 41 44 940 61 38T 41 44 940 61 35T 41 44 940 67 94F 41 44 940 61 94CH - 8610 vices.chbuesser@esu-services.chflury @esu-services.chitten ervices.ch
ImprintTitleAuthorsCommissionerAbout usCopyrightLiability StatementVersionLife Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power GenerationKarin Flury;Rolf FrischknechtESU-services Ltd., fair consulting in sustainabilityKanzleistr. 4, CH-8610 Usterwww.esu-services.chPhone 41 44 940 61 02, Fax 41 44 940 61 94flury@esu-services.ch; frischknecht@esu-services.chÖko-Institute e.V.ESU-services Ltd. has been founded in 1998. Its core objectives are consulting, coaching, trainingand research in the fields of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), carbon footprints, water footprint in thesectors energy, civil engineering, basic minerals, chemicals, packaging, telecommunication, foodand lifestyles. Fairness, independence and transparency are substantial characteristics of our consulting philosophy. We work issue-related and accomplish our analyses without prejudice. Wedocument our studies and work transparency and comprehensibly. We offer a fair and competentconsultation, which makes it for the clients possible to control and continuously improve their environmental performance. The company worked and works for various national and internationalcompanies, associations and authorities. In some areas, team members of ESU-services performed pioneering work such as development and operation of web based LCA databases or quantifying environmental impacts of food and lifestyles.All content provided in this report is copyrighted, except when noted otherwise. Such informationmust not be copied or distributed, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of ESU-servicesLtd. or the customer. This report is provided on the website www.esu-services.ch and/or the website of the customer. A provision of this report or of files and information from this report on otherwebsites is not permitted. Any other means of distribution, even in altered forms, require the writtenconsent. Any citation naming ESU-services Ltd. or the authors of this report shall be provided to theauthors before publication for verification.Information contained herein have been compiled or arrived from sources believed to be reliable.Nevertheless, the authors or their organizations do not accept liability for any loss or damage arising from the use thereof. Using the given information is strictly your own ration.docx, 10/07/2012 10:28:00
ZusammenfassungZusammenfassungIn der vorliegenden Studie werden die Ökobilanzen der Stromerzeugung mit Was serkraftdokumentiert. Es handelt sich hierbei um eine umfassende Aktualisierung und Erweiterungder Sachbilanzdaten des ecoinvent Datenbestandes v2.2, welche auf den Mitte der neunzigerJahre an der ETH Zürich erarbeiteten Ökobilanzdaten (Ökoinventare von Energiesystemen)basieren.Neben Speicher- und Flusskraftwerken wurden neu auch Kleinwasserkraftwerke bilanziert,wobei unterschieden wird zwischen Kraftwerken, die in Anlagen der Wasserversorgung (Bewässerung, Trinkwasserbereitstellung) eingebunden sind, und alleinstehenden Kraftwerken.Die Grösse der bilanzierten Kraftwerke entspricht dem produktionsgewichteten Durchschnittaller Speicher- beziehungsweise Laufwasser- oder Kleinwasserkraftwerke der Schweiz.Daten zum Materialbedarf von Wasserkraftanlagen wurden revidiert und zum Teil mit Informationen aus neuen Publikationen ergänzt. Beton, Kies und Zement sind die massenmässigwichtigsten Baustoffe, wobei bei den bilanzierten Kraftwerken oftmals entweder die MengeBeton, oder die Mengen Zement und Kies bekannt sind. Im Weiteren werden Stahl in unterschiedlichen Qualitäten, Kupfer (neu in die Bilanzen aufgenommen) und weitere, hier nichtaufgeführte Baustoffe und Materialien eingesetzt.Gemäss aktuellen Forschungserkenntnissen liegen die direkten Treibhausgas-Emissionen prokWh Strom aus alpinen europäischen Speicherseen bei rund 1.4 g CO2-eq/kWh, bei Speicherkraftwerken in gemässigten Zonen gehen wir von rund 12 g CO2-eq/kWh aus. Bei den Laufwasserkraftwerken spielt es eine Rolle, ob diese einen Stausee aufweisen oder nicht. BeiLaufwasserkraftwerken mit Stausee liegen die Methan-Emissionen bei 0.67 g pro kWh(knapp 13.4 g CO2-eq/kWh).Ein weiterer wichtiger Aspekt stellt die Modellierung des Strombedarfs der Speicherpumpendar. Hierbei handelt es sich um diejenigen Pumpen, welche einem Stausee Wasser aus einemanderen Einzugsgebiet oder aus tieferen Lagen zuführen.1 Neu wird dieser Netzstrombedarfals Aufwand verbucht und nicht beim produzierten Wasserkraftstrom in Abzug gebracht.Die Treibhausgas-Emissionen der Bereitstellung von Strom mit Wasserkraftwerken sind vergleichsweise tief und schwanken zwischen 2 g CO2-eq/kWh ab Klemme integrierter Kleinwasserkraftwerke, 3.8 g CO2-eq/kWh ab Klemme Laufwasserkraftwerk, 5.9 g CO2-eq/kWhab Klemme alpinem Speicherkraftwerk (netto, ohne Zulieferpumpen), und rund 16.6 g CO2eq/kWh ab Klemme Speicherkraftwerk in gemässigten Zonen.Werden die hier bereitgestellten Sachbilanzdaten zu Flusswasserkraftwerken auf Anlagengrösserer Leistung angewendet, dürften die Aufwendungen und damit auch die kumuliertenEmissionen tendenziell überschätzt werden. Dies entspricht einer konservativen Vorgehensweise.Die in diesem Bericht beschriebenen Sachbilanzdaten sind in Übereinstimmung mit den Qualitätsrichtlinien des ecoinvent Datenbestands v2.2 erhoben und modelliert und werden im Datenformat EcoSpold 1 zur Verfügung gestellt.1Speicherpumpen sind nicht zu verwechseln mit den Pumpspeicherpumpen, welche dazu dienen, zu Niedertarifzeiten Wasser aus einem tiefer liegenden Becken in ein höher gelegenes zu pumpen, um es zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt (Hochtarif) wieder zu turbinieren.Life Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation-i-ESU-services Ltd.
SummarySummaryThe aim of this study is to describe the environmental impacts of construction, operation anddeconstruction of hydroelectric power stations. The main focus is on power plants and theirconditions in Switzerland. The LC inventories are then extrapolated to alpine and non-alpineregions of Europe and, in the case of storage power stations, to Brazil. Storage and pumpedstorage power stations, run-of-river power stations with and without reservoirs and their mixas well as small hydropower stations are covered in this report. Small hydropower stations aredifferentiated between stations that are integrated in existing waterworks infrastructures andstandalone small hydropower stations. The inventory is composed of the three life cycle phases construction, operation and deconstruction. The following inputs are examined: consumption of cement, explosive agents, steel, copper, gravel, energy consumption of the construction, transport services (road and rail), land use, useful capacity of the reservoirs, turbinedwater, particle emissions during construction, oil spill to water and soil and the emissions ofgreenhouse gases from construction machines as well as from reservoirs (CO2, CH4, N2O) andfrom electrical devices (SF6) emitted during the operation. All life cycle inventory datasetsestablished in this study are in compliance with the quality guidelines of ecoinvent data v2.2.They are provided in the EcoSpold v1 data format.Life Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation- ii -ESU-services Ltd.
1INTRODUCTION1.1 Scope of the study.11.2 State of the hydropower production .11.2.1 Switzerland .11.2.2 Europe .21.2.3 World .42CHARACTERISATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM52.1 Power stations .52.1.1 Storage power stations .52.1.2 Pumped storage power station .62.1.3 Run-of-river power stations .62.2 Small hydropower stations .72.3 Specific properties of the alpine storage hydropower stations .72.4 Temporal focus .72.5 Expected useful life .82.6 Efficiency .92.7 Functional unit .102.8 Hydrological and biological aspects .112.8.1 Introduction .112.8.2 Storage power stations .112.8.3 Run-of-river hydropower stations .123CONSTRUCTION OF HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATIONS133.1 Introduction .133.2 Storage power station .133.2.1 Cement, gravel and water .133.2.2 Steel .143.2.3 Copper .143.2.4 Explosives .143.2.5 Transport .143.2.6 Construction energy .153.2.7 Particle emissions .163.3 Run-of-river power station .163.3.1 Cement, gravel and water .163.3.2 Steel .163.3.3 Copper .163.3.4 Explosives .173.3.5 Transport .173.3.6 Construction energy .173.3.7 Particle emissions .173.4 Small hydropower stations .173.4.1 Small hydropower stations integrated in waterworks.183.4.2 Standalone small hydropower stations .193.5 Data quality .20Life Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation- iii -ESU-services Ltd.
Content3.6 Life Cycle inventories of the construction of hydropower plants .214OPERATION OF THE HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATIONS254.1 Storage power station .254.1.1 Land use .254.1.2 Useful capacity of the reservoirs .254.1.3 Water use and consumption .264.1.4 Electricity use .264.1.5 Use of lubricating oil .264.1.6 Greenhouse gas emissions .274.1.7 SF6 emissions .274.1.8 Operation of certified storage hydropower stations .284.2 Pumped storage power station .284.2.1 Land use, material input and emissions.284.2.2 Electricity use .284.3 Run-of-river power station .284.3.1 Land use .284.3.2 Useful capacity of the reservoirs .304.3.3 Water use and consumption .304.3.4 Use of lubricating oil .304.3.5 Greenhouse gas emissions .304.4 Small hydropower stations .304.5 Data quality .314.6 Life Cycle inventories of the operation of hydropower plants .325DECONSTRUCTION OF THE HYDROPOWER STATIONS365.1 Storage power stations.365.2 Run-of-river power stations .365.3 Small hydropower stations .375.3.1 Small hydropower plant in waterworks infrastructure .375.3.2 Standalone small hydropower plant .375.4 Data quality .376 LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY DATA OF HYDROPOWER STATIONS IN OTHERCOUNTRIES386.1 European hydropower stations .386.1.1 Storage and pumped storage hydropower stations .386.1.2 Run-of-river .396.1.3 Small hydropower .396.2 Brazil.396.3 Life Cycle inventories of the operation of hydropower stations in other countries .407CUMULATIVE RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION507.1 Cumulative Energy Demand .507.2 Greenhouse gas emissions .52REFERENCES42APPENDIX48Life Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation- iv -ESU-services Ltd.
1. Introduction1Introduction1.1Scope of the studyHydropower is widely perceived as a clean energy source as it is renewable and, until recently, it is assumed that the operation of hydropower stations causes hardly any emissions ofpollutants. In this study the environmental impacts of electricity from hydroelectric powerstations in each stage of their life cycle (construction, operation, dismantling) are quantified.The first environmental impacts occur during the construction of the power stations. This includes the activities of the construction itself and the production and transport of the materialsused (e.g. cement). Furthermore, there are hydrological aspects. The construction and operation of hydropower stations influences the spatial and temporal patterns of the water flow.The aim is to describe the most important aspects of the environmental impacts of hydropower stations in Switzerland. The following parameters are considered: consumption of cement,explosive agents, steel, copper, gravel, energy consumption of the construction, transport services (road and rail), land use, useful capacity of the reservoirs, turbined water, particle emissions during construction, oil spill to water and soil and the emissions of greenhouse gasesfrom construction machines as well as from reservoirs (CO2, CH4, N2O) and from electricaldevices (SF6) emitted during the operation.Storage and pumped storage hydropower stations, run-of-river hydropower stations and smallhydropower stations are analysed. It is not the intention to characterise single hydropowerstations but to find average data representing the hydropower mix in Switzerland and otherEuropean and non-European countries.The main part of the study is the identification and quantification of the material and energydemand and the emissions caused and the waste produced. The total material and energy demand is applied to the net electricity production. It is difficult and, if at all possible, verysumptuous to access original data. Most of the Swiss hydropower stations have been constructed decades ago. The enormous labour was divided between different contractors whichhad sub-contractors themselves. Therefore it is nearly impossible to access all the informationneeded, if it is stored at all. The data used in this study are based on earlier studies (Bolliger &Bauer 2007; Frischknecht et al. 1996) and their sources. Additional information is gainedfrom new publications such as from Vattenfall (2008) and Axpo (2008). The data sets onsmall hydropower stations are based on the students thesis of Jean-Baptiste and Konersmann(2000) and on Baumgartner and Doka (1998). Statistical data on the electricity production andthe installed capacity are gained from up to date statistical publications of the BFE (2010a, b,2011b).1.2State of the hydropower production1.2.1 SwitzerlandHydropower is the most important renewable energy source in Switzerland. In 201037.5 TWh of hydroelectricity were produced, which is 56.5 % of the total electricity generation in Switzerland in 2010. 24.2 % is generated from run-of-river hydropower stations,32.3 % from storage hydropower stations. In the electricity statistics of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the pumped storage hydropower stations (i.e. basic water flow plants) are notLife Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation-1-ESU-services Ltd.
1. Introductionregistered as electricity production sites because they show a net electricity consumption.(BFE 2011a).According to the hydropower statistics of 2010 (BFE 2011c) the Swiss hydropower stationshave an expected electricity production volume of 35.6 TWh. As shown in Tab. 1.1, over halfof it is generated in storage hydropower stations and the run-of-river hydropower stations contribute 47 %. The total installed capacity is 13.3 GW (BFE 2011a, c). In 2008, small hydropower stations ( 300 kW) had a production volume of 3’400 GWh, which is around 10 % ofthe total annual hydropower electricity production. The capacity of small hydropower stationsis 760 MW2.Tab. 1.1:Expected production volumes of the hydropower stations in Switzerland, includinghydropower stations with an installed capacity of 300 kW. Pumped storage hydropower plants are not included in total (BFE 2011c).Power entage(MW)Run-of-river hydropower stations16’61146.7 %Storage power stations18’99153.3 %Mostly natural water supply17’39748.9 %8’07359.9 %Partly pumped water supply1’5934.5 %1’38410.3 %Pumped storage power stations1’326Total (excl. pumped storage)35’6023’70727.5 %70.2 %0‘316100.0 %13’338100.0 %The capacity potential of hydropower in Switzerland is nearly exploited. The outlook of theSwiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) states that the hydroelectricity productionof large-scale hydropower stations ( 300 kW) will increase by 6% until 2050 (Berg & Real2006). In future it is mainly the extension of existing power stations and the improvement ofthe technology that will lead to a growth in the production volume. At the same time, regulations of the residual flow will decrease the production potential (Frischknecht et al. 1996).Compared to the large-scale hydropower, the growth potential of the electricity productionfrom small hydropower stations is still significant. The Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) projects the amount of electricity produced in 2050 to be four times as muchas today’s generation. According to their roadmap, the number of small hydropower stationswill double till then (Berg & Real 2006).1.2.2 EuropeIn Europe, hydropower is an important energy source too. In the EU-27 countries, the electricity generated from hydropower has a share of 10 % of the total net electricity production(EUROSTAT 2010). In Austria and Norway the hydroelectricity accounts for even more thanhalf of the net electricity production (see Tab. 1.2).2Bundesamt für Energie, April 493/index.html?lang deLife Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation-2-ESU-services Ltd.
1. IntroductionTab. 1.2:Hydropower electricity production and capacity in EU-27 countries (without pumpedstorage). Data are missing from Iceland, no hydropower generation in Malta and Cyprus (EUROSTAT 2010).Country 1 MW 1 MW 10 MW3'17972520750 10 MWShare of total netelectricity production60.5 %Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)1 '637454269BulgariaProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)108394171912'2991'8906.9 %CroatiaProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)1194325'1211'74944.2 %Czech RepublicProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)4921514751411'0577532.6 %DenmarkProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)125285167311 30.1 %GermanyProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)2 '0605615'28684213'5962'1043.5 %GreeceProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)117442071142'9872'3195.6 %HungaryProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)16447231 '1903'03815110.6 %LithuaniaProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)5117228329903.1 %LuxembourgProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)7212638-3.8 %NetherlandProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity 1727'1501'2576726'0603'634RomaniaProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)99615492921'6547600928.6 %SlovakiaProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)5825108653'8741'54215.2 %SloveniaProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)264117193373'56187326.2 viaNorwayPolandPortugalLife Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation-3-33'1297'040176520.5 %0.3 %23.0 %11.6 %3.4 %13.6 %61.1 %0.1 %98.6 %1.5 %15.2 %ESU-services Ltd.
1. IntroductionSpainProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)Production (GWh)Capacity 8015'436TurkeyProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)381647223132'76013'58217.5 %United KingdomProduction (GWh)Capacity (MW)57655111084'6001'4561.4 %Sweden7.8 %47.2 %1.2.3 WorldThe worldwide hydroelectricity generation amounts to 3.29 PWh (Tab. 1.4). Worldwide it ismainly North and South America with a high share on total electricity production (see Tab.1.3 and Tab. 1.4) while, for example, the Middle East, with its dry climate, has a hydroelectricity production of a bit more than 1% of its total electricity production.Tab. 1.3:CountryAustraliaElectricity productionfrom hydropower (GWh)Percentage to the totalelectricity production15'0706.60 %Brazil3369'55679.75 %Canada348'39258.15 %Japan88'1898.61 %Korea6'2151.33 %Mexico36'10914.67 %New Zealand24'76558.13 %United States281'7396.75 %Tab. 1.4:RegionHydroelectricity generation and its percentage of the total electricity production in3different regions of the world in 2008, including pumped storage power production .Electricity productionfrom hydropower (GWh)Percentage to the totalelectricity production98’15315.73 %Asia excl. China252’09113.72 %China585’18716.74 %Latin America673’86263.02 %8’8871.15 %3'287’55416.23 %AfricaMiddle EastWorld3Net electricity generation from hydropower and percentage of the total electricity production in different OECD countries of the world in 2010. Including pumped storagepower production (IEA 2011).International Energy Agency, IEA, April CT Electricity/HeatLife Cycle Inventories of Hydroelectric Power Generation-4-ESU-services Ltd.
2. Characterisation and description of the system2Characterisation and description of the system2.1Power stations2.1.1 Storage power stationsStorage power stations are power plants with an appreciable reservoir. Depending on the dropheight it is distinguished between low, medium and high pressure power stations. The mainfocus in this study is on the latter ones.The pumped storage power stations are a special type of storage power stations. While conventional storage power stations use water that comes from natural catchment areas higher up,the pumped storage power stations pump water up to reuse it. The share of pumped water toturbined water can reach up to 100 % (basic water flow plants). In this case the power planthas no natural supply of water. Often, storage hydropower stations are a mix of both, storagehydropower plants and pumped storage hydropower plants. Generally the different kinds ofpower plants differ more in the way they are operated than in the way they are built. Therefore the construction and deconstruction of storage hydropower stations and pumped storagehydropower stations are modelled identically, while the operation of storage and pumpedstorage hydropower plants is modelled separately. In this study, storage hydropower stationsinclude all hydropower stations with a share of pumped water to turbined water of less than100 % (see Tab. 2.1). Consequently it includes also hydropower stations that are commonlycalled pumped hydropower stations. The pumped storage hydro
storage power stations, run-of-river power stations with and without reservoirs and their mix as well as small hydropower stations are covered in this report. Small hydropower stations are differentiated between stations that
2.1 Life cycle techniques in life cycle sustainability assessment 5 2.2 (Environmental) life cycle assessment 6 2.3 Life cycle costing 14 2.4 Social life cycle assessment 22 3 Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment in Practice 34 3.1 Conducting a step-by-step life cycle sustainability assessment 34 3.2 Additional LCSA issues 41 4 A Way Forward 46
life cycles. Table of Contents Apple Chain Apple Story Chicken Life Cycle Cotton Life Cycle Life Cycle of a Pea Pumpkin Life Cycle Tomato Life Cycle Totally Tomatoes Watermelon Life Cycle . The Apple Chain . Standards of Learning . Science: K.7, K.9, 2.4, 3.4, 3.8, 4.4 .
The life-cycle inventories of the product systems under consideration are fed into the wider Strategy on Plastics Impact Assessment model, where they supplement the analysis of plastics' & their alternatives' end-of-life, thus contributing to the overall life-cycle view of the Impact Assessment.
Red rivers. This determined amount provides benefits to both projects without threaten-ing flood control, navigation interests or ecological condi-tions. Sidney A. Murray Jr. Hydroelectric Station The Sidney A. Murray Jr. Hydroelectric Station is the largest prefabricated power plant in the world and Louisiana’s first hydroelectric power plant.
SEES 503 Sustainable Water Resources 11/58 10. HYDROELECTRIC POWER Characteristics of Electric Power Plants Hydroelectric plants put in operation in only a few minutes. relatively high efficiency (80 to 90%). lifetime is about 75 years. non-pollutant. Thermal plants needs a few hours for their startup. lifetime is about 25 years. may lead to environmental pollution if any air-pollution-control .
Hydro Power’ (SHP) refers to hydroelectric plants capable of producing a maximum of 10 MW (10,000 kW). 2 Current world situation Hydraulic energy amounts to a quarter of the total energy produced in the world and its importance has been increasing in recent years. Hydroelectric power production was prominent at the beginning of the 1960s
POWER GENERATION Rev 1 Hydroelectric power (HEP) is a reliable renewable energy source that accounts for over 1,000 GW of installed capacity, or currently about 16% of the world’s energy. With efficiencies that can reach 95%, HEP is a suitable method for generating electricity. Today, hydroelectric power plays a more important role as the .
Bristol Bay Native Corporation Wind and Hydroelectric Feasibility Study, does not accurately describe the work we eventually accomplished. A wind and hydroelectric feasibility project was the objective of the original proposal, but as mentioned, the objective subsequently changed
