Life cycle material footprints of geothermal power generation: A global technology- and stage-specific analysis

IF 11.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Resources Conservation and Recycling Pub Date : 2025-05-29 DOI:10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108406

Wufei Zhang , Wei Yang , Guangrui Liu , Zhenjiao Jiang , Junnian Song

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Expansion of geothermal power generation (GPG) enhances stability of renewable energy systems yet with increasing material demands. However, material footprints of GPG remain underexplored for a thorough comparison with wind and photovoltaic power. We establish a life cycle system for GPG to evaluate material footprints of flash steam, dry steam, and binary cycle power generation on a global scale, and identify differences in material use across geothermal, wind and photovoltaic power. Results show that concrete (71.4 %) and bulk metals, such as iron (21.8 %), dominate material use in global GPG. Critical materials, including nickel, chromium, and molybdenum, contribute less than 1 % to the total material footprint. Well construction stage accounts for the largest share of material use at 69.1 %. Material use structures for unit of installed capacity exhibit significant disparities among geothermal, wind and photovoltaic power, highlighting the higher use of carbon steel and iron in GPG.

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地热发电的生命周期材料足迹：全球技术和阶段特定分析

地热发电（GPG）的发展提高了可再生能源系统的稳定性，但同时也增加了对材料的需求。然而，GPG的材料足迹仍未得到充分的探索，无法与风能和光伏发电进行彻底的比较。我们建立了GPG的生命周期系统，以评估全球范围内闪蒸、干蒸汽和二元循环发电的材料足迹，并确定地热、风能和光伏发电在材料使用方面的差异。结果表明，混凝土（71.4%）和大块金属，如铁（21.8%），在全球GPG中占主导地位。包括镍、铬和钼在内的关键材料在总材料足迹中所占比例不到1%。钻井阶段占材料使用的最大份额为69.1%。单位装机容量的材料使用结构在地热、风能和光伏发电之间存在显著差异，突出表明GPG中碳钢和铁的使用较高。

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来源期刊

Resources Conservation and Recycling 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

22.90

自引率

6.10%

发文量

625

审稿时长

23 days

期刊介绍： The journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling welcomes contributions from research, which consider sustainable management and conservation of resources. The journal prioritizes understanding the transformation processes crucial for transitioning toward more sustainable production and consumption systems. It highlights technological, economic, institutional, and policy aspects related to specific resource management practices such as conservation, recycling, and resource substitution, as well as broader strategies like improving resource productivity and restructuring production and consumption patterns. Contributions may address regional, national, or international scales and can range from individual resources or technologies to entire sectors or systems. Authors are encouraged to explore scientific and methodological issues alongside practical, environmental, and economic implications. However, manuscripts focusing solely on laboratory experiments without discussing their broader implications will not be considered for publication in the journal.