Assessment of the environmental efficiency of the electricity mix of the top European economies via data envelopment analysis

Author, as appears in the article.: Ewertowska, A; Galan-Martin, A; Guillen-Gosalbez, G; Gavalda, J; Jimenez, L

Department: Enginyeria Química

URV's Author/s: Gavaldà Casado, Jordi / Guillen Gosalbez, Gonzalo / Jiménez Esteller, Laureano

Keywords: Life cycle assessment; Energy assessment; Eco-efficiency; Data envelopment analysis

Abstract: © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Moving towards a more sustainable energy system is a major goal of modern societies that aim to minimize the dependence on fossil fuels and the associated anthropogenic impacts. In this article, the combined use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is applied to analyse the environmental performance (eco-efficiency) of the electricity mix of the top European economies. This approach allows identifying environmentally efficient and inefficient countries considering as undesirable inputs several environmental impacts associated with the production of 1 kWh (regarded as output). The method provides as well targets for the inefficient countries that (if attained) would make them efficient. Our results provide valuable insight for governments and policy makers that aim to satisfy the electricity demand while minimizing the associated environmental impact.

Thematic Areas: Zootecnia / recursos pesqueiros; Strategy and management; Sociología; Saúde coletiva; Renewable energy, sustainability and the environment; Química; Psicología; Planejamento urbano e regional / demografia; Nutrição; Medicina veterinaria; Materiais; Matemática / probabilidade e estatística; Interdisciplinar; Industrial and manufacturing engineering; Green & sustainable science & technology; Geociências; General environmental science; Environmental sciences; Environmental science (miscellaneous); Environmental science (all); Ensino; Engineering, environmental; Engenharias iv; Engenharias iii; Engenharias ii; Engenharias i; Economia; Ciencias sociales; Ciências biológicas ii; Ciências biológicas i; Ciências ambientais; Ciências agrárias i; Ciência política e relações internacionais; Ciência de alimentos; Ciência da computação; Building and construction; Biotecnología; Astronomia / física; Arquitetura, urbanismo e design; Arquitetura e urbanismo; Administração, ciências contábeis e turismo; Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismo

licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/

ISSN: 09596526

Author's mail: gonzalo.guillen@urv.cat; laureano.jimenez@urv.cat; jordi.gavalda@urv.cat

Record's date: 2025-01-28

Paper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Link to the original source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652615018326

Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/

Paper original source: Journal Of Cleaner Production. 116 13-22

APA: Ewertowska, A; Galan-Martin, A; Guillen-Gosalbez, G; Gavalda, J; Jimenez, L (2016). Assessment of the environmental efficiency of the electricity mix of the top European economies via data envelopment analysis. Journal Of Cleaner Production, 116(), 13-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.11.100

Article's DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.11.100

Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Journal publication year: 2016

Publication Type: Journal Publications