Modeling the effects of changes in New Source Review on national SO{sub 2} and NOx emissions from electricity-generating units
The Clean Air Act establishes New Source Review (NSR) programs that apply to the construction or modification of major stationary emissions sources. In 2002 and 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revised its rules to narrow the applicability of NSR to facility renovations. Congress then mandated a National Research Council study of the effects of the rules. An electricity-sector model - the Integrated Planning Model (IPM) - was used to explore the possible effects of the equipment replacement provision (ERP), the principal NSR change that was to affect the power-generation industry. The studies focused in particular on coal-fired electricity generating units, EGUs, for two reasons. First, coal-fired EGUs are important contributors of these pollutants, accounting for approximately 70 and 20% of nations SO{sub 2} and NOx emissions in 2004, respectively. Second, the shares of total capacity of large coal-fired EGUs that lack flue-gas desulfurization to control SO{sub 2} and selective catalytic reduction to reduce NOx emissions are 62 and 63% respectively. Although the analysis cannot predict effects on local emissions, assuming that the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) is implemented, we find that stringent enforcement of the previous NSR rules would likely lead to no or limited decreases in national emissions compared to policies such as ERP. Our results indicate that tighter emissions caps could achieve further decreases in national emissions more cost-effectively than NSR programs. 15 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Resources for the Future, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 20905810
- Resource Relation:
- Related Information: Discussion Paper 07-01
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
USA
POWER GENERATION
CLEAN AIR ACTS
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
IMPLEMENTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
EMISSIONS TRADING
EMISSION
RETROFITTING
SULFUR DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
EFFICIENCY
COST
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
COAL
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
I CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION