Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Grid-Integrated Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems in Northern Nigeria

Ismail Abubakar Jumare, Ramchandra Bhandari and Abdellatif Zerga
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Ismail Abubakar Jumare: Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Technology, University of Tlemcen, B.P. 119 | Pôle Chetouane, Tlemcen 13000, Algeria
Ramchandra Bhandari: Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, TH Köln-University of Applied Sciences, Betzdorfer Strasse 2, 50679 Cologne, Germany
Abdellatif Zerga: Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences—PAUWES, c/o University of Tlemcen, B.P. 119 | Pôle Chetouane, Tlemcen 13000, Algeria

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 21, 1-24

Abstract: Life cycle assessment is a crucial tool in evaluating systems performances for sustainability and decision-making. This paper provided environmental impact of integrating renewable energy systems to the utility-grid based on a baseline optimized energy production data from “HOMER” for renewable systems modelling of a site in northern Nigeria. The ultimate goal was to ascertain the best hybrid option(s) in sustaining the environment. Different assumptions and scenarios were modelled and simulated using Ganzleitlichen Bilanz (GaBi). Uncertainty analysis was ensured to the impact data based on pedigree-matrix and Excel-program, as well as overall policy relevance. The results of the impact categories revealed first scenario (i.e., conventional path-based) with the highest impacts on global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), human toxicity potential (HTP), and abiotic depletion potential (ADP fossils ). The lowest impacts arise in the renewable-based scenarios for all the considered categories except the Ozone-layer depletion potential Category where the highest contribution falls in the third scenario (i.e., photovoltaic (PV)/biomass-biogas system) although all values being infinitesimal. In quantitative terms, the reduction in the GWP from the highest being the first scenario to the lowest being the fourth scenario (i.e., wind/biomass-biogas system) was 96.5%. Hence, with the outstanding contributions of the hybrid renewable systems, adopting them especially the lowest impact scenarios with expansions is relevant for environmental sustainability.

Keywords: hybrid renewable energy system; grid-integration; life cycle assessment; environmental; uncertainty analyses; policy relevance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:21:p:5889-:d:279524

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