Impact of Power Generation Mix on Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint Greenhouse Gas Results |
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| Authors: | Joe Marriott H. Scott Matthews Chris T. Hendrickson |
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| Affiliation: | 1. University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;2. Professor of civil and environmental engineering and of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University;3. Duquesne Light Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, also at Carnegie Mellon University |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
The mix of electricity consumed in any stage in the life cycle of a product, process, or industrial sector has a significant effect on the associated inventory of emissions and environmental impacts because of large differences in the power generation method used. Fossil‐fuel‐fired or nuclear‐centralized steam generators; large‐scale and small‐scale hydroelectric power; and renewable options, such as geothermal, wind, and solar power, each have a unique set of issues that can change the results of a life cycle assessment. This article shows greenhouse gas emissions estimates for electricity purchase for different scenarios using U.S. average electricity mix, state mixes, state mixes including imports, and a sector‐specific mix to show how different these results can be. We find that greenhouse gases for certain sectors and scenarios can change by more than 100%. Knowing this, practitioners should exercise caution or at least account for the uncertainty associated with mix choice. |
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| Keywords: | carbon emissions electric utilities energy footprint energy use greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions industrial ecology |
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