Embodied energy and environmental impact of Large-Power Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Irrigation Systems

Todde, Giuseppe, Murgia, Lelia, Carrelo, Isaac, Hogan Teves de Almeida, Rita, Pazzona, Antonio, Ledda, Luigi and Narvarte Fernandez, Luis ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6289-7605 (2018). Embodied energy and environmental impact of Large-Power Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Irrigation Systems. "Energies", v. 11 (n. 8); pp. 1-15. ISSN 1996-1073. https://doi.org/10.3390/en11082110.

Description

Title: Embodied energy and environmental impact of Large-Power Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Irrigation Systems
Author/s:
  • Todde, Giuseppe
  • Murgia, Lelia
  • Carrelo, Isaac
  • Hogan Teves de Almeida, Rita
  • Pazzona, Antonio
  • Ledda, Luigi
  • Narvarte Fernandez, Luis https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6289-7605
Item Type: Article
Título de Revista/Publicación: Energies
Date: August 2018
ISSN: 1996-1073
Volume: 11
Subjects:
Freetext Keywords: life cycle assessment; solar energy; PV water pumping; GHG agriculture; diesel fuel; electricity
Faculty: E.T.S.I. y Sistemas de Telecomunicación (UPM)
Department: Ingeniería Telemática y Electrónica
Creative Commons Licenses: Recognition - No derivative works - Non commercial

Full text

[thumbnail of INVE_MEM_2018_281636.pdf]
Preview
PDF - Requires a PDF viewer, such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

A life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used to evaluate the cumulative energy demand and the related environmental impact of three large-power stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) irrigation systems ranging from 40 kWp to 360 kWp. The novelty of this analysis is the large power of these systems as the literature up to now is restricted to modeled PV pumping systems scenarios or small power plants, where the size can be a critical factor for energy and environmental issues. The analysis shows that the yearly embodied energy per unit of PV power ranged from 1306 MJ/kWp to 1199 MJ/kWp depending of the PV generator size. Similarly, the related yearly carbon dioxide impacts ranged from 72.6 to 79.8 kg CO2e/kWp. The production of PV modules accounted for the main portion (about 80%) of the primary energy embodied into the PV irrigation system (PVIS). The outcomes of the study also show an inverse trend of the energy and carbon payback times respect to the PV power size: In fact, energy payback time increased from 1.94, to 5.25 years and carbon payback time ranged from 4.62 to 9.38 years. Also the energy return on investment depends on the PV generator dimension, ranging from 12.9 to 4.8. The environmental impact of the stand-alone PV systems was also expressed in reference to the potential amount of electricity generated during the whole PV life. As expected, the largest PVIS performs the best result, obtaining an emission rate of 45.9 g CO2e per kWh, while the smallest one achieves 124.1 g CO2e per kWh. Finally, the energy and environmental indicators obtained in this study are strongly related to the irrigation needs, which in turn are influenced by other factors as the type of cultivated crops, the weather conditions and the water availability.

Funding Projects

Type
Code
Acronym
Leader
Title
Horizon 2020
640771
MASLOWATEN
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
MArket uptake of an innovative irrigation Solution based on LOW WATer-ENergy consumption

More information

Item ID: 52136
DC Identifier: https://oa.upm.es/52136/
OAI Identifier: oai:oa.upm.es:52136
DOI: 10.3390/en11082110
Official URL: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/8/2110
Deposited by: Memoria Investigacion
Deposited on: 04 Dec 2018 15:36
Last Modified: 26 Apr 2019 08:53
  • Logo InvestigaM (UPM)
  • Logo GEOUP4
  • Logo Open Access
  • Open Access
  • Logo Sherpa/Romeo
    Check whether the anglo-saxon journal in which you have published an article allows you to also publish it under open access.
  • Logo Dulcinea
    Check whether the spanish journal in which you have published an article allows you to also publish it under open access.
  • Logo de Recolecta
  • Logo del Observatorio I+D+i UPM
  • Logo de OpenCourseWare UPM