Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Insights from past trends in exergy efficiency and carbon intensity of electricity : Portugal, 1900–2014

Felício, Laura ; Henriques, Sofia T. LU ; Serrenho, André ; Domingos, Tiago and Sousa, Tânia (2019) In Energies 12(3).
Abstract


We use the societal exergy analysis to identify periods and factors controlling efficiency dilution and carbon deepening of electricity in Portugal from 1900 to 2014. Besides estimating the carbon intensity of electricity production, we propose a new indicator, the carbon intensity of electricity use, which quantifies CO
2
/kWh of electricity derived useful exergy. Results show final to useful efficiency dilution until World War I (50% to 30%) due to a decrease in share of the high-efficiency transport sector and from mid-1940s to 1960 and... (More)


We use the societal exergy analysis to identify periods and factors controlling efficiency dilution and carbon deepening of electricity in Portugal from 1900 to 2014. Besides estimating the carbon intensity of electricity production, we propose a new indicator, the carbon intensity of electricity use, which quantifies CO
2
/kWh of electricity derived useful exergy. Results show final to useful efficiency dilution until World War I (50% to 30%) due to a decrease in share of the high-efficiency transport sector and from mid-1940s to 1960 and mid-1990s onwards (58% to 47% and 47% to 40%) due to an increase in share of the low efficiency commercial and residential sector. Decarbonization from 1900 to mid-1960s, with carbon intensities of electricity production and use dropping respectively from 12.8 to 0.2 and from 33.6 to 0.4 kg CO
2
/kWh due to an increase in thermoelectricity efficiencies and an increase in share of hydro. Then, a period of carbon deepening until 1990 with carbon intensities tripling due to a shift in shares from hydro to thermoelectricity and more recently a period of decarbonization with carbon intensities decreasing to 0.35 and 0.9 kg CO
2
/kWh, due to the increase in renewable electricity despite a dilution in final to useful efficiency.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Aggregate carbon intensity, Electricity, Exergy efficiency, Societal exergy accounting
in
Energies
volume
12
issue
3
article number
534
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85061937719
ISSN
1996-1073
DOI
10.3390/en12030534
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c0d9d3ef-11c0-480b-9b03-0b35e93af8e3
date added to LUP
2019-03-01 14:15:07
date last changed
2022-04-25 21:47:40
@article{c0d9d3ef-11c0-480b-9b03-0b35e93af8e3,
  abstract     = {{<p><br>
                                                         We use the societal exergy analysis to identify periods and factors controlling efficiency dilution and carbon deepening of electricity in Portugal from 1900 to 2014. Besides estimating the carbon intensity of electricity production, we propose a new indicator, the carbon intensity of electricity use, which quantifies CO                             <br>
                            <sub>2</sub><br>
                                                         /kWh of electricity derived useful exergy. Results show final to useful efficiency dilution until World War I (50% to 30%) due to a decrease in share of the high-efficiency transport sector and from mid-1940s to 1960 and mid-1990s onwards (58% to 47% and 47% to 40%) due to an increase in share of the low efficiency commercial and residential sector. Decarbonization from 1900 to mid-1960s, with carbon intensities of electricity production and use dropping respectively from 12.8 to 0.2 and from 33.6 to 0.4 kg CO                             <br>
                            <sub>2</sub><br>
                                                         /kWh due to an increase in thermoelectricity efficiencies and an increase in share of hydro. Then, a period of carbon deepening until 1990 with carbon intensities tripling due to a shift in shares from hydro to thermoelectricity and more recently a period of decarbonization with carbon intensities decreasing to 0.35 and 0.9 kg CO                             <br>
                            <sub>2</sub><br>
                                                         /kWh, due to the increase in renewable electricity despite a dilution in final to useful efficiency.                         <br>
                        </p>}},
  author       = {{Felício, Laura and Henriques, Sofia T. and Serrenho, André and Domingos, Tiago and Sousa, Tânia}},
  issn         = {{1996-1073}},
  keywords     = {{Aggregate carbon intensity; Electricity; Exergy efficiency; Societal exergy accounting}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Energies}},
  title        = {{Insights from past trends in exergy efficiency and carbon intensity of electricity : Portugal, 1900–2014}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en12030534}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/en12030534}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}