Life Cycle Climate Change Impact of a Cost-Optimal HVDC Connection to Import Solar Energy from Australia to Singapore

Srikkanth Ramachandran, Kais Siala, Cristina de La Rúa, Tobias Massier, Arif Ahmed and Thomas Hamacher
Additional contact information
Srikkanth Ramachandran: TUMCREATE Ltd., Singapore 138602, Singapore
Kais Siala: TUMCREATE Ltd., Singapore 138602, Singapore
Cristina de La Rúa: Chair for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
Tobias Massier: TUMCREATE Ltd., Singapore 138602, Singapore
Arif Ahmed: TUMCREATE Ltd., Singapore 138602, Singapore
Thomas Hamacher: Chair for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-23

Abstract: This paper aims to evaluate the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of importing electrical power into Singapore, generated from a large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Australia, through a long-distance subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable. A cost optimization model was developed to estimate the capacities of the system components. A comprehensive life cycle assessment model was built to estimate emissions of manufacturing and use of these components. Our evaluation shows that, for covering one fifth of Singapore’s electrical energy needs, a system with an installed capacity of 13 G W P V , 17 GWh battery storage and 3.2 G W subsea cable is required. The life cycle GHG emissions of such a system are estimated to be 110 g CO 2 eq/ kWh , with the majority coming from the manufacturing of solar PV panels. Cable manufacturing does not contribute largely toward GHG emissions. By varying full-load hours and cable lengths, it was assessed that sites closer to Singapore might provide the same energy at same/lower carbon footprint and reduced cost, despite the lower insolation as compared to Australia. However, these sites could cause greater emissions from land use changes than the deserts of Australia, offsetting the advantages of a shorter HVDC cable.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; cost optimization; HVDC cable; photovoltaics; Australia; Singapore (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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