Accelerated Reduction in SO<sub>2</sub> Emissions from the U.S. Power Sector Triggered by Changing Prices of Natural Gas

Lu, Xi; Chen, Xinyu; Wu, Gang; Nielsen, Chris P.

doi:10.1021/es301023c

Cited by 20 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…from legislatively driven emissions controls, economic factors (e.g., coal-to-natural gas fuel switching and recessioninduced reduction in demand for electricity and transportation fuel) played a sizeable role between 2008 and 2009 (Lu et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air quality and atmospheric deposition in the eastern US: 20 years of change

Sickles

Shadwick²

2015

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

101

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Abstract. Data collected in the eastern US between 1990 and 2009 at 34 paired dry and wet monitoring sites are examined. A goal is to evaluate the air quality impacts occurring between 1990 and 2009 that are associated with concurrent legislatively mandated changes in emissions. Four 5-year periods, 1990-1994 (P1), 1995-1999 (P2), 2000-2004 (P3), and 2005-2009 (P4) are considered, with a primary focus on P1-to-P4 changes. Results suggest that legislatively mandated air pollution mitigation strategies have been successful in improving air quality and reducing atmospheric deposition in the eastern US.Respective P1-to-P4 reductions of estimated sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) emissions in the eastern US are 50 and 42 %. Corresponding behavior of the following metrics associated with these emissions reductions is examined: monitored atmospheric concentrations of SO 2 , aerosol sulfate (SO 4 ), and oxidized sulfur (S); dry, wet, and total deposition of S; monitored atmospheric concentrations of nitric acid (HNO 3 ), aerosol nitrate (NO 3 ), and their sum, oxidized nitrogen (OxN); dry, wet, and total deposition of OxN; monitored atmospheric concentration of aerosol ammonium (NH 4 ); dry, wet, and total deposition of NH 4 ; summed monitored atmospheric concentration of oxidized and reduced nitrogen (N); dry, wet, and total deposition of N; wet deposition of hydrogen ion (H + ); monitored atmospheric concentration of ozone (O 3 ); dry deposition of O 3 ; and the summed monitored atmospheric concentration of aerosol NO 3 , SO 4 , and NH 4 (Clean Air Status and Trends Network particulate matter -CASTNET PM). Other metrics (e.g., ratios of dry to total deposition) are also considered.Selected period-to-period changes of air quality and deposition metrics at site, regional, and seasonal scales are discussed. As an example, despite P1-to-P3 reductions in estimated emissions of both SO 2 and NO x , aerosol NO 3 concentration increased in the east, with widespread wintertime numerical increases in both aerosol NO 3 concentration and CASTNET PM. However, a reversal of this behavior is associated with continuing P3-to-P4 reductions of SO 2 and NO x emissions. Thus, additional P3-to-P4 reductions of these emissions, especially NO x , appear to have made progress in altering the chemical regime of the wintertime eastern US atmosphere so that future emissions reductions and their resulting reductions in aerosol concentrations may no longer be accompanied by sub-linear changes (or actual increases) in CASTNET PM.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air quality and atmospheric deposition in the eastern US: 20 years of change

Sickles

Shadwick²

2015

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

101

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“…Next, the logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) approach is adopted to separate the impacts of (3)). LMDI has been widely employed for analysis of driving forces and to provide policy-relevant insights, including wind energy supply in China (Lu et al 2016) and emission trends of CO 2 in China and SO 2 in the US (Lu et al 2012). LMDI has been shown to have advantages over other decomposition methods because of its path independence, consistency in aggregation, and ability to handle zero values (Ang 2005, Ang andWang 2015).…”

Section: Pmmentioning

confidence: 99%

State-level drivers of future fine particulate matter mortality in the United States

Smith

West

et al. 2019

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Future fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) concentrations and resulting health impacts will be largely determined by factors such as energy use, fuel choices, emission controls, state and national policies, and demographics. In this study, a human-earth system model is used to estimate PM 2.5 mortality costs (PMMC) due to air pollutant emissions from each US state over the period 2015 to 2050, considering current major air quality and energy regulations. Contributions of various socioeconomic and energy factors to PMMC are quantified using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index. National PMMC are estimated to decrease 25% from 2015 to 2050, driven by decreases in energy intensity and PMMC per unit consumption of electric sector coal and transportation liquids. These factors together contribute 68% of the decrease, primarily from technology improvements and air quality regulations. States with greater population and economic growth, but with fewer clean energy resources, are more likely to face significant challenges in reducing future PMMC from their emissions. In contrast, states with larger projected decreases in PMMC have smaller increases in population and per capita GDP, and greater decreases in electric sector coal share and PMMC per unit fuel consumption.

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“…I t i is the COD emission intensity. Several researchers (Lei et al, 2012;Lu et al, 2012a) analysed the driving forces of CO 2 or SO 2 emission by selecting the CO 2 or SO 2 intensity index. E t i denotes the water intensity, which indicates the production efficiency-related technical effect of the ith industry.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He (2010) proposed a detailed analysis by using a rich data set containing information on the 1991-2001 provincial-level production and SO 2 emission intensity of 13 industrial sectors. Lu et al (2012a) employed the LMDI approach to isolate the factors responsible for the decrease in SO 2 emission.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He (2010) investigated the role of China's contribution of aggregate industrial SO 2 emission, as well as the aspects of scale, composition, and technical effects of such emission. Lu et al (2012a) expressed the driving factors of pollutant emissions as total power generation, fraction produced by individual energy sources, and related SO 2 emission intensity. Lei et al (2012) decomposed the driving factors of industrial wastewater pollutant discharge into three classifications: production effects (caused by changes in the scale of economic activity), structural effects (caused by changes in economic structure), and intensity effects (caused by changes in the technological level of each sector).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Decomposition analysis of water consumption-related chemical oxygen demand emission in Chinese industrial sectors

Guo

Wang

2014

Water Policy

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Water shortage in China is caused by the uneven distribution of water resources, a situation that can worsen given overexploitation and pollution. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) emission is considered the most important water pollutant. Using the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method, we analyse the main driving factors of the 2001-2011 changes in China's industrial water consumption-related COD emission. The main driving factors of COD emission are classified into five effects, namely, end-of-pipe treatment, COD emission intensity, water intensity, structural effect, and scale effect. In contrast to previous studies, the current work considers water consumption by using water intensity as an index. Results show that end-of-pipe treatment, with an effect of up to 35%, was the primary factor that influenced emission reduction during the studied period. Pollution reduction policies are key drivers of promoting advancements in technologies for reducing COD emission in industrial sectors, and technical efficiency in 2001-2011.

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Accelerated Reduction in SO₂ Emissions from the U.S. Power Sector Triggered by Changing Prices of Natural Gas

Cited by 20 publications

References 13 publications

Air quality and atmospheric deposition in the eastern US: 20 years of change

Air quality and atmospheric deposition in the eastern US: 20 years of change

State-level drivers of future fine particulate matter mortality in the United States

Decomposition analysis of water consumption-related chemical oxygen demand emission in Chinese industrial sectors

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Accelerated Reduction in SO2 Emissions from the U.S. Power Sector Triggered by Changing Prices of Natural Gas

Cited by 20 publications

References 13 publications

Air quality and atmospheric deposition in the eastern US: 20 years of change

Air quality and atmospheric deposition in the eastern US: 20 years of change

State-level drivers of future fine particulate matter mortality in the United States

Decomposition analysis of water consumption-related chemical oxygen demand emission in Chinese industrial sectors

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Product

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Accelerated Reduction in SO₂ Emissions from the U.S. Power Sector Triggered by Changing Prices of Natural Gas