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Pre-publication: Updated carbon intensity for the Brazilian grid electricity process and new carbon intensities for Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes

Date: March 21, 2024

1. Purpose

The purpose of this pre-publication is to present the proposed changes related to the Brazilian, Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes in the Fuel Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Model (the Model) for the next formal publication in June 2024.

With this pre-publication, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is providing a description of the proposed changes to the existing carbon intensity (CI) value for the Brazilian electricity grid and the proposed new CIs values for the Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes. This will allow stakeholders to provide comments on those proposed changes.

Pre-publications are not to be used for compliance with the Clean Fuel Regulations, or other programs or regulations, unless otherwise specified.

The CIs presented in the pre-publications may differ from the values that will be included in the next formal publication of the Model according to comments received and other changes to be implemented in the Model.

This pre-publication includes this descriptive document only. Though there is no openLCA module, the data available in this document can be used to model the new/updated processes in openLCA. The proposed updated CI for the Brazilian and the new CIs for the Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes are presented in Table A1 and A2 in Annex A.  Please note that ECCC has already pre-published proposed updates to CIs for both Canadian and American grid electricity processes on December 15, 2023 and February 28, 2024, respectively.

2. Context

2.1 Brazilian grid electricity process

The current Model database includes a process for the grid mix and emissions of Brazil and can be found in the folder Data library\Electricity\Grid electricity\Brazilian grid electricity.

This process is modelled using electricity generation and emissions data reported in the International Energy Agency's country profile for Brazil for the 2018 reference year. The process represents emissions per kWh of electricity consumed including upstream emissions associated to fuels used to produce electricity. For more information on the current modelling methodology, please refer to Chapter 3.3.2. of the Fuel LCA Model Methodology (January 2023).

3. Description of the proposed changes to the Model

3.1 Brazilian grid electricity process

ECCC is proposing updates to the CI of the Brazilian grid electricity process. The proposed update is associated with using more recent data sources and reference year. The Operator of the National Electricity System (ONS) was the primary source for 2021 data on the quantity of electricity generated by fuel type, the list of power plants that generated electricity by fuel type, and the quantity of electricity generated. Power Technology and Global Energy Monitor were the primary data sources for 2021 data to assign specific electricity generation technology for the electricity generated from biomass, coal, hydro, and natural gas in Brazil.

The updated CI is available for public review in Annex A of this document. The Data Library inputs and amounts used to calculate the CI are available in Table A3. Annex B presents the proposed revised section of the Fuel LCA Model Methodology for the next version of the Model.

3.2 Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes

ECCC is proposing to include new processes that would represent the grid mix and emissions of Argentina and Mexico. New folders will be created in the Data Library for each process.

The Argentina process is modelled using electricity generation and emissions data reported in the Wholesale Electricity Market Clearing Company (CAMMESA). This was the primary source for 2021 data on the quantity of electricity generated by fuel type and specific electricity generation technology. Power Technology was used as the primary data source to assign specific electricity generation technology for the electricity generated from biomass in Argentina.

The Mexico process is modelled using the National Center for Energy Control (CENACE) as the primary source for 2021 data on the quantity of electricity generated by fuel type and specific electricity generation technology. Power Technology and Global Energy Monitor were used as the primary data sources to assign specific electricity generation technology for the electricity generated from biomass and hydro in Mexico.

The processes represent emissions per kWh of electricity consumed including upstream emissions associated with fuels used to produce electricity.

The CIs for these processes are available for public review in Annex A of this document. The Data Library inputs and amounts used to calculate the CI for Argentina and Mexico are available in Tables A4 and A5 respectively. Annex B presents the proposed new section of the Fuel LCA Model Methodology for the next version of the Model.

4. How to submit comments on this pre-publication

Stakeholders are invited to review this pre-publication and provide comments to ECCC within 30 days following the pre-publication at modeleacvcarburant-fuellcamodel@ec.gc.ca.

Please indicate the following in the subject line: Comments on the Pre-publication: Updated carbon intensity for the Brazilian grid electricity process and new carbon intensities for Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes

Comments submitted will be considered for the development of the next formal version of the Fuel LCA Model.

For any questions related to this pre-publication, please contact modeleacvcarburant-fuellcamodel@ec.gc.ca with the following subject line: Questions on the Pre-publication: Updated carbon intensity for the Brazilian grid electricity process and new carbon intensities for Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes

Annex A: Proposed updated CI for Brazilian grid electricity process and new CIs for Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity processes.

The CIs presented in this Annex use the global warming potential (GWP) for the 100-year time horizon of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 5th Assessment Report (AR5). For more information please refer to Chapter 2.8 of the Fuel LCA Model Methodology.

Table A1: Proposed update to the existing Brazilian grid electricity process
Process Name

Current Model CI  (gCO2e/kWh)Footnote 1 

 Updated CI (gCO2e/kWh)
Electricity, from grid [BR] 135.3 132.9
Table A2: Proposed new processes for Argentinian and Mexican grid electricity
Process Name

Proposed CI

(gCO2e/kWh)
Electricity, from grid [AR] 321.4
Electricity, from grid [ME] 423.1
Table A3: Proposed inputs for Brazil grid mix composition by electricity technology
Flow Amount Unit
Electricity, from hydro, reservoir, offsite generation 0.408175 kWh
Electricity, from hydro, run-of-river, offsite generation 0.229899 kWh
Electricity, from wind, onshore, offsite generation 0.121961 kWh
Electricity, from natural gas, combined cycle, offsite generation 0.074065 kWh
Electricity, from natural gas, simple cycle, offsite generation 0.041915 kWh
Electricity, from wood biomass, simple cycle, offsite generation 0.028470 kWh
Electricity, from coal, bituminous, offsite generation 0.027913 kWh
Electricity, from nuclear, CANDU, offsite generation 0.024841 kWh
Electricity, from heavy fuel oil, offsite generation 0.014351 kWh
Electricity, from solar, photovoltaic, offsite generation 0.012972 kWh
Electricity, from wood biomass, cogeneration, offsite generation 0.010028 kWh
Electricity, from diesel, offsite generation 0.005411 kWh
Table A4: Proposed inputs for Argentina grid mix composition by electricity technology
Flow Amount Unit
Electricity, from natural gas, combined cycle, offsite generation 0.522815 kWh
Electricity, from hydro, reservoir, offsite generation 0.170076 kWh
Electricity, from wind, onshore, offsite generation 0.091239 kWh
Electricity, from nuclear, CANDU, offsite generation 0.071720 kWh
Electricity, from natural gas, simple cycle, offsite generation 0.057193 kWh
Electricity, from natural gas, cogeneration, offsite generation 0.026007 kWh
Electricity, from heavy fuel oil, offsite generation 0.016363 kWh
Electricity, from solar, photovoltaic, offsite generation 0.015484 kWh
Electricity, from coal, bituminous, offsite generation 0.012856 kWh
Electricity, from hydro, run-of-river, offsite generation 0.008289 kWh
Electricity, from wood biomass, simple cycle, offsite generation 0.003819 kWh
Electricity, from wood biomass, cogeneration, offsite generation 0.001471 kWh
Table A5: Proposed inputs for Mexico grid mix composition by electricity technology
Flow Amount Unit
Electricity, from natural gas, combined cycle, offsite generation 0.577728 kWh
Electricity, from hydro, reservoir, offsite generation 0.108731 kWh
Electricity, from heavy fuel oil, offsite generation 0.079149 kWh
Electricity, from wind, onshore, offsite generation 0.065954 kWh
Electricity, from solar, photovoltaic, offsite generation 0.053477 kWh
Electricity, from natural gas, simple cycle, offsite generation 0.051007 kWh
Electricity, from nuclear, CANDU, offsite generation 0.036368 kWh
Electricity, from coal, bituminous, offsite generation 0.027276 kWh
Electricity, from wood biomass, cogeneration, offsite generation 0.000179 kWh
Electricity, from wood biomass, simple cycle, offsite generation 0.000131 kWh

Annex B: Proposed methodology for Brazilian, Argentinian, and Mexican grid electricity processes

The methodology for the Brazilian grid electricity process can be found in Chapter 3.3 of the Fuel Life Cycle Assessment Model Methodology.

The following sections provide the proposed changes to the Methodology that would be reflected in the next formal version of the Model.

Note that the section numbers and text could change for the next formal version of the Fuel LCA Model Methodology.

3.3 Electricity

3.3.2 Modelling approach for grid electricity

The scope for grid electricity includes the following:

In addition to the exclusions mentioned in Chapter 2.3.1, inter-provincial (or inter-state) and international trade are not included in the datasets. Infrastructure related to electricity generation are also excluded.

The functional unit for electricity grid mix processes is 1 kWh of electricity produced and distributed from the grid. No allocation is required for the modelling of electricity production.

Brazilian grid electricity

The Brazilian grid electricity process was modelled using the Operator of the National Electricity System (ONS) as the primary source for 2021 data on the quantity of electricity generated by fuel type, the list of power plants that generated electricity by fuel type, and the quantity of electricity generated. Power Technology and Global Energy Monitor were the primary data sources for 2021 data to assign specific electricity generation technology for the electricity generated from biomass, coal, hydro, and natural gas in Brazil.

The Brazilian grid mix was determined by modelling the fraction of electricity produced by different electricity technologies used in Brazil. The Canadian technology-specific system processes were used as a proxy to represent the upstream emissions for each technology. Industrial waste sources in the Brazil grid mix were not accounted for due to a negligible contribution in the grid mix and a lack of data regarding technology modelling.

The sources used to model the Brazilian grid mix are listed below.

General electricity production data:

Other electricity generating technology data (biomass, coal, hydro, natural gas):

Argentinian grid electricity

The Argentinian grid electricity process is modelled using electricity generation and emissions data reported in the Wholesale Electricity Market Clearing Company (CAMMESA). This was the primary source for 2021 data on the quantity of electricity generated by fuel type and specific electricity generation technology. Power Technology was used as the primary data source to assign specific electricity generation technology for the electricity generated from biomass in Argentina.

The Argentinian grid mix was determined by modelling the fraction of electricity produced by different electricity technologies used in Argentina. The Canadian technology-specific system processes were used as a proxy to represent the upstream emissions for each technology. The biogas process in the Argentina grid mix was not accounted for due to a negligible contribution in the grid mix and a lack of data regarding biogas technology modelling.

The sources used to model the Argentinian grid mix are listed below.

General electricity production data:

Other electricity generating technology data:

Mexican grid electricity

The Mexican grid electricity process is modelled using the National Center for Energy Control (CENACE) as the primary source for 2021 data on the quantity of electricity generated by fuel type and specific electricity generation technology. Power Technology and Global Energy Monitor were used as the primary data sources to assign specific electricity generation technology for the electricity generated from biomass and hydro in Mexico.

The Mexican grid mix was determined by modelling the fraction of electricity produced by different electricity technologies used in Mexico. The Canadian technology-specific system processes were used as a proxy to represent the upstream emissions for each technology. The sources used to model the Mexican grid mix are listed below.

General electricity production data:

Other electricity generating technology data (biomass, coal, hydro, natural gas):

References

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