Integrated evaluation of embodied energy, greenhouse gas emission and economic performance of a typical wind farm in China

An integrated evaluation of embodied energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, and economic performance of a wind power generation system in China was conducted, using a range of indicators. Energy and GHG emission costs per unit profit are proposed as goal functions for potential low-carbon, high-efficiency optimization of the wind power generation system. Results show that the energy efficiency and GHG emission per energy output of the system are 0.034 MJ/MJ and 0.002 kgCO2-eq/MJ, respectively. Compared with other power generation systems, wind power is more competitive in terms of both energy savings and GHG emission reduction. If wind turbine recycling in the dismantling phase is taken into consideration, 46.7% of energy will be saved, with a material recycling rate of 0.467. Scenario analyses are done to investigate economic feasibility, from the perspective of investors and government. Finally, suggestions are provided to shed light on wind industry development in China.