Emissions and Energy Efficiency Assessment of Baseload Wind Energy Systems

Paul Denholm; Gerald L. Kulcinski; Tracey Holloway

doi:10.1021/es049946p

Emissions and Energy Efficiency Assessment of Baseload Wind Energy Systems

Paul Denholm, Gerald L. Kulcinski, Tracey Holloway

Grid Planning and Analysis Center

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

77 Scopus Citations

Abstract

The combination of wind energy generation and energy storage can produce a source of electricity that is functionally equivalent to a baseload coal or nuclear power plant. A model was developed to assess the technical and environmental performance of baseload wind energy systems using compressed air energy storage. The analysis examined several systems that could be operated in the midwestern United States under a variety of operating conditions. The systems can produce substantially more energy than is required from fossil or other primary sources to construct and operate them. By operation at a capacity factor of 80%, each evaluated system achieves an effective primary energy efficiency of at least five times greater than the most efficient fossil combustion technology, with greenhouse gas emission rates less than 20% of the least emitting fossil technology currently available. Life-cycle emission rates of NO_x and SO₂ are also significantly lower than fossil-based systems.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	1903-1911
Number of pages	9
Journal	Environmental Science and Technology
Volume	39
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/es049946p https://doi.org/10.1021/es049946p
State	Published - 2005

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-620-38827

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title = "Emissions and Energy Efficiency Assessment of Baseload Wind Energy Systems",

abstract = "The combination of wind energy generation and energy storage can produce a source of electricity that is functionally equivalent to a baseload coal or nuclear power plant. A model was developed to assess the technical and environmental performance of baseload wind energy systems using compressed air energy storage. The analysis examined several systems that could be operated in the midwestern United States under a variety of operating conditions. The systems can produce substantially more energy than is required from fossil or other primary sources to construct and operate them. By operation at a capacity factor of 80%, each evaluated system achieves an effective primary energy efficiency of at least five times greater than the most efficient fossil combustion technology, with greenhouse gas emission rates less than 20% of the least emitting fossil technology currently available. Life-cycle emission rates of NOx and SO2 are also significantly lower than fossil-based systems.",

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AB - The combination of wind energy generation and energy storage can produce a source of electricity that is functionally equivalent to a baseload coal or nuclear power plant. A model was developed to assess the technical and environmental performance of baseload wind energy systems using compressed air energy storage. The analysis examined several systems that could be operated in the midwestern United States under a variety of operating conditions. The systems can produce substantially more energy than is required from fossil or other primary sources to construct and operate them. By operation at a capacity factor of 80%, each evaluated system achieves an effective primary energy efficiency of at least five times greater than the most efficient fossil combustion technology, with greenhouse gas emission rates less than 20% of the least emitting fossil technology currently available. Life-cycle emission rates of NOx and SO2 are also significantly lower than fossil-based systems.

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Emissions and Energy Efficiency Assessment of Baseload Wind Energy Systems

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