that mixes of methodologies and modelling frameworks are required to address the
various market and system challenges associated to such transition [2].
The available literature on the importance of assessing current and future energy
systems and the associated transitions ranges from Life Cycle Assessments
(LCA) to energy modelling with economic optimization or policy analyses and
recommendations. One focal area has been environmental studies, among which
LCA is one of the most established methods. LCA makes it possible to quantify
potential impacts to the environment and human health of a product or/and system
over the whole life cycle, to identify and discuss areas of improvement, and to
conduct fair comparison of selected products or services. Another focal area concentrates on the economic perspective of energy systems, where energy systems
optimization models are used to generate future scenarios and evaluate key
parameters such as electricity production, related emissions and/or the system costs
in the long-term future.
In recent years authors identified the need of combining the best aspects of
several modelling frameworks. In particular, the combination of LCA and energy
systems optimization models was studied in depth [3–5]. The motivation behind
this combination is clear: LCA is a detailed and comprehensive, but static and
environment-focused approach whereas modelling of future scenarios of the energy
system includes multiple factors such as economic situation without considering
environmental issues in detail. As most of the authors point out this combination of
methodologies looks very promising, but challenges to its applications remain.
Several (case) studies that address different challenges and propose possible solutions are presented and discussed in Sect. 2. The paper closes by providing concluding comments in Sect. 3.
2 Challenges Identified and Possible Solutions
A selection of challenges which need to be worked out to realize the full potential of
integrating LCA and energy systems optimization models is presented in this
section.
2.1 Prospective Background Data
Energy conversion technologies are likely to dramatically change in the coming
decades not only as a consequence of the energy transition but also as a natural
change due to economic, social and technological reasons. Nearly all prospective
LCA studies include changes to the energy system when modelling foreground
processes. However, in the vast majority of the prospective LCAs the background
processes are not modified. The work presented by Cox et al. [6] attempted to use
the outputs of the IMAGE model to create future versions of the ecoinvent
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K. Treyer et al.
various market and system challenges associated to such transition [2].
The available literature on the importance of assessing current and future energy
systems and the associated transitions ranges from Life Cycle Assessments
(LCA) to energy modelling with economic optimization or policy analyses and
recommendations. One focal area has been environmental studies, among which
LCA is one of the most established methods. LCA makes it possible to quantify
potential impacts to the environment and human health of a product or/and system
over the whole life cycle, to identify and discuss areas of improvement, and to
conduct fair comparison of selected products or services. Another focal area concentrates on the economic perspective of energy systems, where energy systems
optimization models are used to generate future scenarios and evaluate key
parameters such as electricity production, related emissions and/or the system costs
in the long-term future.
In recent years authors identified the need of combining the best aspects of
several modelling frameworks. In particular, the combination of LCA and energy
systems optimization models was studied in depth [3–5]. The motivation behind
this combination is clear: LCA is a detailed and comprehensive, but static and
environment-focused approach whereas modelling of future scenarios of the energy
system includes multiple factors such as economic situation without considering
environmental issues in detail. As most of the authors point out this combination of
methodologies looks very promising, but challenges to its applications remain.
Several (case) studies that address different challenges and propose possible solutions are presented and discussed in Sect. 2. The paper closes by providing concluding comments in Sect. 3.
2 Challenges Identified and Possible Solutions
A selection of challenges which need to be worked out to realize the full potential of
integrating LCA and energy systems optimization models is presented in this
section.
2.1 Prospective Background Data
Energy conversion technologies are likely to dramatically change in the coming
decades not only as a consequence of the energy transition but also as a natural
change due to economic, social and technological reasons. Nearly all prospective
LCA studies include changes to the energy system when modelling foreground
processes. However, in the vast majority of the prospective LCAs the background
processes are not modified. The work presented by Cox et al. [6] attempted to use
the outputs of the IMAGE model to create future versions of the ecoinvent
244
K. Treyer et al.