Comparative Assessment of the Environmental Impacts of Hydro-Electric, Nuclear and Wind Power Plants in China: Life Cycle Considerations.

Abstract

In this study, the environmental impacts of hydropower generation, nuclear and wind are analyzed, assessed and compared in the China through a comprehensive life cycle assessment approach. The upstream, operation and downstream phases during the life cycle of these power generation methods are included. The output emissions inventoried in the study are carbon dioxide(CO2), sulphur oxides(SOX), nitrogen oxides(NOX), carbon monoxide(CO) and total particulate matters(TPM). The environmental impacts included are Global Warming Potential(GWP), Acidification Potential(AP), Eutrophication Potential(EP), Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential(POCP) and Human Toxicity Potential(HTP). Wind power is found to have a life cycle GWP of 30.6 g CO2-eq/kWh, which is comparatively higher than nuclear (11.8 g CO2-eq/kWh) and Hydro reservoir facilities life cycles (3.92g CO2-eq/kWh). Hydropower is found to have substantially low impacts, when compares with other environmental impact categories, such as AP and POCP in consideration. This indicates that, Greenhouse Gas(GHG) emissions are not the only sufficient indicators to describe the environmental performance of any product system. Wind power life cycle contributed most significantly to acidification, and this is mainly attributed to the operation phase of the life cycle. Hence, the development of more environmentally management methods is suggested. In the application of a nuclear power scenario, both upstream and decommissioning phases are identified as major contributors to environmental impacts.