Determining the Environmental Impact of Cradle to Gate in Coal-Fired Power Generation

The analysis of environmental impacts throughout the entire process of coal-fired power plants is imperative to implement effective measures for controlling and reducing pollutant emissions. However, there is still limited research focusing on the cradle-to-gate stage in the life cycle of coal-fired power plants and their environmental impact. This study employs a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to assess the environmental impacts of coal-fired power plants in South Sumatra. The primary environmental impact categories of primary emissions include CO2, SO2, NOx, and CH4. The most significant environmental impacts arise from CO2 emissions, notably 98.46% from land clearing and preparation and 86.74% from overburden removal and coal extraction. These stages primarily contribute to global warming throughout the cradle-to-gate process. Sulfur dioxide emissions from land clearing activities are the main contributor to acid rain, followed by overburden removal and coal extraction (96.51%) and coal stockpiling (1.48%), which also play a role. The release of NOx from land clearing and preparation, overburden removal, and coal stockpiling contributes to the potential for eutrophication. Land clearing and preparation have a significant impact on global warming during the coal mining and distribution stages. Practical measures such as enhancing emission reduction facilities and increasing pollutant emission standards for each process are necessary to promote environmentally friendly coal-fired power plants.