Abstract
The study presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Italian electricity scenarios, devised in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (INECP). A fully representative LCA of the national electricity system was carried out, taking into consideration a great number of different power plant typologies for current (2016 and 2017) and future (2030) electricity mixes. The study confirms that LCA can be a powerful tool for supporting energy planning and strategies assessment. Indeed the results put in evidence not only the improvement of the environmental profile from the current to the future mix (the impacts decrease from 2016 to 2030 due to the transition towards renewables, mainly wind and photovoltaic), but also underline the difference between two scenarios at 2030 (being the scenario that includes the strategic objectives of the INECP to 2030 the one showing best environmental profile), providing an evaluation of the effect of different energy policies. For example, in the INECP scenario CO2 eq/kWh is 46% lower than current scenario and 37% lower than business as usual scenario for 2030. Moreover, considering different impact categories allowed to identify potential environmental trade-offs. The results suggest also the need of future insight on data related to photovoltaic technologies and materials and their future development.
Highlights
European Commission energy policy at the 2030 horizon aims to strengthen the 20-20-20 objectives and, at the same time, is a precondition for 2050 goals of the long-term strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions [1]
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology according to ISO 14040 [3] has been adopted
The present study evaluates the Italian energy strategy, starting from a detailed and fully representative LCA of the Italian electricity system
Summary
European Commission energy policy at the 2030 horizon aims to strengthen the 20-20-20 objectives and, at the same time, is a precondition for 2050 goals of the long-term strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions [1] In this framework, the Italian Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (INECP) [2], intends to accelerate the transition from traditional fuels to renewable sources. The present study is aimed at evaluating, from an environmental point of view, the Italian electricity generation scenarios at 2030 (devised in the INECP) and at comparing them with the current electricity generation mix At this purpose, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology according to ISO 14040 [3] has been adopted.
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