Assessing the Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Stationary Energy Storage for Electricity Grid Services

Christopher Jones; Paul J Gilbert; Laurence Stamford

doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b06231

Assessing the Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Stationary Energy Storage for Electricity Grid Services

Christopher Jones, Paul J Gilbert, Laurence Stamford

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper presents a life cycle assessment for three stationary energy storage systems (ESS); lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) and liquid air energy storage (LAES). The global warming potential (GWP) is assessed in relation to uncertainties in usage of the storage, use-phase energy input, cell replacement and round trip efficiency parameters. Relative climate change mitigation potential in comparison with equivalent diesel-electric and natural gas generation is discussed, as is the effect of recycling at end of life. With variations in input electricity source, recycling and efficiency, the life cycle global warming potential for LFP ranges from 185 kg CO2eq/MWh to 440 kg CO2eq/MWh; for VRFB from 121 kg CO2eq/MWh to 443 kg CO2eq/MWh; and for LAES from 48 kg CO-2eq/MWh to 203 kg CO2eq/MWh. In all cases there are climate change mitigation benefits compared to fossil fuel alternatives. Use of renewable energy for charging and operation, ease of component recycling/reuse and reduced parts replacement is shown to reduce GWP. The climate change mitigation potential of ESS for electricity grid operation is further enhanced by increasing use of the storage assets. Recycling of ESS is shown to reduce terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication and particulate matter impacts. Reduced ozone depletion potential for VRFB and LFP can be achieved by reducing nafion and PVDF components respectively.

Original language	English
Journal	Environmental Science & Technology
Early online date	5 Dec 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b06231
Publication status	Published - 2019

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1021/acs.est.9b06231Licence: CC BY

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b06231

Tyndall Manchester
McLachlan, C. (PI), Abi Ghanem, D. (CoI), Anderson, K. (CoI), Broderick, J. (CoI), Kuriakose, J. (CoI), Lea-Langton, A. (CoI), Larkin, A. (CoI), Gallego Schmid, A. (CoI), Sharmina, M. (CoI), Wood, R. (CoI) & Jones, C. (PI)
Project: Research

Cite this

@article{5c5bd3e0d51444c88db392c86909a4ec,

title = "Assessing the Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Stationary Energy Storage for Electricity Grid Services",

abstract = "This paper presents a life cycle assessment for three stationary energy storage systems (ESS); lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) and liquid air energy storage (LAES). The global warming potential (GWP) is assessed in relation to uncertainties in usage of the storage, use-phase energy input, cell replacement and round trip efficiency parameters. Relative climate change mitigation potential in comparison with equivalent diesel-electric and natural gas generation is discussed, as is the effect of recycling at end of life. With variations in input electricity source, recycling and efficiency, the life cycle global warming potential for LFP ranges from 185 kg CO2eq/MWh to 440 kg CO2eq/MWh; for VRFB from 121 kg CO2eq/MWh to 443 kg CO2eq/MWh; and for LAES from 48 kg CO-2eq/MWh to 203 kg CO2eq/MWh. In all cases there are climate change mitigation benefits compared to fossil fuel alternatives. Use of renewable energy for charging and operation, ease of component recycling/reuse and reduced parts replacement is shown to reduce GWP. The climate change mitigation potential of ESS for electricity grid operation is further enhanced by increasing use of the storage assets. Recycling of ESS is shown to reduce terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication and particulate matter impacts. Reduced ozone depletion potential for VRFB and LFP can be achieved by reducing nafion and PVDF components respectively.",

author = "Christopher Jones and Gilbert, {Paul J} and Laurence Stamford",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1021/acs.est.9b06231",

language = "English",

journal = "Environmental Science & Technology",

issn = "0013-936X",

publisher = "American Chemical Society",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessing the Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Stationary Energy Storage for Electricity Grid Services

AU - Jones, Christopher

AU - Gilbert, Paul J

AU - Stamford, Laurence

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - This paper presents a life cycle assessment for three stationary energy storage systems (ESS); lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) and liquid air energy storage (LAES). The global warming potential (GWP) is assessed in relation to uncertainties in usage of the storage, use-phase energy input, cell replacement and round trip efficiency parameters. Relative climate change mitigation potential in comparison with equivalent diesel-electric and natural gas generation is discussed, as is the effect of recycling at end of life. With variations in input electricity source, recycling and efficiency, the life cycle global warming potential for LFP ranges from 185 kg CO2eq/MWh to 440 kg CO2eq/MWh; for VRFB from 121 kg CO2eq/MWh to 443 kg CO2eq/MWh; and for LAES from 48 kg CO-2eq/MWh to 203 kg CO2eq/MWh. In all cases there are climate change mitigation benefits compared to fossil fuel alternatives. Use of renewable energy for charging and operation, ease of component recycling/reuse and reduced parts replacement is shown to reduce GWP. The climate change mitigation potential of ESS for electricity grid operation is further enhanced by increasing use of the storage assets. Recycling of ESS is shown to reduce terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication and particulate matter impacts. Reduced ozone depletion potential for VRFB and LFP can be achieved by reducing nafion and PVDF components respectively.

AB - This paper presents a life cycle assessment for three stationary energy storage systems (ESS); lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) and liquid air energy storage (LAES). The global warming potential (GWP) is assessed in relation to uncertainties in usage of the storage, use-phase energy input, cell replacement and round trip efficiency parameters. Relative climate change mitigation potential in comparison with equivalent diesel-electric and natural gas generation is discussed, as is the effect of recycling at end of life. With variations in input electricity source, recycling and efficiency, the life cycle global warming potential for LFP ranges from 185 kg CO2eq/MWh to 440 kg CO2eq/MWh; for VRFB from 121 kg CO2eq/MWh to 443 kg CO2eq/MWh; and for LAES from 48 kg CO-2eq/MWh to 203 kg CO2eq/MWh. In all cases there are climate change mitigation benefits compared to fossil fuel alternatives. Use of renewable energy for charging and operation, ease of component recycling/reuse and reduced parts replacement is shown to reduce GWP. The climate change mitigation potential of ESS for electricity grid operation is further enhanced by increasing use of the storage assets. Recycling of ESS is shown to reduce terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication and particulate matter impacts. Reduced ozone depletion potential for VRFB and LFP can be achieved by reducing nafion and PVDF components respectively.

U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.9b06231

DO - 10.1021/acs.est.9b06231

M3 - Article

SN - 0013-936X

JO - Environmental Science & Technology

JF - Environmental Science & Technology

ER -

Assessing the Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Stationary Energy Storage for Electricity Grid Services

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Tyndall Manchester

Cite this