Life cycle assessment of a wind farm repowering process

• Published in: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews 2018-10, Vol.93, p.260-271
• Main Authors: Martínez, E., Latorre-Biel, J.I., Jiménez, E., Sanz, F., Blanco, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Life cycle assessment; Repowering; Wind energy; Wind farm
• ISSN: 1364-0321; 1879-0690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2018.05.044

More and more wind farms are reaching the end of their useful lifetimes, so it is necessary to consider the need and/or suitability of dismantling or repowering them. This paper presents an analysis from the point of view of the potential environmental impact and benefit of a wind farm repowering process. The study has been performed by developing a life cycle assessment model of the repowering process of an old wind farm with low-power wind turbines. The results show the advantages of repowering wind farms of this type, especially in terms of increased capacity for electrical power generation from renewable sources and extending the useful lifetimes of wind farms. The main impact of the repowering process comes from the wind turbines, which show values of 2.43E + 07 kg CO2 eq. in the Global Warming category, followed by the substation and electrical line (5.14E + 05 kg CO2 eq.). These impacts are clearly offset by the benefits of increasing electrical power generation from renewable sources, which show values of − 9.03E + 08 kg CO2 eq. Therefore, from the point of view of the decision-making process, the repowering of old wind farms with low-power wind turbines provides environmental benefits that must be taken into account when evaluating the future of wind farms approaching the end of their useful lifetimes. •This paper analyses the environmental benefit of repowering a wind farm.•The greatest impact is caused by the wind turbines followed by the substation.•Repowering old, low-powered wind farms clearly shows an environmental improvement.