The environmental footprint of UAE׳s electricity sector: Combining life cycle assessment and scenario modeling

摘要: Abstract What are the environmental burdens and potential impacts related to electricity consumption in United Arab Emirates (UAE) today future? We answer this question by applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) a variety of scenarios for future power generation UAE. LCA is methodology quantification life cycle product or service. It allows unbiased comparison performance set sources UAE (natural gas, oil, nuclear, solar, wind) including complete chains from resource extraction waste disposal supports understanding implications shift supply options over time Future built under consideration ongoing political activities, technical geographical constraints, projected demand. show that all mixes (per unit generated) perform better than today׳s most impact categories, but no scenario performs clearly best. However, due expected substantial increase absolute demand, overall sector will grow further. Continued use domestic cheap natural gas oil resources at same reduction CO 2 emissions can only be realized implementation Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) sector. Nuclear concentrated solar positive effects categories; however, their contribution faces technical, economic social limitations. In conclusion, diversification production, i.e. introducing new clean technologies, together with efforts cut down per capita seem promising perspective.