A Life Cycle Assessment Approach to the Electricity Generation from Gishoma Peat Power Plant

Abstract

Electricity is most often generated at a power plant by electromechanical generators, driven by heat engines fueled by combustion. The combustion of peat for electricity generation is one among the energy contributors in Rwanda as Gishoma peat power plant that provides 15MWh. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the life cycle environmental impacts of peat use for energy generation by using the dried peat for combustion at the power plant. Even though electricity is needed in Rwanda as one among the factors that boost the economy and development, the emission comes from peat has a high effect on the environment they considered impacts are global warming potential, acidification potential, and eutrophication potential. The Lifecycle assessment shows that the level of emission gases emitted and at which level those gases are compared to the international standards organization (ISO) then found that carbon dioxide is the gas which is emitted with the high percentage of 80.30% followed by sulfur 11.23% nitrogen oxides of 4.62% and methane of 3.85%. All those emissions have the different impact on the environment as described by the ISO and International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). According to the result found the quantity of gases emitted are approximate to the level of standard when consider the other gases emitted in the other stage like extraction it can be too high it is necessary to carry the deep analysis of peat from site extraction to the end use of peat in energy generation process.