LCA and Exergo-Environmental Evaluation of a Combined Heat and Power Double-Flash Geothermal Power Plant

Vitantonio Colucci, Giampaolo Manfrida, Barbara Mendecka, Lorenzo Talluri and Claudio Zuffi
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Vitantonio Colucci: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze FI, Italy
Giampaolo Manfrida: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze FI, Italy
Barbara Mendecka: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Lorenzo Talluri: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze FI, Italy
Claudio Zuffi: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze FI, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-23

Abstract: This study deals with the life cycle assessment (LCA) and an exergo-environmental analysis (EEvA) of the geothermal Power Plant of Hellisheiði (Iceland), a combined heat and power double flash plant, with an installed power of 303.3 MW for electricity and 133 MW for hot water. LCA approach is used to evaluate and analyse the environmental performance at the power plant global level. A more in-depth study is developed, at the power plant components level, through EEvA. The analysis employs existing published data with a realignment of the inventory to the latest data resource and compares the life cycle impacts of three methods (ILCD 2011 Midpoint, ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint-Endpoint, and CML-IA Baseline) for two different scenarios. In scenario 1, any emission abatement system is considered. In scenario 2, re-injection of CO 2 and H 2 S is accounted for. The analysis identifies some major hot spots for the environmental power plant impacts, like acidification, particulate matter formation, ecosystem, and human toxicity, mainly caused by some specific sources. Finally, an exergo-environmental analysis allows indicating the wells as significant contributors of the environmental impact rate associated with the construction, Operation & Maintenance, and end of life stages and the HP condenser as the component with the highest environmental cost rate.

Keywords: geothermal energy; district heating system; Life cycle assessment (LCA); Life cycle environmental impacts; comparison of LCIA methods; exergo-environmental analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1935-:d:497581

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