Life-cycle inventory for hydroelectric generation: a Brazilian case study |
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| Authors: | Flávio de Miranda Ribeiro Gil Anderi da Silva |
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| Affiliation: | 1. School of Environment, Natural Resources & Geography, Bangor University, Wales, United Kingdom;2. Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland;1. Dept. of Energy Engineering and Management, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal;2. Graduate School of the Environment, Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, Powys, Wales, UK;3. Renuables, 41 High Street, Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey, Wales, UK;4. School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Wales, UK;5. Plant and Agri-biosciences Centre, Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland;6. Dept. of Civil Engineering, Architecture & Georesources, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal;7. Dept. of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland |
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| Abstract: | Representative Life-Cycle Inventories (LCIs) are essential for Life-Cycle Assessments (LCAs) quality and readiness. Because energy is such an important element of LCAs, appropriate LCIs on energy are crucial, and due to the prevalence of hydropower on Brazilian electricity mix, the frequently used LCIs are not representative of the Brazilian conditions. The present study developed a LCI of the Itaipu Hydropower Plant, the major hydropower plant in the world, responsible for producing 23.8% of Brazil's electricity consumption. Focused on the capital investments to construct and operate the dam, the LCI was designed to serve as a database for the LCAs of Brazilian hydroelectricity production. The life-cycle boundaries encompass the construction and operation of the dam, as well as the life-cycles of the most important material and energy consumptions (cement, steel, copper, diesel oil, lubricant oil), as well as construction site operation, emissions from reservoir flooding, material and workers transportation, and earthworks. As a result, besides the presented inventory, it was possible to determine the following processes, and respective environmental burdens as the most important life-cycle hotspots: reservoir filling (CO2 and CH4 emission; land use); steel life-cycle (water and energy consumption; CO, particulates, SOx and NOx emissions); cement life-cycle (water and energy consumption; CO2 and particulate emissions); and operation of civil construction machines (diesel consumption; NOx emissions). Compared with another hydropower studies, the LCI showed magnitude adequacy, with better results than small hydropower, which reveals a scale economy for material and energy exchanges in the case of Itaipu Power Plant. |
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