12-05-2025, 02:37 AM
Hi,
When modelling fugitive emissions from geothermal electricity generation, we currently use ENV_ACT~ELCCO2 to define emissions per activity unit. In our model, all individual geothermal plants are represented as distinct processes, as there is a high variance in fugitive emissions per field and plant.
The empirical evidence shows that fugitive CO2e emissions decline as a function of plant operation. As steam is extracted from the fields, the greenhouse gas concentration falls, and emission factors for all our plants have declined over time.
I have been asked to implement this decline in future plants (with, say, an assumed annual ~3% decrease in ENV_ACT~ELCCO2 over the first 7 years of operation). This is straightforward if we know the commissioning year of the geothermal process, because we then know the years to adjust the emission factor (eg ENV_ACT~ELCCO2~2030).
My question is - is it possible to implement this decline if the commissioning year of the future plant is not known, but rather is chosen by the model optimiser? The CO2e decline is caused by plant operation itself, so I cannot have the emissions decline unless the plant is operational. Is there some way I can set ENV_ACT~ELCCO2 as a function of the process's operating years, or perhaps its cumulative output?
When modelling fugitive emissions from geothermal electricity generation, we currently use ENV_ACT~ELCCO2 to define emissions per activity unit. In our model, all individual geothermal plants are represented as distinct processes, as there is a high variance in fugitive emissions per field and plant.
The empirical evidence shows that fugitive CO2e emissions decline as a function of plant operation. As steam is extracted from the fields, the greenhouse gas concentration falls, and emission factors for all our plants have declined over time.
I have been asked to implement this decline in future plants (with, say, an assumed annual ~3% decrease in ENV_ACT~ELCCO2 over the first 7 years of operation). This is straightforward if we know the commissioning year of the geothermal process, because we then know the years to adjust the emission factor (eg ENV_ACT~ELCCO2~2030).
My question is - is it possible to implement this decline if the commissioning year of the future plant is not known, but rather is chosen by the model optimiser? The CO2e decline is caused by plant operation itself, so I cannot have the emissions decline unless the plant is operational. Is there some way I can set ENV_ACT~ELCCO2 as a function of the process's operating years, or perhaps its cumulative output?