Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint Evaluation of EHV Transformers: A Case-Based Approach

Cycle Assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint evaluation are emerging as vital tools for both procurement and asset management decisions. This paper presents a comprehensive cradle-tograve LCA and carbon footprint assessment of a 400 kV, 500 MVA transformer.

To quantify and analyze the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of an extra-high voltage (EHV) power transformer using process-based LCA, and to evaluate high-impact mitigation strategies applicable during the manufacturing, logistics, commissioning, operation, and end-of-life phases. The study uses ISO 14040/44-compliant LCA techniques, supplemented by carbon-footprint arithmetic based on GREET 2024, ecoinvent 3.9, IPCC 2006 and CEA Baseline emission factors. The total footprint is allocated across five phases: Manufacturing, Transport, Onsite Commissioning, Operation and Maintenance, Endof-Life. Each stage includes detailed mass inventories and emission calculations and alternative scenarios assess the impact of design and operational interventions.

This approach presents a highly suitable and forward-thinking strategy for advancing sustainability in the power transmission sector, particularly within the Indian context. By introducing a first-of-its-kind, field-validated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model tailored to

India, it provides a robust foundation for evaluating and minimizing environmental impacts across the transformer lifecycle. The integration of eco-design principles—such as renewable based auxiliary consumption, ester oil usage, and material-efficient spares—demonstrates how smart engineering choices can yield measurable environmental benefits. Given that conventional transformer operations can exceed 50,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions over their lifecycle, this LCA-based optimization offers a compelling roadmap for utilities.