FULL FUEL CYCLE EMISSIONS FROM POWER GENERATION

The supply and use of energy is a major contributor to emissions of greenhouse gases, acidic gases, and other pollutants associated with poor air quality. Different forms of electricity generation can lead to widely varying emissions of pollutants from all stages of the fuel cycle, depending on the fuel used, energy required for extraction and processing, and abatement technologies installed.

Results are presented from a recent study which assessed emissions of eight pollutants over the full fuel cycle for eight electricity generating technologies currently in use in the UK. The emissions associated with an 'average' unit of electricity generated in the UK are also calculated. The global warming 'equivalent' of each of the fuel cycles (expressed in terms of equivalent grammes of CO₂ per unit of electricity) and of the average mix are also derived, using the latest recommendations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the global warming potentials of each of the direct greenhouse gases.

Work is also presented on the application of an impact pathway approach for the evaluation of the environmental impacts of full fuel cycle emissions associated with a fossil fuel power station.