Life Cycle Assessment of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant

Abstract

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has set a net-zero carbon emissions goal for the year 2050. It was, therefore, imperative that decarbonization was achieved to reach this goal. Nuclear energy plays a vital role in decarbonization, as it was a clean energy source that produces fewer carbon emissions than other sources of conventional energy systems, such as fossil fuels. The objective of this study was to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) APR1400 to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions in terms of gCO2/kWh for each stage in the plant's life cycle. These stages include plant construction, operation, fuel production, end-of-life fuel treatment, and waste disposal and recycling. This LCA utilizes a cradle-to-gate LCA approach, commencing with uranium mining (the cradle) and concluding with electricity production (the gate). Additionally, the objective was to ascertain which stage was responsible for the highest carbon dioxide emissions levels and to identify potential strategies for reducing these emissions. The study was limited to examining the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted with the assistance of OpenLCA software and the Ecoinvent database for the life cycle inventory (LCI). Most of the material inputs (kg) and carbon emissions intensities (gCO₂/kWh) were provided by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Cooperation (ENEC), while the remainder were extracted from the Ecoinvent database. The principal outcome was that BNPP resulted in the emission of 11.29 g CO₂/kWh, with uranium production accounting for most of this value (85%). The mining methods employed in the fuel front-end processes and the type of enrichment affect the carbon dioxide emissions. It was established that the UAE relies on 100% centrifugation enrichment; however, the OpenLCA database focused on the carbon intensity from Ecoinvent in relation to the quantity of uranium fuel utilized for BNPP. This LCA incorporated the mining and enrichment techniques utilized for BNPP's uranium production and their associated carbon emissions to enhance the study.

Date of Award	25 Dec 2024
Original language	American English
Supervisor	FRANCOIS Foulon (Supervisor)