scholarly journals Life Cycle Analysis of Ecological Impacts of an Offshore and a Land-Based Wind Power Plant

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Izabela Piasecka ◽  
Andrzej Tomporowski ◽  
Józef Flizikowski ◽  
Weronika Kruszelnicka ◽  
Robert Kasner ◽  
...  

This study deals with the problems connected with the benefits and costs of an offshore wind power plant in terms of ecology. Development prospects of offshore and land-based wind energy production are described. Selected aspects involved in the design, construction, and operation of offshore wind power plant construction and operation are presented. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the environmental impact of offshore and land-based wind power plants. Life cycle assessment analysis of 2-MW offshore and land wind power plants was made with the use of Eco-indicator 99 modeling. The results were compared in four areas of impact in order to obtain values of indexes for nonergonomic (impact on/by operator), nonfunctional (of/on the product), nonecological (on/by living objects), and nonsozological impacts (on/by manmade objects), reflecting the extent of threat to human health, the environment, and natural resources. The processes involved in extraction of fossil fuels were found to produce harmful emissions which in turn lead to respiratory system diseases being, thus, extremely dangerous for the natural environment. For all the studied areas, the impact on the environment was found to be higher for land-based wind power plants than for an offshore wind farm.

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (s1) ◽  
pp. 225-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Tomporowski ◽  
Izabela Piasecka ◽  
Józef Flizikowski ◽  
Robert Kasner ◽  
Weronika Kruszelnicka ◽  
...  

Abstract In recent years, the offshore wind power industry has been growing dynamically. A key element which decides upon power output of a wind power plant is blades. They are most frequently produced from polymers – laminates with epoxy resins and fiberglass. In the near future, when the blade life cycles are over, large amounts of waste material of this type will have to be reused. This paper presents a comparison analysis of the impact of particular material existence cycle stages of land-based and offshore wind power plant blades on the environment. Two wind power plant blades, of about 49 m in length each, were examined using the LCA method, the programme SimaPro, and Ekowskaźnik 99 modelling (phase LCIA).


Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Izabela Piasecka ◽  
Patrycja Bałdowska-Witos ◽  
Józef Flizikowski ◽  
Katarzyna Piotrowska ◽  
Andrzej Tomporowski

Controlling the system—the environment of power plants is called such a transformation—their material, energy and information inputs in time, which will ensure that the purpose of the operation of this system or the state of the environment, is achieved. The transformations of systems and environmental inputs and their goals describe the different models, e.g., LCA model groups and methods. When converting wind kinetic energy into electricity, wind power plants emit literally no harmful substances into the environment. However, the production and postuse management stages of their components require large amounts of energy and materials. The biggest controlling problem during postuse management is wind power plant blades, followed by waste generated during their production. Therefore, this publication is aimed at carrying out an ecological, technical and energetical transformation analysis of selected postproduction waste of wind power plant blades based on the LCA models and methods. The research object of control was eight different types of postproduction waste (fiberglass mat, roving fabric, resin discs, distribution hoses, spiral hoses with resin, vacuum bag film, infusion materials residues, surplus mater), mainly made of polymer materials, making it difficult for postuse management and dangerous for the environment. Three groups of models and methods were used: Eco-indicator 99, IPCC and CED. The impact of analysis objects on human health, ecosystem quality and resources was controlled and assessed. Of all the tested waste, the life cycle of resin discs made of epoxy resin was characterized by the highest level of harmful technology impact on the environment and the highest energy consumption. Postuse control and management in the form of recycling would reduce the negative impact on the environment of the tested waste (in the perspective of their entire life cycle). Based on the results obtained, guidelines and models for the proecological postuse control of postproduction polymer waste of wind power plants blades were proposed.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 4975
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Piotrowska ◽  
Izabela Piasecka

Wind power plants during generation of electricity emit almost no detrimental substances into the milieu. Nonetheless, the procedure of extraction of raw materials, production of elements and post-use management carry many negative environmental consequences. Wind power plant blades are mainly made of polymer materials, which cause a number of problems during post-use management. Controlling the system and the environment means such a transformation of their inputs in time that will ensure the achievement of the goal of this system or the state of the environment. Transformations of control of system and environment inputs, for example, blades production, are describing various models which in the research methodology, like LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), LCM (Life Cycle Management), LCI (Life Cycle Inventory), etc. require meticulous grouping and weighing of life cycle variables of polymer materials. The research hypothesis was assuming, in this paper, that the individual post-production waste of wind power plant blades is characterized by a different potential impact on the environment. For this reason, the aim of this publication is to conduct an ecological and energy life cycle analysis, evaluation, steering towards minimization and development (positive progress) of selected polymer waste produced during the manufacture of wind power plant blades. The analyzes were based on the LCA method. The subject of the research was eight types of waste (fiberglass mat, roving fabric, resin discs, distribution hoses, spiral hoses with resin, vacuum bag film, infusion materials residues and surplus mater), which are most often produced during the production of blades. Eco-indicator 99 and CED (Cumulative Energy Demand) were used as the computation procedures. The influence of the analyzed objects on human health, ecosystem quality and resources was appraised. Amidst the considered wastes, the highest level of depreciating impact on the milieu was found in the life cycle of resin discs (made of epoxy resin). The application of recycling processes would decrease the depreciating environmental influence in the context of the total life cycle of all analyzed waste. Based on the outcome of the analyzes, recommendations were proposed for the environmentally friendly post-use management of wind power plant blades, that can be used to develop new blade manufacturing techniques that better fit in with sustainable development and the closed-cycle economy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Srokosz ◽  
Ireneusz Dyka ◽  
Marcin Bujko

Abstract The paper presents a selected aspect of the determining the initial soil shear modulus value on the research example in resonant column – torsional shear apparatus (RC / TS). There are presented the significance of the initial value of shear modulus in design of offshore wind power plant foundations and the importance of its variability in the function of cyclical shear strains of soil related to the impact of sea and atmosphere on the designed structures. Based on the conducted analyses, a new methodology for interpreting the TS test results of soil has been proposed. It allows estimating the values of the shear modulus in the full range of shear strains occurring in issues closely related to the design and construction work of offshore wind power plant foundations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Fernández-Guillamón ◽  
Kaushik Das ◽  
Nicolaos A. Cutululis ◽  
Ángel Molina-García

Nowadays, wind is considered as a remarkable renewable energy source to be implemented in power systems. Most wind power plant experiences have been based on onshore installations, as they are considered as a mature technological solution by the electricity sector. However, future power scenarios and roadmaps promote offshore power plants as an alternative and additional power generation source, especially in some regions such as the North and Baltic seas. According to this framework, the present paper discusses and reviews trends and perspectives of offshore wind power plants for massive offshore wind power integration into future power systems. Different offshore trends, including turbine capacity, wind power plant capacity as well as water depth and distance from the shore, are discussed. In addition, electrical transmission high voltage alternating current (HVAC) and high voltage direct current (HVDC) solutions are described by considering the advantages and technical limitations of these alternatives. Several future advancements focused on increasing the offshore wind energy capacity currently under analysis are also included in the paper.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 93-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Tomporowski ◽  
Józef Flizikowski ◽  
Marek Opielak ◽  
Robert Kasner ◽  
Weronika Kruszelnicka

Abstract Power stations in marine locations cause multi-faceted impact on the environment, man and the economy. There are not many studies devoted to modeling energy benefits for CO2 emissions. The paper presents the issues of assessing the efficiency of offshore wind farms, defined as the ratio of benefits to life cycle inputs. The scientific goal was to develop a mathematical model for efficiency in the design, manufacture, use and management of offshore wind power. The papers practical purpose is the experimental designation of the impact of selected post-use management methods, time of use and maritime location, i.e. average annual productivity of wind power plants on the efficiency of energy benefits from greenhouse gas emissions. The mathematical model of the integrated cost-benefit ratio has been developed for energy use assessment, taking into account the benefits generated by electricity production and the life-cycle CO2 emissions based on the LCA analysis using the CML method. Mathematical model validation was performed by determining the value of the indicator for an existing 2 MW offshore wind farm and comparatively for fossil fuel production: lignite, stone, fuel oil and natural gas. Analytical and research work carried out showed that the higher the efficiency index, the higher the value of the indicator. It has been shown that the location of the power station at sea produces more favorable CO2 elimination rates, due to higher productivity compared to in-land wind power plants. A more favorable form of post-consumer management for CO2 has been determined as recycling. It was found that for electricity generated from offshore wind farms, the value of the energy efficiency benefit from CO2 emissions is higher than for fossil fuel energy production.


Author(s):  
Yih-Huei Wan ◽  
Michael Milligan ◽  
Brian Parsons

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) started a project in 2000 to record long-term, high-frequency (1-Hz) wind power output data from large commercial wind power plants. Outputs from about 330 MW of wind generating capacity from wind power plants in Buffalo Ridge, Minnesota, and Storm Lake, Iowa, are being recorded. Analysis of the collected data shows that although very short-term wind power fluctuations are stochastic, the persistent nature of wind and the large number of turbines in a wind power plant tend to limit the magnitudes and rates of changes in the levels of wind power. Analyses of power data confirm that spatial separation greatly reduces variations in the combined wind power output relative to output from a single wind power plant. Data show that high frequency variations of wind power from two wind power plants 200 km apart are independent of each other, but low frequency power changes can be highly correlated. This fact suggests that time-synchronized power data and meteorological data can aid in the development of statistical models for wind power forecasting.


2014 ◽  
Vol 543-547 ◽  
pp. 503-508
Author(s):  
Xin Ying Wang

IEC 61400-25 is a series of international standards on communication of wind power plants. The service defined by information exchange models in wind power plants communicates through being mapped to web service. Web service is described by WSDL, but with the limitation of WSDL itself, web service can not realize the semantic description, the automatic discovery and composition of service. So semantic web service is introduced, the service is described by OWL-S to realize the interconnection of wind power plant hardware devices from different manufacturers, to facilitate the sharing and reuse of devices function and to realize the sharing of wind power plant knowledge in semantic level.


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