Steam electric generation under residual-emissions constraints: a cost function approach incorporating perceptions of state enforcement activity

Thesis/Dissertation · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5403907

Fuller, D A

This thesis is an empirical analysis of the ex-ante nature of steam electric generation under constraints on the emissions of fly ash and thermal waste heat. Under the assumption of cost-minimizing behavior, the tool of duality is used to develop the constrained cost function used in estimation. The constraint on fly-ash emissions is modeled to include both the legal constraint and, central to the model, perceptions of state intent to enforce the constraint during plant operation. The base model allows substitution between fuels as a fly-ash abatement strategy. A second model using only coal-fired plants is estimated in an effort to assess the effects of technology aggregation on estimates of the base model. An output constraint is developed expressed in two dimensions, plant size and utilization rate. The sample consists of all privately owned fossil-fueled steam-electric plants installed between 1965 and 1975. Empirical results indicate that the producer cannot be relied upon to operate the fly-ash control device in a manner consistent with the legal constraint. This supports the hypothesis that, given cost-minimizing behavior, imposition of an emissions standard is necessary but not sufficient to control polluting activity. Results also indicate higher incremental costs of fly-ash emissions control than most previous studies.

• OSTI ID: 5403907
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200200 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste Management
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
296000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY
ENFORCEMENT
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
HEAT
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POWER PLANTS
STANDARDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WASTE HEAT
WASTES