Environmental sustainability of electricity generation: Case study of lignite combustion

• Published in: Environmental progress 2021-03, Vol.40 (2), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Atılgan Türkmen, Burçin, Deveci, Ece Ümmü, Sağlam, Çiğdem Şafak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative energy; Burning; Carbon dioxide; Climate change; Combustion; Electric power generation; Electricity; Electricity generation; Emissions; Energy; Energy industry; Energy policy; Energy sources; Environmental impact; Global warming; Greenhouse gases; Industrial plant emissions; Life cycle assessment; Life cycles; Lignite; Power plants; Renewable energy; Sustainability; Sustainable development
• ISSN: 1944-7442; 1944-7450
• DOI: 10.1002/ep.13521

Lignite is one of the most used Turkey's energy sources for electricity generation as there are large lignite reserves in the country. Lignite power plants are one of Turkey's main sources of GHG emissions. Therefore, understanding the environmental sustainability of generating electricity from lignite burning is essential for reducing environmental impacts. This research aims to assess the life cycle environmental impacts from a typical Turkish lignite power plant. In this paper, a system of the electricity from the lignite power plant is presented which covers all the life cycle stages—starting from the lignite mining up to the delivery of electricity to the grid. For this work to generate 1 kWh of generated is defined as the functional unit. The principal conclusion, to be drawn from this LCA of lignite power in Turkey, is that the majority of the emissions mostly originate from lignite burning to and lignite mining stages. The global warming potential associated with electricity generation from lignite power is estimated at 1,290 g CO2 eq./kWh. The results obtained from this study provide a baseline for future scenarios to reduce the environmental impacts from the energy sector and to build a sustainable energy policy.