Managing China’s coal power plants to address multiple environmental objectives

Peng, Wei; Wagner, Fabian; Ramana, M. V.; Zhai, Haibo; Small, Mitchell J.; Dalin, Carole; Xin, Zhang; Mauzerall, Denise L.

doi:10.1038/s41893-018-0174-1

Cited by 115 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Existing literature has demonstrated the air quality and health cobenefits that accompany climate mitigation in various regions (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Several studies have analyzed the air pollution or human health impacts specifically contributed from coal-fired power generation (9)(10)(11)(12).…”

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confidence: 99%

The mortality impacts of current and planned coal-fired power plants in India

Cropper

Cui

Guttikunda

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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We examine the health implications of electricity generation from the 2018 stock of coal-fired power plants in India, as well as the health impacts of the expansion in coal-fired generation capacity expected to occur by 2030. We estimate emissions of SO2, NOX, and particulate matter 2.5 μm (PM2.5) for each plant and use a chemical transport model to estimate the impact of power plant emissions on ambient PM2.5. Concentration-response functions from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) are used to project the impacts of changes in PM2.5 on mortality. Current plus planned plants will contribute, on average, 13% of ambient PM2.5 in India. This reflects large absolute contributions to PM2.5 in central India and parts of the Indo-Gangetic plain (up to 20 μg/m3). In the south of India, coal-fired power plants account for 20–25% of ambient PM2.5. We estimate 112,000 deaths are attributable annually to current plus planned coal-fired power plants. Not building planned plants would avoid at least 844,000 premature deaths over the life of these plants. Imposing a tax on electricity that reflects these local health benefits would incentivize the adoption of renewable energy.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

The mortality impacts of current and planned coal-fired power plants in India

Cropper

Cui

Guttikunda

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Nevertheless, ambient air pollution is a crucial driver of human health 22,28 . However, air pollutants are usually only fundamentally considered in terms of sulphur oxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO X ) and particulates (PM) 6,22,[29][30][31][32][33] . No previous study adequately addresses these issues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

External costs of electricity generation in 27 European countries from 2010 - 2030: Pathway towards sustainability or business as usual?

Baumgärtner

Letmathe

2021

Preprint

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Electricity generation in Europe is undergoing fundamental change. The aim is to increase sustainability by reducing emissions. Each country has a different electricity mix, and there is no established method for measuring environmental impacts of electricity production with a single indicator, in a uniform manner and with country-specific data. To address this gap, we have developed a model that measures costs of 19 environmental externalities (usually types of emissions). Using country-specific technologies, electricity mixes and external cost rates, we assess and analyse the development of external costs of generating electricity in 27 European countries between 2010 and 2030. Our simulation results show that despite the initiated transformation of the energy systems in many EU countries, external costs per kWh are decreasing in only eight of these countries. This fact underlines the need for a drastic change in national energy strategies. Particularly striking are the developments of the energy mixes in six countries. Overall, the results show that more far-reaching policy measures are needed in order to significantly reduce the external costs of the energy sector in Europe.

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“…However, these studies either did not provide an explicit solution for a country or a region to meet the divergent targets simultaneously [14] or did not take into account inter-sector coordination and collaboration [15]. Although a few studies focused on optimizing solutions to meet multi-objectives or materials balance principle for coal power plants [16], the electricity sector [17], or thermal power industry [18], they did not take sectoral interdependence into account. A specific sector's production is not isolated and requires collaboration with other sectors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to balance China’s sustainable development goals through industrial restructuring: a multi-regional input–output optimization of the employment–energy–water–emissions nexus

Wang

Wei

2020

Environ. Res. Lett.

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To effectively manage economic transition and pursue sustainable development, the Chinese government has promulgated a series of policies in the 13th Five Year (2016-2020) Plan (FYP), covering social security, economic growth, energy transition, resource conservation, and environmental protection. To balance the various 13th FYP policy targets, we propose a multi-objective optimization model based on multi-regional input-output analysis. The model integrates the management of employment, energy consumption, water use, carbon emissions, and pollutant emissions by determining a policy-dominated industrial restructuring pathway that would best achieve consistency in sustainable development policies, adaptation to the national industrial development trend, and regional equity among China's provinces. Synergies and trade-offs among various policies are also discussed. Our optimization results show that an energy-consumptiondominated industrial restructuring pathway is the best solution, as it would satisfy various sustainable targets, facilitate (restrain) development of high-value-added (high-energy-consumption and highemissions) sectors, as well as improve regional equity. Therefore, to realize sustainability, the energy policy should be prioritized when formulating an industrial restructuring pathway. Applying such a multi-objective optimization model provides policymakers with a comprehensive approach to support sustainable development policies.

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Managing China’s coal power plants to address multiple environmental objectives

Cited by 115 publications

References 31 publications

The mortality impacts of current and planned coal-fired power plants in India

The mortality impacts of current and planned coal-fired power plants in India

External costs of electricity generation in 27 European countries from 2010 - 2030: Pathway towards sustainability or business as usual?

How to balance China’s sustainable development goals through industrial restructuring: a multi-regional input–output optimization of the employment–energy–water–emissions nexus

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