Exploring energy choices, a preliminary report

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974

OSTI ID:7293067

The effects of air pollution and air quality goals on energy alternatives are discussed. Damage from air pollution dropped from $16.1 billion in 1968 due to the increased use of air pollution controls and to the switch by power plants from coal to fuel oil and natural gas. There are strong pressures to delay putting air quality goals into full effect even though there is no clear margin of safety for any pollutants above the legal standard. In 1968 there was $4 billion of damage caused by sulfur dioxide from power plants, but sulfur oxides controls would have cost only $3 billion including fixed charges and operation costs. Metallic particles in the air caused by burning fossil fuels can interact with SO/sub 2/ and form the more hazardous sulfuric acid and sulfates. These particles also tend to worsen the impact of other pollutants. Catalytic converters are reducing automotive air pollutants in the form of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. Automobiles equipped with the converters emit sulfate particles through reactions in the converter with sulfur in the fuel. The emissions are not large, but they are in urban areas and may present adverse health effects in 2-3 yr. Energy consumption and fuel supplies are discussed and suggestions are made for future energy policy.

• Research Organization: Ford Foundation Energy Policy Project, Washington, D.C. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7293067
• Report Number(s): APTIC-64139
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
500600* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Regulations-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
AUTOMOBILES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
CONSUMPTION RATES
COST
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXHAUST GASES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUEL GAS
FUEL OILS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
NATURAL GAS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
POWER PLANTS
REGULATIONS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
VEHICLES
WASTES