2. Methodology
An LCA model was produced for a 50 MWe commercial CSP parabolic trough plant located in the Ciudad Real (Spain). The analysis was conducted according to ISO 14040 [26] and included a flow diagram and a complete inventory of the life cycle of the process, including extraction of raw materials and manufacturing of components, construction, operation and dismantling phases. Quantification and aggregation of environmental impacts was performed using standard method ReCiPe Midpoint and Endpoint Europe (H) v1.09, with 1 MW h as the functional unit.
Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) accounts for the primary energy source consumed throughout the life cycle of the technology. CEDs were determined for different scenarios using the Cumulative Energy Demand v1.08 evaluation method, based on the method published by ecoinvent version 2.0 and expanded by PRé Consultants. Energy Payback Time (EPT) describes the time required by the CSP plant to generate (as net electricity output) the primary energy consumed in the construction (including extraction of raw materials and manufacturing of plant elements) and dismantling of the installation. EPTs were determined for different operating scenarios using an equation described by Lechon et al. [25].