skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: The impact of climate policies on the operation of a thermal power plant

Abstract

Climate policy measures aimed at power markets influence the cost structure of producers and price patterns, and are therefore likely to influence the production decision of power plants, even in the short run. When power plants have costs related to starting and stopping, decisions on short-term production are intertemporal, and the conventional 'price vs. marginal cost' rule is not sufficient to predict production in thermal power plants. This paper analyzes how the optimal production decision is influenced by climate policies: namely, CO{sub 2} trading mechanisms, the expansion of renewables and the interaction between these policies. The main result is that higher power price variation (as a result of increased wind power production) makes the thermal power producer less flexible, but the effect on emissions is ambiguous. A CO{sub 2} cost (as a result of an emission trading system) increases the flexibility of the producer and the operation decision resembles the conventional 'price vs. marginal cost' rule more. This implies lower emissions. However, when the CO{sub 2} price is coupled with higher power price variation, the positive effects may be reversed since the two policies have opposing effects.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21176744
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Energy Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 29; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0195-6574
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS; CARBON DIOXIDE; OPERATION; COST; PRICES; EMISSION; ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Citation Formats

Rosnes, Orvika. The impact of climate policies on the operation of a thermal power plant. United States: N. p., 2008. Web.
Rosnes, Orvika. The impact of climate policies on the operation of a thermal power plant. United States.
Rosnes, Orvika. 2008. "The impact of climate policies on the operation of a thermal power plant". United States.
@article{osti_21176744,
title = {The impact of climate policies on the operation of a thermal power plant},
author = {Rosnes, Orvika},
abstractNote = {Climate policy measures aimed at power markets influence the cost structure of producers and price patterns, and are therefore likely to influence the production decision of power plants, even in the short run. When power plants have costs related to starting and stopping, decisions on short-term production are intertemporal, and the conventional 'price vs. marginal cost' rule is not sufficient to predict production in thermal power plants. This paper analyzes how the optimal production decision is influenced by climate policies: namely, CO{sub 2} trading mechanisms, the expansion of renewables and the interaction between these policies. The main result is that higher power price variation (as a result of increased wind power production) makes the thermal power producer less flexible, but the effect on emissions is ambiguous. A CO{sub 2} cost (as a result of an emission trading system) increases the flexibility of the producer and the operation decision resembles the conventional 'price vs. marginal cost' rule more. This implies lower emissions. However, when the CO{sub 2} price is coupled with higher power price variation, the positive effects may be reversed since the two policies have opposing effects.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21176744}, journal = {Energy Journal},
issn = {0195-6574},
number = 2,
volume = 29,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2008},
month = {Tue Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2008}
}