Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Three Smallscale Hydropower Stations in South of Sweden
2022 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (university diploma), 180 HE credits
Student thesisAlternative title
Metan- och Koldioxidutsläpp Från Tre Småskaliga Vattenkraftverk i Södra Sverige (Swedish)
Abstract [en]
Over the past decades, evidence show that the anthropogenetic greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) are the main drivers behind global warming and are becoming stronger. Globally, hydropower is among the main sources of renewable energy and the popular notion that hydropower electricity is carbon neutral has been under debate as evidence from measurements in different regions of the globe show significant and highly variable carbon emissions from hydropower reservoirs. But these global estimates are still highly uncertain since they are restricted to a few locations in the south of Europe, North America, and South America, and lack both the temporal and spatial variability in addition to some of the flux pathways (often downstream emission and degassing). This study assesses the CH4 and CO₂ emissions from reservoirs associated to three small hydropower stations in the south of Sweden and aims to understand potential spatial and temporal variability in the temperate region. The study performed flux measurements of CH4 and CO₂, an analysis of CH4 and DIC concentration in the water, and a depth profile of temperature, DO, CH4 and DIC at the hydropower station’s reservoirs. In summation this study finds significant CH4 and DIC concentrations, as well as CH4 and CO₂emissions from the studied reservoirs. The findings of this study underline the notion that hydropower might be a `blind spot` in the Swedish GHG budget report, and if so, the carbon emissions from hydropower electricity need to be re-evaluated.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2022. , p. 53
Keywords [en]
Hydropower, Reservoir, Freshwater, (automated) Flux chambers, Emissions, Ebullition, Diffusion, Greenhouse gases, GHGs, Methane, CH4, Carbon dioxide, CO2, Dissolved oxygen, DO, Variability, Spatial, Temporal, Dissolved inorganic carbon.
Keywords [sv]
Vattenkraft, Reservoar, Sötvatten, (automatiserade) Fluxkammare, Utsläpp, Ebullition, Diffusion, Växthusgaser, GHHs, Metan, CH4, Koldioxid, CO2, Löst syre, DO, Variabilitet, Rumslig, Temporal, Löst oorganiskt kol.
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences Biological Sciences Other Natural Sciences Environmental Sciences Climate Science Organic Chemistry Inorganic Chemistry
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-185925ISRN: LIU-TEMA/MV-C—22/14—SEOAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-185925DiVA, id: diva2:1670113
Subject / course
Bachelor of Science Thesis, Environmental Science Programme
Presentation
2022-05-31, K3, Norrköping, 14:25 (English)
Supervisors
Examiners
2022-07-042022-06-152025-02-01Bibliographically approved