Scenario-based dynamic LCA for electricity consumption in the Netherlands: Investigating the environmental sustainability

It is essential to capture the dynamic and temporal variations in energy generation and consumption while assessing the environmental impacts of electricity systems in a lifecycle perspective. This study aims to perform a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Dutch electricity system, incorporating both static and dynamic temporal aspects with the integration of a novel decentralized generation solution in household electricity consumption. This study evaluates the environmental performance of electricity generation across four scenarios, existing and projected energy mixes for 2030, both with and without the integration of the novel solution. For a typical household consuming 3,500 kWh per year, Global Warming Potential can decrease from 1,271.37 to 953.62 kg CO 2 -eq. The transition to the projected 2030 grid further reduces emissions to 829.66 kg CO 2 -eq, however, the increased deployment of solar PV leads to a rise in mineral resource scarcity from 7.94 to 10.29 kg Cu-eq. Integrating the novel solution into the 2030 Dutch electricity mix offers significant environmental benefits across all environmental impact categories. The climate change impact reduces to 622.34 kg CO 2 -eq when the novel solution is integrated in 2030, while fossil fuel scarcity decreases from 103.62 to 77.71 kg oil-eq. The study findings offer valuable insights into how dynamic LCA can more accurately reflect electricity systems’ real-world environmental impacts in Europe and beyond. The dLCA findings highlight the importance of considering temporal dynamics in LCA studies, as they reveal critical periods and transitional pathways where the "novel solution" can most effectively contribute to environmental sustainability.