| dc.description.abstract | Life cycle assessment is a crucial tool in evaluating systems performances for sustainability
and decision-making. This paper provided environmental impact of integrating renewable energy
systems to the utility-grid based on a baseline optimized energy production data from “HOMER” for
renewable systems modelling of a site in northern Nigeria. The ultimate goal was to ascertain the best
hybrid option(s) in sustaining the environment. Different assumptions and scenarios were modelled
and simulated using Ganzleitlichen Bilanz (GaBi). Uncertainty analysis was ensured to the impact
data based on pedigree-matrix and Excel-program, as well as overall policy relevance. The results of
the impact categories revealed first scenario (i.e., conventional path-based) with the highest impacts
on global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), human toxicity potential (HTP), and
abiotic depletion potential (ADPfossils). The lowest impacts arise in the renewable-based scenarios for
all the considered categories except the Ozone-layer depletion potential Category where the highest
contribution falls in the third scenario (i.e., photovoltaic (PV)/biomass-biogas system) although all
values being infinitesimal. In quantitative terms, the reduction in the GWP from the highest being the
first scenario to the lowest being the fourth scenario (i.e., wind/biomass-biogas system) was 96.5%.
Hence, with the outstanding contributions of the hybrid renewable systems, adopting them especially
the lowest impact scenarios with expansions is relevant for environmental sustainability. | en_US |
