Life Cycle Performance of Various Energy Sources Used in the Czech Republic

Markéta Šerešová, Jiří Štefanica, Monika Vitvarová, Kristina Zakuciová, Petr Wolf and Vladimír Kočí
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Markéta Šerešová: Department of Environmental Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Jiří Štefanica: ÚJV Řež, a. s, Hlavní 130, Řež, 250 68 Husinec, Czech Republic
Monika Vitvarová: Department of Environmental Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Kristina Zakuciová: Department of Environmental Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Petr Wolf: CTU UCEEB, Třinecká 1024, 273 43 Buštěhrad, Czech Republic
Vladimír Kočí: Department of Environmental Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: As both the human population and living standards grow, so does the worldwide electricity demand. However, the power sector is also one of the biggest environmental polluters. Therefore, options are currently being sought aimed at reducing environmental impacts, one of the potential tools for which concerns the use of life cycle assessment. This study, therefore, focuses on the most commonly used nonrenewable (black coal, lignite, natural gas and nuclear) and renewable sources (wind, hydro and photovoltaic) in the Czech Republic in terms of their construction, operation, and decommissioning periods. Environmental impacts are assessed via the use of selected impact categories by way of product environmental footprint methodology. The results highlight the potential environmental impacts associated with electricity generation for each of the primary energy sources. Black coal and lignite power plants were found to contribute most to the global warming, resource use, energy carriers and respiratory inorganics categories. On the other hand, the impact on water depletion and resource use, mineral and metals categories were found to be most significantly affected by the production of electricity from photovoltaic power plants. Finally, it is proposed that the results be employed to design scenarios for the future energy mix.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; electricity generation; environmental performance; environmental impacts (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: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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