TITLE:
Application of Life-Cycle Assessment for the Study of Carbon and Water Footprints of the 16.5 MWe Wind Farm in Villonaco, Loja, Ecuador
AUTHORS:
Alberto Tama
KEYWORDS:
Renewable Energy, Life Cycle Assessment, Wind Energy, Carbon and Water Footprint, Non-Conventional Renewable Sources
JOURNAL NAME:
Smart Grid and Renewable Energy,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
31,
2021
ABSTRACT: Wind
technology is considered to be among the most promising types of renewable
energy sources, and due to high oil prices and growing concerns about climate
change and energy security, it has been the subject of extensive considerations
in recent years, including questions related to the relative sustainability of electricity production when the
manufacturing, assembly, transportation and dismantling processes of
these facilities are taken into account. The present article evaluates the
environmental impacts, carbon emissions and water consumption, derived from the
production of electric energy of the Villonaco wind farm, located in Loja, Ecuador,
during its entire life cycle, using the Life Cycle Analysis for this purpose.
Finally, it is concluded that wind energy has greater environmental advantages
since it has lower values of carbon and water footprints than other energy
sources. Additionally, with the techniques
Cumulative Energy Demand and Energy Return on Investment, sustainability in the
production of electricity from wind power in Ecuador is demonstrated;
and, that due to issues of vulnerability to climate change, the diversification
of its energy mix is essential considering the inclusion of non-conventional
renewable sources such as solar or wind, this being the only way to reduce both
the carbon footprint and the water from the energy supply.