Environmental impacts

Environmental impact calculation are activated in the Cairn “TecEcoAnalysis” component. Environmental impacts have to be defined for each component.

Environmental impact are defined in Cairn through the “TecEcoAnalysis” component in the parameters tab. It is possible to consider several impacts (list based on EF V3.0, lca_parameters).

Table. 9 How to define parameters of the environmental model?
cairn_open_user_guide_lines/images/lca_parameters.PNG

Fig. 15 In the “Parameters Tab” in the “TecEcoAnalysis” component
Listing 1 Using the Python API
            problem.tech_eco_analysis = {'ConsideredEnvironmentalImpacts':
            'Climate change#Global Warming Potential 100,
            'Land use#Soil quality index' }
Table. 10 How to enable environmental impact calculation for a component?
cairn_open_user_guide_lines/images/lca_parameters_compo.PNG
Listing 2 Using the Python API
my_elz.set_setting_value("EnvironmentModel", True)

See also

  • lca_intro

  • lca_ef

For each component:

  • Indicators are calculated only for a component itself.

  • The environmental model (EnvironmentModel, lca_parameters_compo) has to be activated.

  • The tabs (Env. Impacts and Ports) in which environmental impacts can be configured are colored green. It is possible to set for each impact :

    • Grey or manufacturing impact linked to the size (in tab “Environmental impacts” of a component) owing to coeffs A and B (see lca_parameters_compo_grey) : \(m = A * size + B\)

      In case of replacement modelling, grey impacts can be added using the “EnvGreyReplacement” (A coeff) and “EnvGreyReplacementConstant” (B coeff)parameters.

    • Direct or consumption impact linked to flux (can be selected by the user in tab “Ports”) owing to coeffs A and B (see lca_parameters_compo_direct): \(m = A * flux + B\).

      The A coefficient can be also set using a timeseries (“UseEnvContentTS_A”=True, the timeseries is given in the “EnvContentTS_A” field).

Table. 11 How to define impacts for a component?
cairn_open_user_guide_lines/images/lca_parameters_compo_grey.PNG

Fig. 16 Grey impacts
cairn_open_user_guide_lines/images/lca_parameters_compo_direct.PNG

Fig. 17 Direct impacts

Hint

  1. It is possible to take into account in the economic objective function by tax penalty if the impact cost of the “TecEcoAnalysis” component (green tab Env. Impacts) is given a non zero (see lca_parameters_cost where \(50\; €/kg\; CO2\) is set). In this case, the component “EcoInvestModel” has to be enabled (see lca_parameters_compo).

    cairn_open_user_guide_lines/images/lca_parameters_cost.PNG

    Fig. 18 Impose impact cost and constraints in the “TecEcoAnalysis” component

  2. It is possible to take into account a levelized maximum constraint (see lca_parameters_cost where the flag “”MaxContraint is set at 1 with a levelized maximum value at \(10000\; kg\; CO2\))

Important

The user should be very careful not to mix models for the same carbon sources:

  • It is correct to define environmental impact for an energy (electrical) or material carrier (fluid, hydrogen, CH4). All converters connected to the carrier and the corresponding grid will be considered. Then, environmental impact due to the vector is accounted at the grid level. The use of this carrier on several converters is enseared without adding any other data and without knowing which converters is contributing the most.

  • It would be wrong to both define environmental impact on a carrier and on each converter. In this situation, Environmental impacts would then be accounted TWICE.