Life cycle environmental impacts and emission reduction pathways of wind power in western China: A scenario-based assessment

Abstract

Compared with traditional energy sources, wind power has a lower environmental impact. However, emissions are still generated across the life cycle of wind turbines, from production to recycling. As wind power rapidly develops and deployment increases, these impacts are becoming increasingly evident. A comprehensive understanding of these impacts is crucial for sustainable development. Based on the harmonization of previous detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, this study develops a simplified LCA model that estimates the life cycle environmental impacts of wind turbines based on their nominal power. Using this simplified LCA model, we assess the global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), and cumulative energy demand (CED) of wind power at the regional scale for 2022 and under three future scenarios (high-power wind turbine promotion, reduced wind curtailment, and a comprehensive development scenario). The results indicate that in 2022, the life cycle GWP, AP, and CED of wind power in western China were 10.76 g CO₂ eq/kWh, 0.177 g SO₂ eq/kWh, and 17.6 kJ/kWh, respectively. Scenario simulations suggest that reducing wind curtailment is the most effective approach for reducing emissions in Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang, producing average decreases of 8.64 % in GWP, 8.39 % in AP, and 9.26 % in CED. In contrast, for Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Xizang, and Shaanxi, the promotion of high-power wind turbines provides greater environmental benefits than reducing curtailment, producing average decreases of 3.45 %, 3.09 %, and 4.29 % in GWP, AP, and CED, respectively. These findings help clarify the environmental impact of wind power across its life cycle at the regional scale and provide theoretical references for the direction of future wind power development and the formulation of related policies.