Using proxies to calculate the carbon impact of investment into electricity network assets. (15th January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Daniels, Laura; Coker, Phil; Gunn, Alice; Potter, Ben
• Is Part Of: Applied energy. Volume 162(2016)
• Page Start: 551
• Page End: 560
• Publication Date: 2016-01-15
• Subjects: Embodied carbon -- Distributed generation -- Proxy -- Network investment deferral; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy conservation -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.10.111
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-2619

Abstract

Highlights: Proxies are developed to estimate embodied carbon impact of network assets (kg/£). Regional proxies are developed for the GB network as a case study. Proxies are applied to GB data to show embodied carbon impact of RIIO-ED1 investment. Results show RIIO-ED1 investment could contribute 10, 000 T CO2eq in one GB region. It is shown that DG could save carbon if it defers investment in network assets. Abstract: Replacement and upgrading of assets in the electricity network requires financial investment for the distribution and transmission utilities. The replacement and upgrading of network assets also represents an emissions impact due to the carbon embodied in the materials used to manufacture network assets. This paper uses investment and asset data for the GB system for 2015–2023 to assess the suitability of using a proxy with peak demand data and network investment data to calculate the carbon impacts of network investments. The proxies are calculated on a regional basis and applied to calculate the embodied carbon associated with current network assets by DNO region. The proxies are also applied to peak demand data across the 2015–2023 period to estimate the expected levels of embodied carbon that will be associated with network investment during this period. The suitability of these proxies in different contexts are then discussed, along with initial scenario analysis to calculate the impact of avoiding or deferring network investments through distributed generation projects. The proxies were found to be effective in estimating the total embodied carbon of electricity system investment in order to compare investment strategies in different regions of the GB network.