Carbon footprint accounting method and system for wind power station considering terrain and carbon sink offset
By acquiring meteorological data on the topography and elevation of wind power stations to calculate vegetation carbon carrying capacity, and combining this with the carbon sink capacity of terrestrial vegetation, the problem of not considering topography and carbon sink resources in wind power carbon footprint accounting has been solved, achieving more accurate carbon emission assessment and ecological value assessment.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202610523163.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
Smart Images
Figure CN122434040A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of carbon footprint accounting technology, and in particular to a method and system for carbon footprint accounting of wind power plants that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting. Background Technology
[0002] Although wind power generation produces virtually no pollutants during the power generation process, from a life cycle perspective, wind farms still emit greenhouse gases and environmental pollution during the production, construction, and recycling stages. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research on the carbon footprint of wind power generation throughout its entire life cycle.
[0003] Like other renewable energy sources, wind energy is a low-quality, dispersed resource. Its development and utilization increase energy costs across the entire industry chain. Wind power equipment manufacturing, wind farm construction, operation, and end-of-life recycling all contribute to significant energy consumption and pollutant emissions. A systematic analysis of renewable energy from a life-cycle perspective is crucial for objectively understanding its resource and environmental costs, as well as its potential for energy conservation and emission reduction.
[0004] Currently, carbon footprint accounting, as a core tool for assessing the environmental impact of energy projects, has formed a relatively mature framework in the application of wind power. However, its traditional accounting system has significant limitations—namely, it generally does not take into account the carbon sink resources associated with wind power projects, making it difficult for the accounting results to fully reflect the "net carbon benefits" of wind power, and also underestimating the ecological value of the wind power industry to some extent. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method and system for calculating the carbon footprint of wind power plants that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting, which can improve the applicability and calculation accuracy of carbon footprint calculation of wind power plants under different geographical and climatic conditions.
[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A method for calculating the carbon footprint of wind power plants that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting includes: Obtain meteorological data corresponding to the terrain elevation of the wind power station, and calculate the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located based on the meteorological data. The cumulative carbon sequestration of the wind power station is calculated based on the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity, and the total carbon sink of the onshore vegetation of the wind power station is calculated by combining the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity and the cumulative carbon sequestration. The carbon emissions of a wind power plant throughout its entire life cycle are calculated based on the carbon emissions during the equipment acquisition phase, the construction phase, the operation and maintenance phase, the decommissioning phase, and the total carbon sink of the onshore vegetation surrounding the wind power plant, thus obtaining the carbon footprint of the wind power plant throughout its entire life cycle.
[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A wind power plant carbon footprint accounting system that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the various steps of the aforementioned wind power plant carbon footprint accounting method that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting.
[0008] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By acquiring meteorological data corresponding to the topographic elevation of the wind power station, the maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located is assessed. This value reflects the upper limit of carbon sequestration that vegetation can perform under optimal conditions. The cumulative carbon sequestration is calculated based on the maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity, and the total carbon sink of terrestrial vegetation is calculated by combining the maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity and the cumulative carbon sequestration. Compared to the current carbon footprint accounting for the entire life cycle of wind power generation, which only focuses on unidirectional emissions from four stages—equipment acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning—this invention also incorporates the total carbon sink of terrestrial vegetation, taking into account topography, into the carbon footprint accounting, thus supplementing the absorption end that is not included in existing emission accounting. This approach not only overcomes the net carbon benefit bias caused by the lack of carbon sinks in traditional accounting systems, but also enables a more objective and comprehensive assessment of the comprehensive environmental value of wind power stations in terms of both low-carbon power generation and ecological carbon sequestration, improving the applicability and accuracy of wind power station carbon footprint accounting under different geographical and climatic conditions. Attached Figure Description
[0009] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a method for calculating the carbon footprint of a wind power plant that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is an architectural diagram of a wind power plant carbon footprint accounting method that considers topography and carbon sink offsetting according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a bar chart showing the carbon emissions of Scheme 1 and Scheme 2 in the entire life cycle of a wind power plant according to embodiments of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a wind power plant carbon footprint accounting system that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0010] Definitions:
[0011] To explain in detail the technical content, objectives, and effects of the present invention, the following description is provided in conjunction with the embodiments and accompanying drawings.
[0012] In existing technologies, wind power is considered a low-carbon, zero-emission clean energy source. However, its lifecycle, from wind turbine manufacturing and wind farm construction to operation and maintenance and decommissioning and recycling, still involves significant energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Current carbon footprint accounting systems primarily focus on direct emissions in four stages, neglecting the carbon absorption and sequestration by vegetation in the wind power station's location, leading to an underestimation of net carbon sequestration benefits. In practice, wind power stations are mostly built in hilly areas, plains, and at different latitudes and altitudes. Meteorological conditions (wind speed, temperature, precipitation) are closely related to topography, and these factors determine the photosynthetic activity and carbon sequestration potential of vegetation. Traditional accounting lacks a refined assessment of topography and carbon sequestration, leading to quantitative biases in the "net carbon benefit" of wind power. Although the land occupied by wind power projects is mainly designated for "productive use," the surrounding vegetation (such as grassland herbs and mountain shrubs) continues to photosynthesize and sequester carbon. Some projects even enhance regional carbon sequestration capacity through "ecological restoration" measures (such as post-construction vegetation restoration). These carbon sinks are essentially an important component of the carbon emissions of wind power projects throughout their entire life cycle. Their exclusion means that the accounting results only reflect the "carbon emissions" side, while omitting the "carbon absorption" side, resulting in an overestimation of the net carbon emissions of wind power and a failure to fully reflect its ecological value.
[0013] To address at least the aforementioned issues, meteorological data corresponding to the topographic elevation of wind power stations is obtained to calculate the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of vegetation in the area. Furthermore, the cumulative carbon sequestration and the total carbon sink of onshore vegetation around the wind power stations are estimated, thus incorporating the carbon absorption end into the life-cycle carbon footprint accounting. This approach improves the applicability and accuracy of wind power station carbon footprint accounting under different geographical and climatic conditions.
[0014] The following details a method for calculating the carbon footprint of wind power plants that considers topography and carbon sink offsetting, as described in this invention. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 The method 100 includes steps 101 to 103: Step 101: Obtain meteorological data corresponding to the terrain elevation of the wind power station, and calculate the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located based on the meteorological data.
[0015] In this embodiment, the carriers of onshore wind power carbon sinks considered are vegetation restored or newly added through artificial intervention during project construction and operation, specifically including three core objects: (1) Temporary land reclamation carbon sinks: This is the core source of carbon sinks for onshore wind power, accounting for more than 95% of the total carbon sinks. Temporary land includes construction sites, material storage yards, temporary construction roads, wind turbine hoisting platforms, etc. After the project is completed, it must be reclaimed into areas covered by herbaceous, shrub, or tree vegetation as required. When calculating, the area of hardened roads and structures that remain after reclamation should be deducted, and only the effective vegetation coverage area should be calculated.
[0016] (2) Carbon sequestration in permanent land greening: refers to carbon sequestration by green vegetation on permanent land such as around substations, power line towers, and within the walls of substations, including tree planting, lawn greening, and slope protection. Although this area is small, the vegetation type is stable (e.g., the lifespan of trees can reach more than 20 years), and the carbon sequestration cycle is completely matched with the project operation period, so it should be included in the accounting scope.
[0017] (3) Carbon sink of soil and water conservation plant measures: Plant measures taken to prevent soil erosion caused by project construction, such as spraying grass seeds on slopes, planting shrubs, and setting up plant hedges, etc. The growth of vegetation not only realizes the function of soil and water conservation, but also generates carbon sink benefits. It is an additional positive ecological contribution of the project and needs to be calculated in conjunction with the plant measures list in the soil and water conservation plan.
[0018] It is worth noting that ecological restoration during wind power project construction is a typical biological dynamic succession process, with vegetation carbon sequestration capacity exhibiting significant nonlinear characteristics depending on the growth stage. Furthermore, considering that onshore wind farms are often located in complex terrain areas such as ridges and plateaus, the low temperatures and low oxygen levels at high altitudes significantly inhibit the net primary productivity of vegetation, resulting in a "high-altitude cold stress" effect. To improve calculation accuracy and overcome the risk of overestimating carbon sinks in high-altitude wind farms using traditional ideal models for plains, this embodiment introduces the Logistic growth model (Verhulst-Pearl equation) from ecology and couples it with a high-altitude cold stress correction factor to construct a dynamic carbon sink assessment framework. Specifically, this includes steps 1011 to 1013.
[0019] Step 1011: Obtain the first meteorological data of the reference elevation, and calculate the reference net primary productivity of vegetation based on the first meteorological data.
[0020] Specifically, onshore wind farms are mostly located in complex terrain areas such as ridges, plateaus, and deserts. The terrain environment (such as local climate variations caused by altitude and slope aspect) directly determines the ecological base of the area, thus exerting physical limitations such as "high-altitude cold stress" on the net primary productivity of vegetation. To overcome the distortion problem of directly applying ideal plain data in traditional calculations, this embodiment first performs quantitative modeling of the terrain environment. Combining the elevation data of the wind farm, a climate-productivity empirical model (Miami model) is introduced to calculate the net primary productivity of vegetation under this terrain by using the local temperature and precipitation determined by the terrain environment.
[0021] In this embodiment, baseline net primary productivity is calculated based on temperature and precipitation data from the first meteorological data using a climate-productivity empirical model:
[0022] In the formula, NPP 0 represents baseline net primary productivity. T0 represents the annual average temperature (°C) in the first meteorological data. R 0 represents the annual average precipitation (mm) in the first meteorological data; min{} is the minimum value function, which reflects the "Liebig's minimum rate rule" for plant growth.
[0023] Step 1012: Obtain the second meteorological data on the terrain elevation of the wind power station, and calculate the actual net primary productivity of the vegetation corresponding to the wind power station based on the second meteorological data.
[0024] Real net primary productivity was calculated using a climate-productivity empirical model based on temperature and precipitation data from secondary meteorological data:
[0025] In the formula, NPP h Indicates actual net primary productivity, T h This represents the annual average temperature (°C) in the second meteorological data. R h This represents the annual average precipitation (mm) in the second meteorological data.
[0026] Step 1013: Correct the baseline maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity using the baseline net primary productivity and the actual net primary productivity to obtain the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located.
[0027]
[0028] In the formula, This indicates the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind farm is located; C max Indicates the baseline maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity; NPP h Indicates actual net primary productivity; NPP 0 represents the baseline net primary productivity. min(1,x) ensures that carbon sequestration does not violate the biophysical upper limit when the actual environment is better than the baseline environment.
[0029] Step 102: Calculate the cumulative carbon sequestration of the wind power station based on the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity, and calculate the total carbon sink of the onshore vegetation of the wind power station by combining the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity and the cumulative carbon sequestration.
[0030] Specifically, after establishing the high-altitude stress correction factor, dynamic carbon sink accounting will be further carried out over time. The carriers of onshore wind power carbon sinks are the vegetation restored or added during the project construction and operation, specifically including temporary land reclamation carbon sinks, permanent land greening carbon sinks, and soil and water conservation plant measures carbon sinks.
[0031] Assuming vegetation per unit area on the 1st t The cumulative carbon sequestration in years Q ( t It follows a Logistic curve:
[0032] In the formula, This indicates the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind farm is located; k Indicates the intrinsic growth rate of vegetation (unit: a). -1 , i.e., 1 / year), represents the absolute recovery rate under the climate and soil conditions of the area where the wind power station is located; t 0 indicates the inflection point (a) at which the vegetation carbon sequestration rate reaches its peak.
[0033] Considering that actual engineering projects often involve multiple restoration types such as trees, shrubs, and herbs, the formula for calculating the dynamic carbon aggregate of terrestrial vegetation is derived as follows:
[0034] In the formula, E sink_land This represents the total carbon sequestration of onshore vegetation near the wind power station; n Indicates the number of vegetation types; S i Indicates the first i Effective vegetation cover area (unit: hm) 2 ); Indicates the region where the wind farm is located. i Actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of vegetation (unit: tCO2e / hm) 2 T represents the operating years of the wind power station (unit: a, consistent with the carbon emission accounting cycle).
[0035] Step 103: Calculate the carbon emissions of the wind power station throughout its entire life cycle based on the carbon emissions during the equipment acquisition phase, the construction phase, the operation and maintenance phase, the decommissioning phase, and the total carbon sink of the onshore vegetation of the wind power station, so as to obtain the carbon footprint of the wind power station throughout its entire life cycle.
[0036]
[0037] In the formula, E W This represents the carbon emissions of a wind power plant throughout its entire lifecycle. E ma This indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during the equipment acquisition phase; E bu This indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during the construction phase. E opThis indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during its operation and maintenance phase. E re This indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during the decommissioning and disposal phase; all parameters are in tons of CO2 (tCO2). E sink_land This represents the total carbon sequestration of onshore vegetation near the wind power station.
[0038] Specifically, building upon the limitations of traditional life-cycle carbon emission accounting models that "only focus on emission quantification and ignore the ecological compensation value of carbon sinks," this paper incorporates carbon sink accounting methods. It combines the carbon emissions from the four stages of equipment acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning in the wind power carbon emission accounting model with the carbon sink scenario of "terrestrial vegetation carbon sinks," constructing a wind power life-cycle carbon footprint accounting model that considers carbon sinks. The accounting boundary framework of this embodiment is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, this study focuses on "full life cycle emission accounting and carbon sink offsetting," integrating carbon emissions from four stages of wind power carbon footprint accounting—equipment acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning—with carbon absorption from terrestrial vegetation carbon sink scenarios. It introduces a nonlinear Logistic ecological succession model and a high-altitude climate stress correction mechanism. By calculating and correcting the carbon sink offsetting amount in both time and space dimensions, the study ultimately obtains the net carbon footprint of wind power throughout its entire life cycle. This addresses the core defect of traditional models that "only calculate emissions and ignore carbon sinks," and corrects the carbon footprint through carbon sink offsetting, making it more consistent with the actual environmental value of wind power.
[0039] Among these stages, the equipment acquisition phase is the core of the entire lifecycle carbon emissions for wind power generation (generally accounting for over 60% of total emissions). Its carbon emissions focus on energy consumption and process emissions throughout the entire process of raw material production and equipment manufacturing, covering the entire process from raw material mining and processing to equipment manufacturing. Processes such as ore smelting into steel and the cutting and welding of large structural components involve high-temperature smelting, high-temperature heat treatment, and reliance on high-energy-consuming equipment such as heavy machine tools. These stages generally involve high temperatures, high power, and high energy consumption, requiring the consumption of large amounts of fuel and electricity, thus generating significant carbon emissions. The carbon emissions during the equipment acquisition phase... E ma The specific formula is:
[0040] In the formula, M This indicates the types and quantities of equipment or materials involved in the equipment acquisition phase. Q ma ( p ) indicates the first stage in the equipment acquisition phase. p The quantity of a particular type of equipment or material to be acquired must be determined based on the specific equipment or material, such as tons of iron. EF ma ( p) indicates the first stage in the equipment acquisition phase. p The emission factor of a certain type of equipment or material, the unit of which is determined according to the specific equipment or material, such as tCO2e / t iron.
[0041] Carbon emissions during the construction phase can be mainly divided into three parts: First, the on-site construction of various production facilities. During this process, steel components, precast slabs, and other building materials need to be hoisted and assembled using large equipment such as tower cranes and cranes, consuming fuel or electricity and generating carbon emissions. Second, the acquisition of building materials. Steel bar smelting requires high-temperature calcination of iron ore, and cement production relies on limestone calcination processes. These materials generate significant carbon emissions throughout their entire production chain, from raw materials to finished products. Third, the transportation of materials and equipment. Steel bars, cement, and other building materials need to be transported by truck, precast components often rely on heavy-duty trailers, and some equipment even requires combined rail and waterway transport. These transportation methods consume fuel or electricity, generating carbon emissions. (Carbon emissions during the construction phase) E bu The specific formula is:
[0042] In the formula, B This indicates the types and quantities of materials or energy involved in the construction phase. Q bu ( q ) is the first q The amount of a material or energy consumed, with the unit of measurement determined according to the type of material or energy. EF bu ( q ) is the first q The emission factor of a material or energy source, expressed in tCO2e / unit of material (tCO2e / unit of energy). E but This indicates carbon emissions generated during the transportation process.
[0043] The method for calculating carbon emissions from the transportation of raw materials, auxiliary materials, and equipment is as follows:
[0044] In the formula, the transportation process is divided into several stages. T part, D r For the first time during transportation r The distance of a transport segment is measured in kilometers (km) or nautical miles (nm) depending on whether it is by land or sea. W r For the first r The weight of goods during segment transportation, expressed in tons (t). EF but ( r ) is the first rThe carbon footprint factor of the vehicles used in segment transportation, with units of tCO2e / t·km or tCO2e / t·nmi.
[0045] Carbon emissions during the operation and maintenance phase can be mainly divided into three parts: First, the material and energy consumption during the operation of various equipment, such as transformers and cables, which consume electricity during operation, and the metals and insulation materials used in their maintenance, which generate carbon emissions throughout their entire life cycle from production to disposal; second, SF6 gas emissions, which have a strong greenhouse effect, and leaks during equipment installation, maintenance, or aging will directly exacerbate carbon emissions; and third, carbon emissions from personnel activities, mainly including carbon emissions generated by personnel commuting using transportation. This is the total carbon emissions of a wind power plant during the operation and maintenance phase. E op The carbon emissions from material and energy consumption during wind power plant operation, SF6 emissions, and human activities are calculated using the following formula:
[0046]
[0047] In the formula, O Indicates the types and quantities of materials or energy involved in the operation and maintenance phase; Q op ( j ) indicates the first stage of operation and maintenance. j The consumption of a certain material or energy, the unit of which needs to be determined according to the specific material or energy, such as t fuel oil or kWh; EF op ( j ) indicates the first stage of operation and maintenance. j The emission factor of a material or energy source, the unit of which is determined according to the specific material or energy source, such as tCO2e / t fuel oil or tCO2e / kWh; E opt This indicates the carbon emissions from the transportation of materials required for operation and maintenance; express SF The amount of 6 that is dissipated or escaped is expressed in tons (t). express SF The global warming potential is 6. E p This indicates carbon emissions from human activities, expressed in tCO2e. P This indicates the number of modes of transportation used by people, primarily considering commuting activities. N l Indicates the mode of transportation used l The number of personnel; D l Indicates the mode of transportation used lCommuting distance (km / person); EF p(l) Indicates mode of transportation l The emission factor (tCO2e / person·km).
[0048] The decommissioning phase primarily involves the dismantling, transportation, and processing of facilities slated for decommissioning. Carbon emissions from dismantling mainly originate from the fuel or electricity consumed by the large machinery used in the process. Carbon emissions from transportation primarily arise from the vehicles used to deliver the waste to its destination, calculated using the same method as the transportation phase described earlier. Carbon emissions from processing vary depending on the type of waste being processed. For example, recycling recyclable waste consumes energy and generates carbon emissions; landfilling non-biodegradable waste releases greenhouse gases such as methane; and incinerating combustible waste directly emits carbon dioxide. The carbon emissions during the decommissioning phase are as follows: E re The specific formula is:
[0049] In the formula, E rd , E rt , E rh These represent the carbon emissions from dismantling, transportation, and disposal activities, all in tons of CO2 (tCO2).
[0050] The formula for calculating carbon emissions during the dismantling process is as follows:
[0051] In the formula, it is assumed that this step involves a total of D Such materials or equipment Q rd ( u ) is the first u The consumption of a certain type of material or equipment, with the unit of measurement determined according to the type of material or equipment; EF rd ( u ) is the first u The emission factor of a material or equipment, expressed in tCO2e / unit of material (tCO2e / unit of equipment).
[0052] Carbon emissions in the transportation process E rt The calculation formula is the same as the method used above for calculating carbon emissions from building materials and equipment transportation activities.
[0053] The carbon emission calculation formulas for the treatment process are divided into the following two types depending on the treatment method: The calculation formula for recycling recyclable waste is as follows:
[0054] In the formula, E pc This indicates the carbon emissions from the recycling process, with the unit of measurement determined based on the type of material or equipment. E sv This indicates the emission reduction resulting from recycling virgin materials.
[0055] The calculation formula for landfilling of non-degradable waste or incineration of combustible waste is as follows:
[0056] In the formula, it is assumed that this step involves a total of H A type of waste. Q rh ( v ) is the first v For waste disposed of through landfill or incineration, the unit of measurement is determined based on the type of material or equipment. EF rh ( v ) is the first v The carbon footprint factor of waste disposed of in landfills or incineration, expressed in tCO2e / unit of waste.
[0057] As described above, existing wind power lifecycle carbon footprint accounting methods only focus on unidirectional emissions from four stages: equipment acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning, without considering ecological restoration carbon sinks. This embodiment proposes a wind power lifecycle net carbon footprint accounting method that considers topographic environment and carbon sink offsetting mechanisms. Compared to traditional methods, the core technological innovations of this embodiment are specifically reflected in the following two dimensions: (1) Expanding the accounting boundary and dynamic assessment of carbon sinks: Breaking through the traditional life cycle assessment (LCA) framework, this invention incorporates terrestrial vegetation carbon sinks, such as temporary land reclamation and permanent land greening in wind power project construction, into the accounting boundary. In the calculation process, this invention introduces a nonlinear ecological succession model to restore the temporal dynamic law of vegetation carbon sequestration. Through a scientifically quantified carbon sink offsetting mechanism, the model is transformed from "one-way emission accumulation" to "net carbon footprint assessment".
[0058] (2) Spatial quantitative correction of coupled climate model and high-altitude stress: In the carbon sink calculation process, in view of the high altitude and climate difference that onshore wind farms often face, this invention coupled the climate-productivity empirical model (Miami model) and the high-altitude stress factor in the calculation to take into account the objective limitations of topography and climate conditions on the net primary productivity of vegetation, and realize the quantitative analysis and correction of the carbon sink process in the spatial dimension.
[0059] This embodiment makes up for the shortcomings of traditional accounting which only considers emissions and not absorption, and can more objectively and completely evaluate the comprehensive environmental value of wind power projects in terms of "low-carbon power generation" and "ecological carbon sequestration".
[0060] Furthermore, this embodiment uses a wind power station as a case study to calculate the carbon footprint of wind power considering the carbon offsetting mechanism. The basic information of the wind power station is as follows: it has 16 wind turbines of 6.25MW each, a rated power generation capacity of 100MW, a set working life of 20 years, and an annual working hours of 2000h.
[0061] This embodiment adds carbon sink accounting to the traditional wind power carbon emission accounting, transforming the wind power lifecycle carbon footprint accounting from a simple emission accumulation to a more realistic net impact assessment. With a specific example, the accounting results for the wind power project in this embodiment are as follows: Figure 3 As shown in Table 1, the technical effects of this embodiment are shown in Table 1. Scheme 1 is the traditional scheme, and Scheme 2 is the scheme of this embodiment.
[0062] Table 1. Carbon footprint results under different schemes
[0063] The core of carbon sequestration in onshore wind power projects is vegetation carbon sequestration (which belongs to terrestrial ecosystem carbon sequestration). The carbon sequestration of wind power projects (such as vegetation reclamation on temporary land and greening on permanent land) is concentrated in the operation and maintenance phase.
[0064] Depend on Figure 3 The calculation results show that the core difference between Scheme 1 (without considering carbon sinks) and Scheme 2 (including carbon sinks) lies in the offsetting effect of carbon sinks on emissions throughout the entire life cycle: For the equipment acquisition phase, according to both Scheme 1 and Scheme 2, the carbon emissions in this phase are 35432.78 tCO2e, which is the largest emission stage in the entire life cycle. These emissions originate from the mining, processing, and manufacturing of raw materials for equipment such as wind turbines and towers (e.g., steel production using traditional high-carbon processes). The concentrated emissions in this phase provide a quantifiable target for subsequent carbon offsetting, making it the largest emission stage in the entire life cycle.
[0065] For the construction phase, the total carbon emissions of this project, according to both Scheme 1 and Scheme 2, are 13126.88 tCO2e. These emissions originate from fuel consumption by construction machinery, material transportation, and earthwork operations, constituting a "short-term concentrated emission" during the construction phase. It is noteworthy that the surface disturbance during this phase (such as temporary land occupation) is precisely the source of onshore wind power carbon sinks (carbon sequestration through vegetation restoration after temporary land reclamation). In other words, the ecological impact of the construction phase creates the prerequisite for subsequent carbon sink formation, while the carbon sink offsets the carbon emissions of the construction phase through carbon sequestration.
[0066] For the decommissioning phase, both Scheme 1 and Scheme 2 emit 10099.99 tCO2e, originating from equipment dismantling, waste transportation, landfilling, or incineration. Although no carbon sink is directly formed at this stage, the offsetting effect of carbon sinks on total life-cycle carbon emissions indirectly reduces the proportion of emissions from the decommissioning phase to net total emissions. Furthermore, if combined with improved recycling rates of decommissioned equipment (such as tower steel recycling), the synergistic effect of carbon sinks and recycling-based emission reduction will further amplify the low-carbon value of the project.
[0067] Specifically, the essential difference between Scheme 1 and Scheme 2 lies in the operation and maintenance phase. Scheme 1, which calculates carbon emissions without considering carbon sinks, emits only 29.80 tCO2, accounting for less than 0.05% of its total emissions. This demonstrates the core advantage of wind power: near-zero carbon emissions during long-term operation (relying on wind power generation, requiring no fossil fuel consumption, and only minimal emissions from maintenance materials and personnel commuting). Scheme 2, on the other hand, calculates net carbon emissions after incorporating carbon sinks, resulting in carbon emissions of -21581.39 tCO2 during the operation and maintenance phase. tCO2e (29.80 - 21611.19 = -21581.39) The carbon sink included here is not a generalized ecological benefit, but a scientifically quantified "artificial intervention carbon sink" directly related to the project. The carbon sink is 21611.19 tCO2e, which comes from two sources: First, the carbon sink from temporary land reclamation (accounting for 93.6%, approximately 20228.07 tCO2e), namely the temporary construction roads, material storage yards, and hoisting platforms occupied during the construction period. In areas such as [specific locations], ecological restoration will commence in the first year of operation, planting adaptable herbaceous plants and shrubs. The carbon sequestration rate exhibits an "S"-shaped dynamic change with biological community succession, and will continue to play a net carbon absorption role throughout the 20-year operation cycle. Secondly, permanent land greening carbon sinks (accounting for 6.4%, approximately 1383.12 tCO2e) encompass greening within the substation perimeter wall and vegetation restoration around power transmission line towers, primarily consisting of trees and lawns. The carbon sequestration cycle is completely synchronized with the project's operation period. This integrates temporary land reclamation and vegetation restoration for carbon absorption.
[0068] Table 1 presents the difference in carbon footprint of wind power projects under two accounting logics: "without considering carbon sinks (Scheme 1)" and "including carbon sinks (Scheme 2)," reflecting the significant role of carbon sinks in the low-carbon value of wind power. The total life-cycle carbon emissions of Scheme 1 are 58,689.45 tCO2e, while those of Scheme 2 (including carbon sinks) are reduced to 37,078.26 tCO2e, a decrease of 37%. This reduction is entirely due to carbon sink offsetting during the operation and maintenance phase.
[0069] Furthermore, the calculation results of Scheme 2 also demonstrate the technical value of introducing "altitude and climate stress correction" in this embodiment. Taking the high-altitude wind farm (average altitude above 2000 meters) where this embodiment is located as an example, if the ideal model of vegetation in plain areas is directly applied according to existing technology (i.e., without attenuation correction for vertical decrease in altitude and temperature), its uncorrected theoretical carbon sink will be approximately 28,500 tCO2e. In comparison, it can be seen that if the objective limitations of topography and climate stress on net primary productivity are not considered, the carbon sink offset of this wind power project will be seriously overestimated by approximately 31.7%. This embodiment effectively eliminates this calculation bias by introducing a high-altitude cold stress correction mechanism, avoiding distortion in carbon sink assessment under complex high-altitude habitats, thereby ensuring the scientific validity and reliability of the final carbon footprint per kilowatt-hour (9.27 g / kWh) data.
[0070] Please refer to Figure 4 The present invention also provides a wind power plant carbon footprint accounting system 400 that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting, including a memory 401, a processor 402, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the various steps of a wind power plant carbon footprint accounting method that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting as described above.
[0071] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modifications made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for calculating the carbon footprint of wind power plants that considers topography and carbon sink offsetting, characterized in that, include: Obtain meteorological data corresponding to the terrain elevation of the wind power station, and calculate the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located based on the meteorological data. The cumulative carbon sequestration of the wind power station is calculated based on the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity, and the total carbon sink of the onshore vegetation of the wind power station is calculated by combining the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity and the cumulative carbon sequestration. The carbon emissions of a wind power plant throughout its entire life cycle are calculated based on the carbon emissions during the equipment acquisition phase, the construction phase, the operation and maintenance phase, the decommissioning phase, and the total carbon sink of the onshore vegetation surrounding the wind power plant, thus obtaining the carbon footprint of the wind power plant throughout its entire life cycle.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Obtain meteorological data corresponding to the terrain elevation of the wind power station, and calculate the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located based on the meteorological data, including: Obtain the first meteorological data for the baseline elevation, and calculate the baseline net primary productivity of vegetation based on the first meteorological data; Obtain the second meteorological data on the topographic elevation of the wind power station, and calculate the actual net primary productivity of the vegetation corresponding to the wind power station based on the second meteorological data. The baseline maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity is corrected by using the baseline net primary productivity and the actual net primary productivity to obtain the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located.
3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The baseline maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity is corrected using the baseline net primary productivity and the actual net primary productivity to obtain the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of vegetation in the area where the wind power station is located, including: In the formula, This indicates the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind farm is located; C max Indicates the baseline maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity; NPP h Indicates actual net primary productivity; NPP 0 represents the baseline net primary productivity.
4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The actual net primary productivity of the vegetation corresponding to the wind power station is calculated based on the second meteorological data, including: Real net primary productivity was calculated using a climate-productivity empirical model based on temperature and precipitation data from secondary meteorological data: In the formula, NPP h Indicates actual net primary productivity, T h This represents the annual average temperature in the second meteorological data. R h This represents the annual average precipitation in the second meteorological data.
5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cumulative carbon sequestration of the wind power station is calculated based on the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity, including: Based on the growth model, the vegetation per unit area on the [number]th [year] was calculated. t Cumulative carbon sequestration per year: In the formula, Q ( t () indicates the cumulative carbon sequestration. This indicates the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of the vegetation in the area where the wind farm is located; k It represents the intrinsic growth rate of vegetation, and characterizes the absolute recovery rate under the climatic and soil conditions of the area where the wind power station is located. t 0 indicates the inflection point at which the vegetation carbon sequestration rate reaches its peak.
6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The total carbon sink of onshore vegetation at the wind power station is calculated by combining the actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity and the cumulative carbon sequestration, including: In the formula, E sink_land This represents the total carbon sequestration of onshore vegetation near the wind power station; n Indicates the number of vegetation types; S i Indicates the first i Effective coverage area of vegetation; Indicates the region where the wind farm is located. i The actual maximum environmental carbon carrying capacity of vegetation; T represents the operating life of the wind power station.
7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The total carbon emissions of a wind power station throughout its entire lifecycle are calculated based on carbon emissions during the equipment acquisition phase, construction phase, operation and maintenance phase, decommissioning phase, and the total carbon sink of onshore vegetation. This includes: In the formula, E W This represents the carbon emissions of a wind power plant throughout its entire lifecycle. E ma This indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during the equipment acquisition phase; E bu This indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during the construction phase. E op This indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during its operation and maintenance phase. E re This indicates the carbon emissions of a wind power plant during its decommissioning and disposal phase. E sink_land This represents the total carbon sequestration of onshore vegetation near the wind power station.
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The carbon emissions of the wind power station during the operation and maintenance phase are calculated by combining the carbon emissions from material and energy consumption during the operation of the wind power station equipment, the carbon emissions from SF6 emissions, and the carbon emissions from personnel activities.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The carbon emissions of the wind power station during the operation and maintenance phase are calculated by combining the carbon emissions from material and energy consumption during the operation of the wind power station equipment, the carbon emissions from SF6 emissions, and the carbon emissions from personnel activities, including: In the formula, O Indicates the types and quantities of materials or energy involved in the operation and maintenance phase; Q op ( j ) indicates the first stage of operation and maintenance. j The amount of a certain material or energy consumed; EF op ( j ) indicates the first stage of operation and maintenance. j Emission factors of a material or energy source; E opt This indicates the carbon emissions from the transportation of materials required for operation and maintenance; express SF The amount of 6 that escapes or dissipates; express SF The global warming potential is 6. E p Indicates carbon emissions from human activities; P Indicates the number of modes of transportation used by people; N l Indicates the mode of transportation used l The number of personnel; D l Indicates the mode of transportation used l The distance; EF p(l) Indicates mode of transportation l The emission factors.
10. A wind power plant carbon footprint accounting system considering topography and carbon sink offsetting, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements each step of the method for calculating the carbon footprint of a wind power plant that takes into account topography and carbon sink offsetting as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.