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Title: Reducing emissions from the electricity sector: the costs and benefits nationwide and for the Empire State

Abstract

Using four models, this study looks at EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) as originally proposed, which differs in only small ways from the final rule issued in March 2005, coupled with several approaches to reducing emissions of mercury including one that differs in only small ways from the final rule also issued in March 2005. This study analyzes what costs and benefits each would incur to New York State and to the nation at large. Benefits to the nation and to New York State significantly outweigh the costs associated with reductions in SO{sub 2}, NOx and mercury, and all policies show dramatic net benefits. The manner in which mercury emissions are regulated will have important implications for the cost of the regulation and for emission levels for SO{sub 2} and NOx and where those emissions are located. Contrary to EPA's findings, CAIR as originally proposed by itself would not keep summer emissions of NOx from electricity generators in the SIP region below the current SIP seasonal NOx cap. In the final CAIR, EPA added a seasonal NOx cap to address seasonal ozone problems. The CAIR with the seasonal NOx cap produces higher net benefits. The effect of the differentmore » policies on the mix of fuels used to supply electricity is fairly modest under scenarios similar to the EPA's final rules. A maximum achievable control technology (MACT) approach, compared to a trading approach as the way to achieve tighter mercury targets (beyond EPA's proposal), would preserve the role of coal in electricity generation. The evaluation of scenarios with tighter mercury emission controls shows that the net benefits of a maximum achievable control technology (MACT) approach exceed the net benefits of a cap and trade approach. 39 refs., 10 figs., 30 figs., 5 apps.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Resources for the Future, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
20838200
Resource Type:
Miscellaneous
Resource Relation:
Related Information: Discussion Paper 05-23
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; USA; NEW YORK; US EPA; POLLUTION REGULATIONS; MERCURY; SULFUR DIOXIDE; NITROGEN OXIDES; POWER GENERATION; AIR POLLUTION CONTROL; COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS; EMISSION; COAL; FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS; EMISSIONS TRADING

Citation Formats

Palmer, Karen, Butraw, Dallas, and Shih, Jhih-Shyang. Reducing emissions from the electricity sector: the costs and benefits nationwide and for the Empire State. United States: N. p., 2005. Web.
Palmer, Karen, Butraw, Dallas, & Shih, Jhih-Shyang. Reducing emissions from the electricity sector: the costs and benefits nationwide and for the Empire State. United States.
Palmer, Karen, Butraw, Dallas, and Shih, Jhih-Shyang. 2005. "Reducing emissions from the electricity sector: the costs and benefits nationwide and for the Empire State". United States.
@article{osti_20838200,
title = {Reducing emissions from the electricity sector: the costs and benefits nationwide and for the Empire State},
author = {Palmer, Karen and Butraw, Dallas and Shih, Jhih-Shyang},
abstractNote = {Using four models, this study looks at EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) as originally proposed, which differs in only small ways from the final rule issued in March 2005, coupled with several approaches to reducing emissions of mercury including one that differs in only small ways from the final rule also issued in March 2005. This study analyzes what costs and benefits each would incur to New York State and to the nation at large. Benefits to the nation and to New York State significantly outweigh the costs associated with reductions in SO{sub 2}, NOx and mercury, and all policies show dramatic net benefits. The manner in which mercury emissions are regulated will have important implications for the cost of the regulation and for emission levels for SO{sub 2} and NOx and where those emissions are located. Contrary to EPA's findings, CAIR as originally proposed by itself would not keep summer emissions of NOx from electricity generators in the SIP region below the current SIP seasonal NOx cap. In the final CAIR, EPA added a seasonal NOx cap to address seasonal ozone problems. The CAIR with the seasonal NOx cap produces higher net benefits. The effect of the different policies on the mix of fuels used to supply electricity is fairly modest under scenarios similar to the EPA's final rules. A maximum achievable control technology (MACT) approach, compared to a trading approach as the way to achieve tighter mercury targets (beyond EPA's proposal), would preserve the role of coal in electricity generation. The evaluation of scenarios with tighter mercury emission controls shows that the net benefits of a maximum achievable control technology (MACT) approach exceed the net benefits of a cap and trade approach. 39 refs., 10 figs., 30 figs., 5 apps.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20838200}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005},
month = {Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005}
}

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