Electric Power ›› 2024, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (7): 227-237.DOI: 10.11930/j.issn.1004-9649.202404039

• Generation Technology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Life-Cycle Carbon Footprint Assessment of Coal-fired Power Generation

Hanxiao LIU1,2,3(), Sike SHAN1,2(), Shuzhou WEI3,4, Liyuan YU1, Shuai WANG1, Meiling LIU1, Ying CUI1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Coal Fired Flue Gas Purification Equipment Research of Zhejiang Feida Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Zhuji 311800, China
    2. School of Energy, Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
    3. State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
    4. Sanhe Power Generation Co., Ltd., Langfang 065201, China
  • Received:2024-04-08 Accepted:2024-07-07 Online:2024-07-23 Published:2024-07-28
  • Supported by:
    This work is supported by Carbon Special Project of "Vanguard" Plan of Zhejiang Province (No.2022C03030), National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2022YFC3701501)

Abstract:

Carbon footprint, as an essential tool for quantifying carbon emissions, provides data support for carbon emission reduction in coal-fired power generation. To investigate the electricity carbon footprint of coal-fired units and its influencing factors, actual case calculations and sensitivity analysis were conducted based on the life cycle method. The carbon footprint calculation results indicate that the carbon footprint per unit of grid-connected electricity for a 300 MW coal-fired power generation unit is 0.932 kgCO2e/kW·h. The primary emission source is coal combustion, accounting for approximately 79%, followed by upstream coal production and processing, accounting for approximately 20%. The comparative analysis of carbon footprint and carbon verification concludes that reducing carbon emissions should not only focus on conventional methods in coal-fired power plants, but also consider reducing emissions in the upstream coal supply stage as an effective solution.

Key words: coal-fired power generation, carbon footprint, life cycle method, greenhouse gases, carbon emissions