Between the lines
Life cycle impact assessment models of collision and electrocution impacts of power lines on bird diversity in Norway
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19469650 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Dafna Gilad (0000-0001-7129-1421, Industrial Ecology Programme Department of Energy and Process Engineering Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim Norway, corresponding author), Roel May (0000-0002-6580-4064, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Trondheim Norway), Bård G Stokke (0000-0001-5589-6738, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Trondheim Norway), Francesca Verones (0000-0002-2908-328X, Industrial Ecology Programme Department of Energy and Process Engineering Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim Norway) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 426-438 |
| Publication date | 2024-06-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Industrial Ecology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1088-1980 • E-ISSN: 1530-9290 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1111/jiec.13488 |
| OpenAlex | W4393993502 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 57 |
The expansion of the electric grid is inevitable. Renewable energy is on the rise, and new transmission lines must be built to link new electricity production facilities with the local network. In addition, higher electricity demand due to electrification will lead to the growth of the distribution grid. However, further construction of power lines will affect the local biodiversity. Birds are especially vulnerable: every year, power lines cause the deaths of hundreds of millions of birds by collision and electrocution. Yet the environmental impacts of the electric grid in life cycle assessment (LCA) are limited to a few impact categories, failing to cover the area of protection for damages to ecosystem quality. We developed the first methodology to quantify power lines' collision and electrocution impacts on bird richness within LCA. We calculated the potentially disappeared fraction of species (PDF) by developing species–area relationships using high‐resolution species distribution maps, species‐specific characteristics, and the location of power lines and pylons. We applied our models to Norway, a country that aims to become a low‐emission nation by 2050. The characterization factors ranged between 8.48 × 10 −16 and 5.6 × 10 −15 PDF*yr/kWh for collision and 3.27 × 10 −18 and 1.66 × 10 −16 PDF*yr/kWh for electrocution. Integrating power lines’ impacts on biodiversity in LCA is essential, as harmonized models can estimate the effects of electricity production alongside the impacts of electricity distribution. This brings us a step further in promoting a holistic assessment of energy systems
Biology · Collision · Computer security · Economics · Electrocution · Industrial ecology · Life-cycle assessment · Political science · Sustainability · Computer Science · Economic and Environmental Valuation · Fire effects on ecosystems · Medicine · Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation · Ecology
Emerging approaches, challenges and opportunities in life cycle assessment
Power lines and impacts on biodiversity
Quantifying net water consumption of Norwegian hydropower reservoirs and related aquatic biodiversity impacts in Life Cycle Assessment
Life-cycle impacts of wind energy development on bird diversity in Norway
| Highly cited | No |
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