A framework for environmental impact assessment of long-distance energy transport systems

Abstract

A simple framework for environmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) based on physical measures is presented and applied to the comparison of long-distance energy transport systems, including high-voltage alternating and direct current transmission lines, pipelines for gas and oil, inland waterway, road and rail transportation. Quantitative indicators for fossil-energy consumption, air-emission impacts, land use, audible noise impacts, and visual impacts are developed. These can be used in the context of existing planning or decision making instruments, such as integrated resource planning, technology assessment, LCA, regional planning, line and power plant siting. To reduce all information to a single indicator, the concept of the equivalent impacted area is introduced for land use, audible noise and visual impacts. It is shown that pipelines are the environmentally most favourable option in the case of oil and gas transport. In the case of coal transport, early conversion to electricity and transmission by high-voltage lines can lead to significant impact reductions compared to coal transport with barges and trains. For long transport distances, high-voltage direct current lines yield particularly good results.