---
title: "Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of energy sources"
chunk: 2/2
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-cycle_greenhouse_gas_emissions_of_energy_sources"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:36:14.271215+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Although the life cycle assessments of each energy source should attempt to cover the full life cycle of the source from cradle-to-grave, they are generally limited to the construction and operation phase. The most rigorously studied phases are those of material and fuel mining, construction, operation, and waste management. However, missing life cycle phases exist for a number of energy sources. At times, assessments variably and sometimes inconsistently include the global warming potential that results from decommissioning the energy supplying facility, once it has reached its designed life-span. This includes the global warming potential of the process to return the power-supply site to greenfield status. For example, the process of hydroelectric dam removal is usually excluded as it is a rare practice with little practical data available. Dam removal however is becoming increasingly common as dams age. Larger dams, such as the Hoover Dam and the Three Gorges Dam, are intended to last "forever" with the aid of maintenance, a period that is not quantified. Therefore, decommissioning estimates are generally omitted for some energy sources, while other energy sources include a decommissioning phase in their assessments.
Along with the other prominent values of the paper, the median value presented of 12 g CO2-eq/kWhe for nuclear fission, found in the 2012 Yale University nuclear power review, a paper which also serves as the origin of the 2014 IPCC's nuclear value, does however include the contribution of facility decommissioning with an "Added facility decommissioning" global warming potential in the full nuclear life cycle assessment.
Thermal power plants, even if low carbon power biomass, nuclear or geothermal energy stations, directly add heat energy to the earth's global energy balance. As for wind turbines, they may change both horizontal and vertical atmospheric circulation. But, although both these may slightly change the local temperature, any difference they might make to the global temperature is undetectable against the far larger temperature change caused by greenhouse gases.

== See also ==
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage
Carbon capture and storage
Carbon footprint
Climate change mitigation
Efficient energy use
Low-carbon economy
Nuclear power proposed as renewable energy

== References ==

== External links ==
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. LCA CO2 emissions of all present day energy sources.
Wise uranium CO2 calculator