Birth to death analysis of the energy payback ratio and CO 2 gas emission rates from coal, fission, wind, and DT-fusion electrical power plants
Abstract
The amount of electrical energy produced over the lifetime of coal, LWR fission, UP fusion, and wind power plants is compared to the total amount of energy required to procure the fuel, build, operate, and decommission the power plants. The energy payback ratio varies from a low of 11 for coal plants to a high of 27 for DT-fusion plants. The magnitude of the energy investment and the source of the various energy inputs determine the CO 2 emission factor. This number varies from a low of 9 to a high of 974 tonnes of CO 2 per GW eh for DT-fusion and coal plants, respectively.
- Publication:
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Fusion Engineering and Design
- Pub Date:
- January 2000
- DOI:
- 10.1016/S0920-3796(00)00158-7
- Bibcode:
- 2000FusED..48..473W
- Keywords:
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- Birth to death analysis;
- Energy payback ratio;
- CO <SUB loc="post">2</SUB> gas emission rates