ENGG1500: Thermodynamics, Energy & the Environment

Semester 1, 2022

Case Study: Sustainability Measures for Energy System

Wind Turbines using Battery Storage for Peaking
Name: James Vickers Student ID: s47444010 Date: 23/05/2022

(renewableenergyhub, n.d.)
Introduction
In modern society, the emission of green house gases and their implications to climate change have
driven a global appeal in understanding the impacts of the electrical generation industry. A life cycle
assessment conducted by PNAS indicates that renewable energy sources have significantly lower
pollution-related environmental impacts per unit of generation than coal-fired power plants in all
sustainability categories (pnas Et Al, 2014).  According to the law of conservation of energy, the total
energy of an isolated system remains constant. Therefore, it is crucial to analyse the processes of
electrical production generated by wind turbines using battery storage for peaking to properly
analyse the sustainability of the energy transfers within its system. This will be completed by
conducting an analysis of the CO2e emissions, sustainability issues, life cycle and energy flow of a
wind turbine supplying 1MWh electricity to the consumer.

Energy Flow
Carbon Intensity
A life cycle analysis of a wind turbine that uses battery storage for peaking discovered that most of
the CO2e emissions of its life are produced within the raw material extraction and material
manufacturing stage.

A new literature review for wind power published since 2002 reports 7–56 gCO2eq/kWh, where the
upper part of the range is associated with smaller turbines (< 100 kW), compared to 2–81
gCO2eq/kWh (ipcc, n.d.).

During the wind turbine usage stage, it produces 1.4kg CO2e/MWh. Although the transmission of
the electricity generated produces 2kg CO2e/MWh.

The wind turbine is estimated to have a life of 20 years. Overall, as an energy source alternative wind
turbines are reducing global CO2e emissions rather than increasing.

kg CO2e/MWh
2.5
2
2
Kg CO2e/MWh

1.5 1.4

0.89 kg CO2e/MWh
1

0.5

0
Utility-Scale Bat - Wind Turbine Transmission
tery Network
Material

Other Impacts
Most of the sustainability issues associated with electrical generation by wind turbines are
associated with its CO2e per MWh. However, there are other sustainability issues associated with
wind turbines related to the environment and public.

Because wind turbines require a significant amount of wind energy to generate power, their primary
locations are based in high wind regions. Multiple onshore wind turbine farms are located very close
to urban districts. Urban issues that arise from wind turbines include visibility and noise pollution as
a result of the size of the turbine and the energy loss by its components in the form of noise.
Another impact of wind turbines is its land use per MWh. According to …. land use would be on the
order of 50–200 square meter-year/MWh (m 2a/MWh), which is higher than alternative technologies
(pnas Et Al, 2014). Sea area use by offshore wind turbines are not accounted for. A 50–200 square
meter-year/MWh causes loss of habitat and shifts in environmental conditions. Habitat loss and
change in environmental conditions results in the loss of wildlife diversity and population.
References
ipcc. (n.d.). Energy System. Retrieved from ipcc:
https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_chapter7.pdf

pnas Et Al. (2014, October 6). Integrated life-cycle assessment of electricity-supply scenarios confirms
global environmental benefit of low-carbon technologies. Retrieved from pnas:
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1312753111

renewableenergyhub. (n.d.). HOW A WIND TURBINE WORKS. Retrieved from renewableenergyhub:

https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/wind-turbines/how-does-a-wind-turbine-
work/