LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) of Parabolic Trough CSP: Materials Inventory and Embodied GHG Emissions from Two-Tank Indirect and Thermocline Thermal Storage (Presentation)
In the United States, concentrating solar power (CSP) is one of the most promising renewable energy (RE) technologies for reduction of electric sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and for rapid capacity expansion. It is also one of the most price-competitive RE technologies, thanks in large measure to decades of field experience and consistent improvements in design. One of the key design features that makes CSP more attractive than many other RE technologies, like solar photovoltaics and wind, is the potential for including relatively low-cost and efficient thermal energy storage (TES), which can smooth the daily fluctuation of electricity production and extend its duration into the evening peak hours or longer. Because operational environmental burdens are typically small for RE technologies, life cycle assessment (LCA) is recognized as the most appropriate analytical approach for determining their environmental impacts of these technologies, including CSP. An LCA accounts for impacts from all stages in the development, operation, and decommissioning of a CSP plant, including such upstream stages as the extraction of raw materials used in system components, manufacturing of those components, and construction of the plant. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is undertaking an LCA of modern CSP plants, starting with those of parabolic trough design.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-99GO10337
- OSTI ID:
- 966288
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/PR-6A2-46875
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CAPACITY
CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER
CONSTRUCTION
CSP
DECOMMISSIONING
DESIGN
ELECTRICITY
ENERGY STORAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLUCTUATIONS
GHG
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
GREENHOUSE GASES
HEAT STORAGE
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT
MANUFACTURING
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
PRODUCTION
RAW MATERIALS
RE TECHNOLOGIES
SOLAR
Solar Energy - Thermal
TES
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE