Global Warming Potential Impact Research Articles

Assessing the global warming potential impact of organic fertilizer strategies in rice cultivation in Sri Lanka.

Rice is the staple food in Sri Lanka, and over 15% of the national land is allocated for rice cultivation. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rice fields account for 10% of national GHG emissions. The country has committed to reducing its emissions by 14.5% between 2010 and 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2060. In 2021, the country banned agro-fertilizer imports and opted for organic fertilizers, leading to a notable decrease in production and posing challenges to food security. However, the impact of adopting compost fertilizers alone remains unexplored. This study evaluated the global warming impact of two organic fertilizer strategies: switching to compost fertilizer instead of urea and applying rice straw compost instead of retaining crop residue. We applied the Denitrification and Decomposition model (DNDC 95) to rice field management data from Sri Lanka's Mahaweli H agricultural region. Simulations suggest that both strategies would increase the global warming potential of rice fields, mainly owing to elevated N2O emissions. This outweighs the mitigation benefits of avoiding crop residue retention and adding organic carbon through compost. Overall, our results point to the potential risk of shifting exclusively to compost-based fertilizers.

Decreasing global tropical cyclone frequency in CMIP6 historical simulations.

The impact of anthropogenic global warming on tropical cyclone (TC) frequency remains a challenging issue, partly due to a relatively short period of reliable observational TC records and inconsistencies in climate model simulations. Using TC detection from 20 CMIP6 historical simulations, we show that the majority (75%) of these models show a decrease in global-scale TC frequency from 1850 to 2014. We demonstrated that this result is largely explained by weakened mid-tropospheric upward motion in CMIP6 models over the Pacific and Atlantic main development regions. The reduced upward motion is due to a zonal circulation adjustment and shifts in Intertropical Convergence Zone in response to global warming. In the South Indian Ocean, reduced TC frequency is mainly due to the decreased survival rate of TC seeds because of an increased saturation deficit in a warming climate. Our analysis highlights global warming's potential impact on the historical decrease in global TC frequency.

Combined bio-methanol and power production from bio-oil: Proposing a clean bio-process through waste heat recovery and environmental optimization

Traditional methanol production from natural gas is well-studied, but there is a lack of research on environmentally optimizing bio-based methanol production. This study focuses on optimizing the combined production of bio-methanol and power from bio-oil using a comprehensive bio-process model. The research includes a novel framework for environmental, technical, and economic optimization of bio-oil to methanol and power to determine the most eco-friendly and cost-effective approach. An organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is also integrated for waste heat recovery. The results of this study revealed that the bio-based process with ORC showed a 22.6 % reduction in global warming potential impact (GWP) per kilogram of methanol, compared to the bio-based process without ORC. Also, by implementing the most environmentally friendly process, GWP will be reduced by 70.6 % per kg methanol compared to base sub-optimal operation. The results showed that for the process with the addition of ORC, after performing multi-objective optimization, under the optimal conditions, the economic annual rate of return increased from 19.6 % to 34.7 %. Finally, it was revealed that if the considered technology is commercialized, for every percentage of the methanol market it gains, it will contribute to 2.176 million tons CO2-eq/year less emissions.

Comparison of Embodied Carbon Footprint of a Mass Timber Building Structure with a Steel Equivalent

The main purpose of this study is to quantify and compare the embodied carbon (EC) from the materials used or designed to build the Adohi Hall, a residence building located on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, AR. It has been constructed as a mass timber structure. It is compared to the same building design with a steel frame for this study. Based on the defined goal and scope of the project, all materials used in the building structure are compared for their global warming potential (GWP) impact by applying a life cycle assessment (LCA) using a cradle-to-construction site system boundary. This comparative building LCA comprises the product stage (including raw material extraction, processing, transporting, and manufacturing) plus transportation to the construction site (nodule A1–A4, according to standard EN 15804 definitions). In this study, GWP is primarily assessed with the exclusion of other environmental factors. Tally®, as one of the most popular LCA tools for buildings, is used in this comparative LCA analysis. In this study, the substitution of mass timber for a steel structure with a corrugated steel deck and concrete topping offers a promising opportunity to understand the GWP impact of each structure. Mass timber structures exhibit superior environmental attributes considering the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq). Emissions per square meter of gross floor area for mass timber stand at 198 kg, in stark contrast to the 243 kg CO2 eq recorded for steel structures. This means the mass timber building achieved a 19% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the functional equivalent steel structure within the building modules A1 to A4 studied. When considering carbon storage, about 2757 tonnes of CO2 eq are stored in the mass timber building, presenting further benefits of carbon emission delays for the life span of the structure. The substitution benefit from this construction case was studied through the displacement factor (DF) quantification following the standard process. A 0.28 DF was obtained when using mass timber over steel in the structure. This study provides insights into making more environmentally efficient decisions in buildings and helps in the move forward to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and address GWP mitigation.

Cellulose nanocrystal filled synthetic rubber: Sustainable production, environmental assessment and end-of-life biodegradation by polyphagous pests

Plastic and rubber productions have reached staggering levels, leading to environmental concerns and accumulation of microplastics (MPs) rising in ecosystems. Rubber tires, a major source of MPs, pose further challenges due to excessive use of carbon black (CB) nanofillers in their manufacturing process, stresses on adding the element of sustainability to these products. This study emphasizes on the production of bio-based cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) filled synthetic rubber with sustainability assessment through life cycle assessment (LCA). It investigates the end-of-life (EOL) biodegradation potentials of rubber waste using a polyphagous pest, fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda). The results revealed that the production of CNC filled rubber demonstrate enhanced modulus compared to CB nanofillers, while requires substantial resource consumption, impacting abiotic resource depletion–fossil fuels (ADPf), freshwater ecotoxicity (CTUe), global warming potential (GWP), particulate matter (PM) and other impact categories. Emissions associated with CNC filled rubber during EOL phase are comparatively lower than CB, rendering CNC based rubbers a potentially viable choice from an environmental sustainability perspective. EOL pest biodegradation of CNC filled rubber showed negligible to no discernible physiological effects, potentially attributed to the presence of a diverse gut microbiota community in FAW (S. frugiperda). These findings highlight the relationship between physiochemical properties and CNC biodegradability in synthetic rubbers, aiding the development of sustainable EOL strategies for rubber waste management.

Transforming Turkish electricity system in the context of circular economy and green deal: impacts on steel and agricultural production

ABSTRACT Two important but conflicting goals in Turkey’s energy policy have been ensuring energy security through increased indigenous energy resource utilization and meeting the 2053 net zero emission commitment. Based on this, this work explores emission mitigation pathways for Turkey’s electricity system through circularity approaches of CO2 utilization and framework material recycling (FMR). Using mathematical models, eight life cycle impact potentials are evaluated including global warming potential (GWP). The extended impact on steel and agricultural production was also examined in the Green Deal context. The circularity approaches investigated showed that the GWP of Turkey’s wind, solar, and lignite energy sources reduce from the base values of 7.3 gCO2eq./kWh, 29.5 gCO2eq./kWh and 1130 gCO2eq./kWh to 2.72 gCO2eq./kWh, 21.08 gCO2eq./kWh and 241.26 gCO2eq./kWh, respectively. Fifty percent recycling ratio is also determined as the optimum for CO2 utilization and FMR. With this ratio, 21.84% CO2 emission reduction corresponding to 0.083 GT annual CO2 savings is achieved in the Turkish electricity mix. The decarbonization of electricity results in 25.0% and 27.0% GWP impact reductions in the agricultural and steel sectors, respectively. Hence, the decarbonization of electricity mix can significantly ease the negative impacts of the Green Deal on Turkey’s economy. Additionally, promoting and increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the electricity mix can further enhance these environmental benefits.

Carbon Assessment of a Wooden Single-Family Building—Focusing on Re-Used Building Products

Previous research has shown a lack of studies with comparisons between primary (virgin) and secondary (re-used) building materials, and their embodied emissions. The creation of different scenarios comparing the environmental impact of virgin vs. re-used materials is also motivated by the scarcity of raw materials in the world and the emergency of mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings. The aim of this study was to investigate scenarios, including new vs. re-used building products, applying the LCA method for a wooden single-family building. The findings showed a 23% reduction potential for total released (positive) CO2e when comparing the Reference scenario with Scenario I, using re-used wooden-based materials. Further, Scenario II, using all re-used building materials except for installations, showed a 59% CO2e reduction potential compared to the Reference scenario. Finally, Scenario III, which assumes all re-used building products, showed a 92% decreased global warming potential (GWP) impact compared to the Reference scenario. However, when including biogenic carbon and benefits (A5 and D module), the Reference scenario, based on newly produced wooden building materials, has the largest negative GHG emissions. It can be concluded that the re-use of building products leads to significant carbon savings compared to using new building products.

A comprehensive life-cycle assessment of plastic mulching for maize

While plastic mulch (PM) can increase crop yield, there are negative environmental impacts associated with the production, use and disposal of PM films. There is currently a gap in the literature on the negative impacts of PM throughout its entire life cycle, with most studies focusing on the global warming potential (GWP) only. The objective of this study is to conduct a life-cycle assessment (LCA) of PM to investigate the environmental impacts of all stages of mulching. The LCA was conducted using the SimaPro with data obtained from the relevant literature and ecoinvent database. The system boundaries include the production, transportation, installation, operation, removal and disposal of PM. The results reveal that the field operation of PM has the highest impact in GWP. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted and the GWP impact was observed to be sensitive to changes in carbon dioxide and net ecosystem carbon dioxide budget. The production of PM has the highest impact in abiotic depletion, but this impact can be reduced through energy recovery. Incineration yields the least harmful impacts, but the results of the study may vary depending on the exact disposal method. The impact of PM can be mitigated through proper waste management and mitigation measures, including regulations on disposal.

Attribution of Global Warming Potential impacts in a multifunctional metals industry system using different system expansion and allocation methodologies

PurposeIn order to reach a more circular economy, materials previously classified as waste can be upgraded and turned into valuable co-products, with associated environmental benefits. The generation of co-products raises many questions around the multifunctionality issue from a life cycle perspective. This article explores the attribution of Global Warming Potential (GWP) impacts for an ironmaking process, HIsarna, which additionally produces two co-products: zinc-rich process dust and slag, suitable for the zinc and cement sectors, respectively.MethodsA wide range of LCA allocation methodologies are applied to attribute impacts between the main product, hot metal, and the two co-products. These include system expansion, physical allocation, economic allocation and zero burden allocation. Each method attributes a different GWP to each co-product. Additionally, different perspectives are explored to consider the most suitable methods according to the co-product user and the co-product producer. For instance, it might be in the co-product user’s interest that the co-product GWP was minimised, and lower than other material inputs performing a similar function. Conversely, the co-product producer may be incentivised to lower its primary product’s GWP by attributing the greatest possible burden to the co-products.Results and discussionThe GWP impacts for zinc-rich process dust range from 0 to 3.71 kg CO2 eq. per kg. At the higher end, the GWP of zinc-rich dust would be higher than that of primary zinc concentrate. A similarly wide range is applicable for slag, 0 to 1.27 kg CO2 eq. per kg. This impacts the final GWP applied to HIsarna hot metal, which has an initial GWP of 1.72 kg CO2 eq. per kg but could decrease to 1.17 kg CO2 eq. per kg depending on the allocation methods employed. This would be a substantial reduction of over 30%, larger than many decarbonisation options that are predicted to provide. This scenario would also heavily burden the co-products and could be in conflict with interests of a co-product user seeking to utilise low emissions feedstocks as part of a decarbonisation strategy.ConclusionsThe reduction in GWP impact attributed to hot metal with the different approaches highlights the relevance of harmonizing the allocation methods used for co-products. The appropriateness of each of the approaches for attributing GWP impacts has been explored, offering insights as to how the benefits of such systems could be assessed and attributed in the future as circularity strategies and valuable co-products become more prevalent.

Importance of Strategic Environmental Assessment (Sea) Process and Environmental Health Impact Assessment (Ehia) Process Towards Sustainable Climate Change And Control

Importance of Strategic Environmental Assessment (Sea) Process and Environmental Health Impact Assessment (Ehia) Process Towards Sustainable Climate Change And Control

Global warming potential of lithium-ion battery cell production: Determining influential primary and secondary raw material supply routes

This study assesses the global warming potential (GWP) impacts of lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling and subsequent cell production from primary and secondary raw materials. Furthermore, the study proposes multiple allocation strategies for the GWP impacts of LIB recycling, which range from 18 to 22 kg CO2 equivalent per kilowatt-hour NMC111 and NMC811 battery packs to determine the environmental burdens of secondary raw materials. The results demonstrate that using secondary raw materials could ideally reduce NMC111 and NMC811 cell production GWP by 30 %. In practice, GWP impact reductions will vary depending on factors, such as the contributions of primary production and recycling to battery raw material supply, and the market share of the different technologies employed within both primary production and recycling.Based on estimates for the availability of recycled raw materials to the European battery value chain, the sensitivity analysis methods identified NMC hydroxide, nickel sulfate, and battery-grade graphite as the most influential recycled raw materials on NMC111 cell production GWP. These materials received importance scores of 59%, 8%, and 6% respectively. Primary supply routes for cobalt sulfate received the highest importance score, followed by the primary supply routes of lithium carbonate and nickel sulfate. For NMC811 cells, nickel sulfate (34%), NMC hydroxide (27%) and graphite (8%) were identified as the most influential recycled raw materials, with the primary supply routes of nickel sulfate, lithium hydroxide and battery-grade graphite being the most influential.

Analyzing the global warming potential of the production and utilization of lithium-ion batteries with nickel-manganese-cobalt cathode chemistries in European Gigafactories

This study evaluates the global warming potential (GWP) impact of producing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in emerging European Gigafactories. The paper presents a cradle-to-gate (CTG) life cycle assessment (LCA) of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistries for battery electric vehicle (BEV) applications. We consider three scenarios to cover the most probable production routes in Germany, France, and Italy, foreseen as the largest European LIB producers by 2030. The energy demand for manufacturing considers two cases: electricity only and a mix of heat and electricity. The results show that European Gigafactories can reduce the overall GWP relative to 1 kWh of NMC battery, with respect to Chinese NMC LIBs, in a range of 32–60%. This corresponds to a decrease in equivalent CO2 emission of 32–81 kg CO2 eq., depending on the location, the energy demand and the NMC chemistry, if the whole production takes place in the facility. French Gigafactories obtain the upper bound of this reduction. A sensitivity analysis of the source of the lithium compound, used to produce the active cathode material, shows that increasing the nickel content decreases the GWP impact per kWh of battery capacity. However, NMC622 generates less equivalent CO2 than NMC811, for lithium compound produced from Chilean brine. In addition, a simplified analysis of the utilization phase of two different classes of BEVs shows the positive effects of the regional LIB production and of the low carbon intensity of the electricity mix.

A design stage, multi-objective assessment: material selection with environmental life-cycle analysis, labor, and material health considerations for building structure

During the schematic design stage of a building, assessing trade-offs of lifecycle impact of building elements and materials is crucial for the decision-making process when aiming to reduce negative impacts holistically. A multi-objective assessment is proposed, for environmental, labour exploitation risk (LER), and material health lifecycle impact of the structure and foundation elements in the schematic design stage. Using a real, mid-size, mass timber, educational building in Philadelphia, United States as a case study, we deployed multi-objective optimization (MOO) to consider the range of global warming potential (GWP), LER rating, and material health impact of nine product types over 1602 structure and foundation elements. The parametric workflow paired with Building Information Modelling (BIM) objects aims to provide designers a holistic overview on the cumulative, per material, and per building element impact upstream in the supply chain. The Pareto front solutions reveal that concrete floor with metal deck, hollow structural section framing, and concrete foundation slab, footing, and column pose the greatest risk overall for the case study building, and warrant design consideration to substitute with less impactful alternatives.

Engineering characterization and environmental analysis of natural rubber latex modified asphalt mixture

Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) has attracted considerable interest as a resource for renewable paving materials due to its potential to lessen environmental impact. In order to gain a thorough understanding of the performance of NRL, this study evaluated the mechanical properties and environmental impact of Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) mixtures with a 6.6% binder content, 5% air voids content, and 5% NRL by weight of binder. The performance of this NRL asphalt mixture was compared to a control asphalt mixture using a commercially available polymer modified Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) binder. The performance of the asphalt mixtures, such as their tensile strength, stiffness modulus, and resistance to fatigue and rutting, as well as their Global Warming Potential (GWP) impact, were studied. The results indicate that the addition of NRL increased tensile strength, stiffness modulus, and fatigue life in comparison to a conventional, unmodified asphalt mixture but had slightly lower values in comparison to the SBS mixture. Moreover, in terms of environmental concern, life-cycle assessment reveals that NRL-modified mixtures are more sustainable than SBS-modified mixtures in terms of GWP value.

Are single global warming potential impact assessments adequate for carbon footprints of agri-food systems?

The vast majority of agri-food climate-based sustainability analyses use global warming potential (GWP100) as an impact assessment, usually in isolation; however, in recent years, discussions have criticised the ‘across-the-board’ application of GWP100 in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), particularly of food systems which generate large amounts of methane (CH4) and considered whether reporting additional and/or alternative metrics may be more applicable to certain circumstances or research questions (e.g. Global Temperature Change Potential (GTP)). This paper reports a largescale sensitivity analysis using a pasture-based beef production system (a high producer of CH4 emissions) as an exemplar to compare various climatatic impact assessments: CO2-equivalents using GWP100 and GTP100, and ‘CO2-warming-equivalents’ using ‘GWP Star’, or GWP*. The inventory for this system was compiled using data from the UK Research and Innovation National Capability, the North Wyke Farm Platform, in Devon, SW England. LCAs can have an important bearing on: (i) policymakers’ decisions; (ii) farmer management decisions; (iii) consumers’ purchasing habits; and (iv) wider perceptions of whether certain activities can be considered ‘sustainable’ or not; it is, therefore, the responsibility of LCA practitioners and scientists to ensure that subjective decisions are tested as robustly as possible through appropriate sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. We demonstrate herein that the choice of climate impact assessment has dramatic effects on interpretation, with GWP100 and GTP100 producing substantially different results due to their different treatments of CH4 in the context of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents. Given its dynamic nature and previously proven strong correspondence with climate models, out of the three assessments covered, GWP* provides the most complete coverage of the temporal evolution of temperature change for different greenhouse gas emissions. We extend previous discussions on the limitations of static emission metrics and encourage LCA practitioners to consider due care and attention where additional information or dynamic approaches may prove superior, scientifically speaking, particularly in cases of decision support.

Environmentally Benign Partially Delignified and Microwave Processed Bamboo‐Based Drinking Straws

AbstractSingle‐use plastic straws are a significant environmental concern as they pollute the ecosystem and drastically harm humans and aquatic organisms. Paper straws, as an alternative have limitations such as weak mechanical properties, poor water stability, and the use of coatings or adhesives that hinder their biodegradability. The present study reports a facile approach for preparing mechanically robust, water‐stable, and biodegradable straws using partially delignified and microwave (MW) treated bamboo. The MW‐processed bamboo‐based straws present water stability for up to 16 h and a contact angle of 87.8°, suggesting low wettability and water stability for long periods. The processed straws show improved tensile strength of 59.3 MPa, Young's modulus of 988 MPa, and a flexural strength of 13.9 MPa, along with >97% biodegradation (98 days). MW treatment is a rapid and low‐cost strategy for physiochemical modification that can be used for the large‐scale production of drinking straws from biomass. The life cycle analysis (LCA) shows that MW‐irradiated bamboo straws generate 86.53% less global warming potential (GWP) impact during production and 91.8% less human health damage impact during end‐of‐life (EOL), compared to plastic straws. MW‐treated drinking straws from bamboo can thus become a low‐cost, eco‐friendly, biodegradable, and sustainable alternative to paper and plastic straws.

Assessing the global warming potential of aircraft gas turbine materials: Impacts and implications

The aviation industry generates a wide range of climate pollutants, which often leads to an underestimation of its impact on global warming. Constructing aircraft components using environmentally friendly materials could significantly reduce the environmental burden associated with aviation growth. The objective of this study is to evaluate the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of commonly used alloys in gas turbine engines of aircraft. Material information on aircraft engine components was extracted, and GWP data for each metal was obtained using SimaPro software, and the GWP of components was determined. The study revealed that RENE 15 and GTD111 turbine alloys had the highest GWP impact, ranging from 13.53 to 14.05 kg CO2e/kg, while AISI 403 and GTD-450 used in the compressor, M152 used in the turbine, and Cr-Mo-V alloys used in both the turbine and shafts had the lowest GWP effect, ranging from 1.61 to 1.90 kg CO2e/kg. Moreover, the study evaluated the environmental impact associated with the manufacturing of aircraft engine components. The findings indicated that Ti-based materials had the highest GWP rate, with a value of 3.29 kg CO2e/kg, which was almost the sum of all other metals. In particular, Ti-based materials used in fan components were identified as the largest source of environmental impact during aircraft engine production, with a value of 2.02 kg CO2e/kg. These results underscore the crucial role of material selection in mitigating environmental impacts during aviation engine component production. The study highlights the need for more effective and efficient approaches to material selection from an environmental standpoint in the aviation industry, especially in the context of reducing global warming potential. The results of this research could inform decision-making related to material selection for aircraft engine components, and help the aviation industry to reduce its overall environmental impact and mitigate the effects of global warming.

End-of-Life Impact on the Cradle-to-Grave LCA of Light-Duty Commercial Vehicles in Europe

A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment focused on end-of-life (EoL) was conducted in this study for three configurations of a light-duty commercial vehicle (LDCV): diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and battery electric vehicle (BEV). The aim is to investigate the impact of recycling under two EoL scenarios with different allocation methods. The first is based on the traditional avoided burden method, while the second is based on the circular footprint formula (CFF) developed by the European Commission. For each configuration, a detailed multilevel waste management scheme was developed in compliance with the 2000/53/CE directive and ISO22628 standard. The results showed that the global warming potential (GWP) impact under the CFF method is significantly greater when compared to the avoided burden method because of the A-parameter, which allocates the burdens and benefits between the two connected product systems. Furthermore, in all configurations and scenarios, the benefits due to the avoided production of virgin materials compensate for the recycling burdens within GWP impact. The main drivers of GWP reduction are steel recycling for all of the considered LDCVs, platinum, palladium, and rhodium recycling for the diesel and CNG configurations, and Li-ion battery recycling for the BEV configuration. Finally, the EoL stage significantly reduces the environmental impact of those categories other than GWP.

Life cycle assessment of waste management in rural areas in the transition period from mixed collection to source-separation

Rural solid waste management is essential for fulfilling sustainable development goals, especially in developing countries. However, quantitative study on this aspect has been little and far behind the urban areas. In this study, the environmental impacts of four typical rural solid waste management systems were quantified using life cycle assessment based on data from field investigations of five towns across four seasons. Sensitivity analysis was used to determine the most influential parameters. The results showed that landfilling mixed waste contributed the highest environmental impacts. By substituting landfilling with incineration, the environmental impacts (i.e., global warming potential, terrestrial acidification potential, fossil resource scarcity, freshwater ecotoxicity potential) dropped about 110%-900%. When shifting collection schemes to source separation, the environmental impacts also decreased by approximately 50%-200%. However, the environmental impacts of applying source separation to the existing management systems with mixed collection and disposal facilities of landfill or waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration are unclear and depend on the performance of decentralized composting and anaerobic digestion facilities, which need further investigations. Compared with urban cases, the landfill in rural areas emits higher greenhouse gas (GHG), and WTE incineration plants in rural areas have similar GHG emissions to WTE in urban areas. Besides, energy recovery was the most influential process in WTE systems and a 1% improvement on that would bring over 10% progress on global warming potential impact category. These findings can be useful for improving and developing rural domestic waste treatment in China and other developing countries.

基于生命周期分析的风机叶片环境影响评价

Wind energy is an important renewable energy source with natural 'green' properties. However there may be certain ecological and environmental impacts during the production, manufacturing and installation of wind turbine components. The existing studies mainly focus on the ecological and climatic impacts of wind farms, and lack the environmental impact analysis on production and manufacturing process of wind turbine components, such as blades. Based on the life cycle assessment method, this study examines the environmental impact of 9 different types of major specifications of wind turbine blades, with consideration of acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), global warming potential (GWP) and photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP). The results show that the impacts of AP, EP, GWP and POCP per unit length blade are approximately 7.5 kgSO₂ eq/m、0.7 kgPO₄^3- eq/m、2.6 tCO₂ eq/m and 0.9 kgC₂H₄ eq/m, respectively. Taking GWP impact as an example, it is predicted that the cumulative carbon emissions from wind turbine blades during the whole life cycles will reach 2.3 × 10⁷ t and 2.0 × 10⁸ t of CO₂ eq in 2030 and 2060 at national level, respectively. The combined use of carbon fiber and glass fiber composites and the recycling of decommissioned wind turbine blades can significantly reduce the environmental impact. This study can promote the low-carbon and green development of wind turbine blade industry, and provide reference for measuring the environmental impact of wind turbines and wind farms.