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Electricity restructuring and regional air pollution

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  • Palmer, Karen
  • Burtraw, Dallas

Abstract

This paper investigates the regional air pollution effects that could result from new opportunities for inter-regional power transmission in the wake of more competitive electricity markets. The regional focus is important because of great regional variation in the vintage, efficiency and plant utilization rates of existing generating capacity, as well as differences in emission rates, cost of generation and electricity price. Increased competition in generation could open the door to changes in the regional profile of generation and emissions. We characterize the key determinant of changes in electricity generation and transmission as the relative cost of electricity among neighboring regions. In general, low cost regions are expected to export power generated by existing coal-fired facilities to higher cost regions. The key determinant of how much additional power would be traded is the uncommitted electricity transfer capability between regions, including its possible future expansion. The changes in emissions of NOx and CO2 that result are modeled as a function of the average emission rate for each pollutant in each region, coupled with assumptions about the extent of displacement of nuclear or coal-fired generation in the importing regions. Finally, we employ an atmospheric transport model to predict the changes in atmospheric concentrations of in each region as a consequence of changes in generation for inter-regional transmission. In the year 2000, we estimate national emission changes for NOx could increase by 213,000 to 478,900 tons under the scenarios we think most likely, compared to the baseline. Under our benchmark scenario, we find national emissions of NOx would increase by 349,900 tons. The changes in NOx emissions should be considered in the context of an expected decrease in annual emissions nationally of over 2 million tons that will result from full implementation of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments over the next few years. The increase in emiss
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  • Palmer, Karen & Burtraw, Dallas, 1997. "Electricity restructuring and regional air pollution," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(1-2), pages 139-174, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:resene:v:19:y:1997:i:1-2:p:139-174
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    1. Biewald, Bruce, 1997. "Competition and clean air: the operating economics of electricity generation," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 41-45.
    2. Knill, C, 1996. "Patterns of European Policy Development : The Case of Clean Air Policy," Papers 96/12, European Institute - Political and Social Sciences.
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    1. Shih, Hsin-Chin, 2007. "Evaluating the prospective effects of alternative regulatory policies on the investment behaviour and environmental performance of a newly liberalised electricity industry in Taiwan," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 320-335, December.
    2. Burtraw, Dallas & Palmer, Karen L. & Heintzelman, Martin, 2000. "Electricity Restructuring: Consequences and Opportunities for the Environment," Discussion Papers 10854, Resources for the Future.
    3. Timothy Brennan & Karen Palmer & Salvador Martinez, 2002. "Implementing Electricity Restructuring," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 22(1), pages 99-132, June.
    4. Eric Thompson & Frank Scott & Mark Berger, 2004. "Deregulation in the Electric Utility Industry: Excess Capacity and the Transition to a Long‐Run Competitive Market," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Halstead, John M. & Huang, Ju-Chin & Stevens, Thomas H. & Harper, Wendy, 2002. "Tinkering With Valuation Estimates: Is There A Future For Willingness To Accept Measures?," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19724, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    6. Stavins, Robert N., 2003. "Experience with market-based environmental policy instruments," Handbook of Environmental Economics, in: K. G. Mäler & J. R. Vincent (ed.), Handbook of Environmental Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 9, pages 355-435, Elsevier.
    7. Jacques, Christiane & Lafrance, Gaetan & Doucet, Joseph A., 2001. "Inertia in the North American electricity industry: is it realistic to think that the Kyoto Protocol objectives can be met?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 453-463, May.
    8. Halstead, John M. & Stevens, Thomas H. & Harper, Wendy & Hill, L. Bruce, 2004. "Electricity Deregulation and the Valuation of Visibility Loss in Wilderness Areas: A Research Note," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 34(1), pages 1-11.
    9. Burtraw, Dallas & Krupnick, Alan & Palmer, Karen & Paul, Anthony & Toman, Michael & Bloyd, Cary, 2003. "Ancillary benefits of reduced air pollution in the US from moderate greenhouse gas mitigation policies in the electricity sector," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 650-673, May.
    10. Farrell, Alex & Carter, Robert & Raufer, Roger, 1999. "The NOx Budget: market-based control of tropospheric ozone in the northeastern United States," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 103-124, May.
    11. Burtraw, Dallas & Bharvirkar, Ranjit & McGuinness, Meghan, 2001. "Uncertainty and the Cost-Effectiveness of Regional NOx Emissions Reductions from Electricity Generation," Discussion Papers 10846, Resources for the Future.
    12. Palmer, Karen L. & Burtraw, Dallas & Bharvirkar, Ranjit & Paul, Anthony, 2001. "Restructuring and the Cost of Reducing NOx Emissions in Electricity Generation," Discussion Papers 10549, Resources for the Future.
    13. Palmer, Karen & Ando, Amy, 1998. "Getting on the Map: The Political Economy of State-Level Electricity Restructuring," RFF Working Paper Series dp-98-19-rev, Resources for the Future.
    14. Burtraw, Dallas & Krupnick, Alan J. & Palmer, Karen L. & Paul, Anthony & Toman, Michael & Bloyd, Cary, 2001. "Ancillary Benefits of Reduced Air Pollution in the United States from Moderate Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies in the Electricity Sector," Discussion Papers 10664, Resources for the Future.
    15. Burtraw, Dallas & Palmer, Karen, 2005. "The Environmental Impacts of Electricity Restructuring: Looking Back and Looking Forward," RFF Working Paper Series dp-05-07, Resources for the Future.
    16. Burtraw, Dallas & Toman, Michael, 1997. "The Benefits of Reduced Air Pollutants in the U.S. from Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies," RFF Working Paper Series dp-98-01-rev, Resources for the Future.
    17. Cao, Jing & Ho, Mun & Jorgenson, Dale, 2008. "“Co-benefits†of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies in China: An Integrated Top-Down and Bottom-Up Modeling Analysis," RFF Working Paper Series dp-08-10-efd, Resources for the Future.
    18. Tschirhart, John & Wen, Shiow-Ying, 1999. "Tradable Allowances in a Restructuring Electric Industry," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 195-214, September.
    19. Pillai N., Vijayamohanan, 2008. "Power Sector Reform: Some Lessons for Kerala," MPRA Paper 12334, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Mason, Robin & Swanson, Timothy, 2002. "The costs of uncoordinated regulation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 143-167, January.

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