Development of a framework for the sustainability evaluation of renewable and fossil fuel power plants using integrated LCA-emergy analysis: A case study in Iran. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alizadeh, Sadegh; Avami, Akram
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 179(2021)
• Page Start: 1548
• Page End: 1564
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Emergy sustainability -- Life cycle analysis -- Multi-objective optimization problem -- NSGA-II method -- Pollution control strategies -- Renewable power plants; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.07.140
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: This study presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating renewable and non-renewable power plants' performance using the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and emergy analysis. The emergy analysis is used to consider the free ecosystem services in the sustainability of the systems as a supplement to the LCA. The results indicate that the wind and photovoltaic power plants have the best performance in terms of the LCA analysis, while the wind and combined cycle power plants have the highest emergy sustainability index. The best scenario is chosen under a two-objective optimization problem, including the single score and emergy sustainability as objective functions. Here, the wind power plant is the most interesting option while the combined cycle power plant with CO2 capture is the least interesting alternative. In this study, a novel framework is developed to assess the Cost of Avoided Carbon emissions (CACe) using the integrated LCA-emergy analysis for the combined cycle power plant in which its value is evaluated to be about $151.65/ton of CO2 . Eventually, an uncertainty analysis is performed on the solar transformities using Monte Carlo simulation. The framework presented in this paper provides insights to increase power plants' sustainability for managers and authorities. Highlights: The sustainability of power plants is assessed using life cycle and emergy analyses. A novel method is described to appraise the cost of avoided carbon emissions. Uncertainty in the sustainability results is assessed using Monte Carlo simulation. The genetic algorithm is applied to optimize the sustainability of power plants. The fossil fuel power plant is less sustainable even with pollution control systems.