http://icarb.org/2013/05/06/5th-international-conference-minutes-and-presentations/

1. Power generation
Rules and Tools for wind
energy accounting
13th March 2013
Chaired by:
Samuel Chapman, Heriot-Watt
University

2. Can we move forward in agreeing on relevant,
consistent and accurate studies?
Can we suggest case studies to stakeholders?
Can we agree on methods for systematic carbon
accounting and specific technical carbon accounting
within our sector?

3. Agenda
Presentation of Process-based Life Cycle
Carbon (and Energy) Study
 Presentation of Cost-based Carbon Study
 Presentation of a hybrid approach to life
cycle carbon assessment of offshore wind
 Feedback
 Case Studies
 Other sectors

4. Conducted through material inventory data and
bottom-up detail only

5. Conducted through aggregated cost data only. Based
on UK offshore wind cost data and harmonisation
results.

6. Conducted via a mixture of the two. A hybrid
approach

7. Sensitivities in Wind Power

8. Which stakeholders present today?
 Policy makers
 Academics
 Environmental managers
 Environmental consultants
 Community groups
 Others?

9. Carbon Accounting
Methods & Guidelines
ISO 14040/44
 GHG Protocol
 Defra Guidelines
 Carbon Trust
Standard
 Input-Output Analysis
 Fuel Mix Disclosure
 PAS 2050
 And more?
MATERIALS
EXTRACTION &
PROCESSING
MANUFACTURE &
ASSEMBLY
OPERATIONS &
MAINTENANCE
DECOMMISSIONING
& DISPOSALRECYCLING
WASTE

10. Feedback from 2011 Conference
1.Good case studies available, but need more to
cover specific issues
2.Cross-sectoral communication needs to
improve
3.Training and education critical
4.More links with resource efficiency and other
benefits required

11. The NREL Harmonisation Project – A basis
for more timely carbon accounting.
Aligning carbon assessments for ICARB
databases / reference tools
Samuel Chapman
PhD Student. Institute for Infrastructure and Environment
Heriot-Watt University

12. The Issue
1.Understand the huge
range of published results
of LCAs of electricity
generation technologies
2.Reduce the variability in
published results
3.Clarify the central
tendency of published
estimates.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Published
Life Cycle GHG Estimates (gCO2e/kWh)
Global Estimates for Onshore
Wind
Range of
estimates for
nuclear

13. The Method
1.Review of Historic life cycle studies / estimates
2.META-Analysis of chosen estimates
3.Learn from reducing the variation and reviewing
studies

15. gCO2e
Capacity factor x 8760 hours/year x
lifetime x Nameplate capacity
Life
Cycle
GHG
Emission
s
=

16. Raw Material Extraction
Materials Manufacture
Component Manufacture
Production
Processes
Civil Works
Environmental Disturbance
Construction
Processes
Power
Generation
MaintenanceOperational
Processes
Decommissioning
Disposal
Disposal
Processes
Recycling
Vehicle use
included within
stage
Transportati
on
Process Flow
Key
Wind
Turbine/Far
m Life Cycle
Process
Flow
Diagram
gCO2e

17. These variations in approach, while usually
legitimate, hamper comparison across studies
and pooling of published results
reduce the uncertaintyincrease the value of the
assessments to the
policymaking and research
communities

18. As Published (All Values)As Published (All Values)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0
5
10
15
20
25
parison of central tendency and spread of published GHG emission estim
Life Cycle GHG Estimates (gCO2e/kWh) Life Cycle GHG Estimates (gCO2e/kWh)

19. Credit: Sathaye, J., O. Lucon, A. Rahman, J. Christensen, F. Denton, J. Fujino, G. Heath, S. Kadner, M. Mirza, H. Rudnick, A.
Schlaepfer, A. Shmakin, 2011: Renewable Energy in the Context of Sustainable Energy. In IPCC Special Report on
Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation [O. Edenhofer, R. Pichs-Madruga, Y. Sokona, K. Seyboth, P.
Matschoss, S. Kadner, T. Zwickel, P. Eickemeier, G. Hansen, S. Schlömer, C. von Stechow (eds)], Cambridge University

20. Grid and Wind Interaction – Marginal carbon
offsets of wind. Lessons from historical data
Are we getting any closer to understanding how to
balance and optimise the contributions of different
technologies on the grid?
Camilla Thomson
PhD Student, Institute for Energy Systems
University of Edinburgh

21. ICARB Energy Workshop
Developing a Standard Framework and
Providing Accreditation

22. ICARB: The Initiative for Carbon
Accounting
“A group of academics, politicians and
consultants working to create a set of
transparent, consistent and accurate rules
for Carbon Accounting.”
Supported by