Valuing the greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear power:
A critical survey
Benjamin K. Sovacool

Table 8: Lifecycle estimates for electricity generators [a]

Technology Capacity/configuration/fuel Estimate (gCO2e/kWh)

Wind 2.5MW, offshore Hydroelectric 3.1MW, reservoir Wind 1.5MW, onshore Biogas Anaerobic digestion Hydroelectric 300 kW, run-of-river Solar thermal 80MW, parabolic trough Biomass Forest wood Co-combustion with hard coal Biomass Forest wood steam turbine Biomass Short rotation forestry Co-combustion with hard coal Biomass FOREST WOOD reciprocating engine Biomass Waste wood steam turbine Solar PV Polycrystalline silicone Biomass Short rotation forestry steam turbine Geothermal 80MW, hot dry rock Biomass Short rotation forestry reciprocating engine   Nuclear Various reactor types   Natural gas Various combined cycle turbines Fuel cell Hydrogen from gas reforming Diesel Various generator and turbine types Heavy oil Various generator and turbine types Coal Various generator types with scrubbing Coal Various generator types without scrubbing

9 10 10 11 13 13 14 22 23 27 31 32 35 38 41   66   443 664 778 778 960 1050

[a] Wind, hydroelectric, biogas, solar thermal, biomass, and geothermal, estimates taken from Pehnt (2006). Diesel, heavy oil, coal with scrubbing, coal without scrubbing, natural gas, and fuel cell estimates taken and Gagnon et al. (2002). Solar PV estimates taken from Fthenakis et al. (2008). Nuclear is taken from this study. Estimates have been rounded to the nearest whole number.