Abstract
A key benefit of microgeneration is reduced carbon dioxide emissions during operation, compared with conventional energy technologies. This benefit must however be weighed up against their environmental ‘costs’, including the ‘embodied’ carbon dioxide emissions associated with their manufacture.
This chapter describes the life cycle assessment (LCA) of four micro-generators – micro-wind, solar PV, solar hot water and fuel cell micro-CHP. It then focuses on one aspect of environmental performance – the carbon footprint – and compares operational savings with embodied carbon to calculate the carbon payback period for each microgeneration technology.
This chapter describes the life cycle assessment (LCA) of four micro-generators – micro-wind, solar PV, solar hot water and fuel cell micro-CHP. It then focuses on one aspect of environmental performance – the carbon footprint – and compares operational savings with embodied carbon to calculate the carbon payback period for each microgeneration technology.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Domestic Microgeneration |
| Subtitle of host publication | Renewable and Distributed Energy Technologies, Policies and Economics |
| Editors | I. Staffell, D. J. L. Brett, N. P. Brandon, A. D. Hawkes |
| Place of Publication | Abingdon, U. K. |
| Publisher | Routledge |
| Pages | 299-318 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781317448853 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780415810418 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 24 Jun 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2015 Iain Staffell, Daniel J. L. Brett, Nigel P. Brandon and Adam D. Hawkes.
Keywords
- Life Cycle Assessment
- energy analysis
- embodied energy
- Embodied Carbon
- Carbon Payback Time
- carbon footprints
- Carbon accounting
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Engineering
