Activity – Electricity Generation
Lifecycle Assessment
Background:
Environmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a method of analyzing product systems to
better understand the impacts associated with the product. A full LCA takes a cradle-tograve approach, accounting for all stages of the life of a product from extraction of raw
materials to disposal of the used product back to the environment. While full LCAs can
offer deep understanding of a particular system, they are extremely time and resource
intensive. However, a streamlined approach to LCA can be used to improve
understanding of a system without extensive time commitments.
The objective of this activity is to lay out the basic structure of different electricity
generation systems. The scope includes the full range from extraction of raw materials
from the ground to use of the fuel in an electric vehicle. The system boundaries do not
include construction of infrastructure, however. The goal is to get a qualitative sense of
where electricity comes from, so only the major processes are included here.
Environmental impacts are kept very general, such as “Air Emissions” or “Fuel Use”.
This activity is basically the first step in a real LCA. This “scoping” step defines the
overall process and extent of the system and environmental impacts of concern.
Equipment:
1. LCA cutouts for each system
a. Coal electricity
b. Hydropower
c. Natural Gas electricity
d. Wind power
e. Oil combustion
2. Large sheet of poster paper (24 x 36 inch) for laying out each system
3. Glue sticks
4. Markers
Activity:
1. Split into groups, one for each electricity generation system.
2. Empty the envelope to look at all the paper cards associated with your system.
3. Sort process cards, starting with the electricity use and going backwards through
the process of making the electricity and extracting the energy resources (as
necessary). When confident with your layout, glue onto the poster board. Draw
lines or arrows to show the movement of energy through the system.
Unit prepared for the Project-Based Global Climate Change Education Project, funded by NASA NICE
copyright © 2011, Clarkson University, Office of Educational Partnerships, Potsdam NY
http://www.clarkson.edu/highschool/Climate_Change_Education/index.html
4. Review the emission cards. Arrange the emissions and environmental impacts
for each process. Draw lines or arrows to show associated fuel use, air
emissions, electricity use and other environmental impacts.
5. Prepare to describe the electricity generation process and related emissions and
environmental impacts to the class.
Discussion Questions:
1.
Define the system you evaluated: __________________________
2.
What is the initial source of energy for your electricity generation lifecycle?
3.
What are the intermediate processes required to make this electricity?
4.
What environmental impacts concern you the most? What process (or
processes) is responsible for these impacts?
5.
Can you suggest any changes to the electricity generation process that might
reduce these environmental impacts?
Unit prepared for the Project-Based Global Climate Change Education Project, funded by NASA NICE
copyright © 2011, Clarkson University, Office of Educational Partnerships, Potsdam NY
http://www.clarkson.edu/highschool/Climate_Change_Education/index.html