Midpoint and endpoint impacts of electricity generation by renewable and nonrenewable technologies: A case study of Alberta, Canada

Alberta's government resolved to increase the share of renewable technologies in the electricity mix to 30% by 2030. However, renewable technologies also have some environmental impacts in their life cycle that should be assessed before adoption. Aiming to inform policymakers about the environmental impacts of electricity generation in Alberta, this study conducts a life-cycle assessment and estimates the midpoint and endpoint impacts of electricity generation in this territory using the ReCiPe and Cumulative Energy Demand methods. Findings identified coal and lignite power plants as the most hazardous units to human health and ecosystems among nonrenewable technologies. Natural-gas-firing conventional and combined heat and power (CHP) power plants had a comparatively lower damage potential for human health and ecosystems but a higher potential for resources. Hydropower and wind power plants were the most eco-friendly technologies among renewable power plants. Biogas- and wood-chips-firing CHP power plants had comparatively higher impacts at both midpoint and endpoint levels. Their ecosystem damage potential was even higher than coal-firing power plants. Based on findings, producing 1 kWh of high-voltage electricity in Alberta is accompanied by 9.87 MJ fossil-fuel consumption and 811 g–CO₂–eq. global warming potential, decreasing by 9.5–27.7% and 41–49%, respectively, if the 30%-renewable goal is accomplished.