Análisis de Ciclo de Vida del Sistema Eléctrico Español: Comparación de Tecnologías Renovables mediante Sphera GaBi y SimaPro

Abstract

The transition towards renewable electricity systems represents a crucial pathway for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing the decarbonization of industrial processes. This study examines the environmental performance of the Spanish renewable electricity system projected for 2025 using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and explores its influence on electric arc furnace (EAF) steel production. The modelling was conducted with datasets from the ecoinvent 3.11 database and the LCA software tools Sphera GaBi and SimaPro. The renewable electricity mix was developed based on representative Spanish technologies, including wind, photovoltaic, concentrated solar, hydropower, and biomass. Environmental impacts were assessed using the IPCC 2013 GWP100, ReCiPe Endpoint (H), and Primary Energy Demand methods. Three scenarios were considered: a baseline steel production case, a renewable electricity scenario reflecting the projected Spanish mix, and a 100% wind-powered scenario. Additional analyses addressed technological contributions, historical emission trends, and seasonal variability in renewable electricity generation across Spain. The findings reveal that replacing conventional electricity with renewable sources substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions, primary energy demand, and impacts on human health, ecosystems, and resource depletion. The wind-based scenario achieved the best overall environmental performance. Moreover, the comparison between Sphera GaBi and SimaPro showed consistent environmental trends, with quantitative differences arising from methodological features specific to each platform. Taken together, these results underscore the potential of renewable electrification as an effective strategy to mitigate environmental impacts and promote the decarbonization of energy-intensive industrial systems.