Life Cycle Analysis on Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions of Secondary Energy in China in 2008

This paper presents life cycle fossil primary energy consumption (FPEC) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity of nine types of dominant secondary energy (SE) in China in 2008. Three major types of GHG (CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O) are considered for GHG emissions intensity and then on-combustion CH₄ leakage during the feedstock production sub-stage is included. It is found that: (1) the life cycle FPEC intensities of crude coal, crude NG, crude oil, coal, NG, diesel, gasoline, residual oil and electricity are 1.055, 1.155, 1.167, 1.172, 1.161, 1.302, 1.343, 1.220 and 2.924 MJ per MJ SE obtained and utilized, respectively, (2) their life cycle GHG emissions intensities are 100.5, 68.6, 89.2, 104.5, 72.7, 102.4, 98.9, 102.9 and 289.6 when the direct GHG emissions are included. The life cycle intensities of both FPEC and GHG emissions for SE in China are higher than those in the developed world (even the world average) and the main reasons include the relatively low energy efficiencies and the high CH₄ leakage levels during feedstock extraction.