Abstract
Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems are regarded as a renewable energy source technology that can contribute to decoupling the energy mix from fossil fuel combustion and related environmental impacts. However, current small-scale CSP technologies (e.g., Dish-Stirling) have not entered the market yet due to high costs, complexity, and poor reliability. The EU-funded OMSoP (Optimised Microturbine Solar Power) project aimed at solving the small-scale CSP shortcomings by coupling a solar dish with the consolidated and relatively cheap technology of the micro gas turbine (MGT). In this study, an environmental life cycle assessment analysis of the production and operation of a CSP-MGT system is performed following an eco-design approach, thus identifying the environmental hotspots and how the system can be improved in terms of environmental impacts. The results of the analysis, per unit of electricity produced, were compared to other renewable technologies with the same level of dispatchability to better evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the system under exam. With regard to climate change, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the CSP-MGT system resulted in the same range as those generated by photovoltaic systems. However, the system can substantially be optimized and the GHG emissions per kWh can be reduced up to 73% with respect to the built prototype. The GHG emissions are much lower than the current Italian energy mix (by up to 94%). To reduce the environmental burden of CSP-MGT plants, the system design here considered should be revised by improving the component’s performance and significantly reducing the reflective surface and therefore the structural materials for the dish foundation and frame. The replacement of steel in the dish frame with aluminum increases all the environmental impact parameters and primary energy demand (17%–27% depending on the environmental category considered) but slightly reduces abiotic element depletion (by 9%).
Highlights
The surging of the global concern on anthropogenic climate impacts has resulted in the prioritization of renewable energy systems that can support the decarbonization of our economies (IPCC, 2014)
This transition has fundamentally modified the traditional decision-making approach in the energy sector. In the past, this approach was mostly based on socioeconomic aspects, nowadays, one of the main priorities relies on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction (European Union, 2009; European Commission, 2015)
Compared to previous actions [COM (2018)773], the European Green Deal has raised the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 2030 from 40% to 55% and has updated the programs already launched by the previous Commissions to make renewable energy, synergistically with energy efficiency, as the fundamental pillars to reach the ambitious goal of climate neutrality by 2050
Summary
The surging of the global concern on anthropogenic climate impacts has resulted in the prioritization of renewable energy systems that can support the decarbonization of our economies (IPCC, 2014). This transition has fundamentally modified the traditional decision-making approach in the energy sector. The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive (RED) was revised in December 2018 (REDII) and adopted as part of the Clean energy for all European package (European Union, 2018). It includes a new binding renewable energy target for 2030 of at least 32%, with a clause for a possible upward revision by 2023. Compared to previous actions [COM (2018)773], the European Green Deal has raised the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 2030 from 40% to 55% and has updated the programs already launched by the previous Commissions to make renewable energy, synergistically with energy efficiency, as the fundamental pillars to reach the ambitious goal of climate neutrality by 2050
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