Article
Environmental Sciences
Jonilda Kushta, Niki Paisi, Hugo Denier Van der Gon, Jos Lelieveld
Summary: This study examined the impact of coal-fired power plant emissions on air pollution levels and health in Europe, revealing a significant underestimation of annual excess mortality attributed to the emissions. The phase-out of coal-fired power plant emissions could lead to substantial health benefits, emphasizing the need for coordinated air pollution control strategies at the European level.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yaqin Guo, Bin Chen, Yanxian Li, Sili Zhou, Xiaowei Zou, Ning Zhang, Yuran Zhou, Huanxin Chen, Jun Zou, Xianhai Zeng, Yuli Shan, Jiashuo Li
Summary: China has implemented measures to address air pollutants and carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants while reducing toxic heavy metal emissions. By analyzing historical heavy metal emissions, this study assesses the evolution of emissions in different scenarios and identifies effective measures for reducing emissions. The findings are important for meeting the requirements of the Minamata Convention and carbon neutrality.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhonggen Li, Xufeng Chen, Wenli Liu, Taishan Li, Guangle Qiu, Haiyu Yan, Mingmeng Wang, Ji Chen, Guangyi Sun, Qingfeng Wang, Xinbin Feng
Summary: This study indicates that emissions from coal-fired power plants have a noticeable impact on ambient GEM and agricultural soil THg levels in the vicinity, with approximately 3.9% of the discharged mercury accumulating in nearby soils. The low retention rate of total emitted mercury by soils is attributed to the high proportion of Hg-0 in stack gas emissions and the potential loss of Hg through reemission from soil surfaces.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Economics
Jinling Guo, Junlian Gao, Kejia Yan, Bo Zhang
Summary: Coal de-capacity policies in China have successfully reduced methane emissions by closing coal mines with high and outburst methane content, leading to the optimization of coal production structure. These policies have resulted in a 9% decrease in the capacity of high and outburst CH4-content coal mines compared to 2011, and a decrease in the national average coal mine emission factor from 9 m3/t to 8 m3/t. From 2011 to 2019, these policies have generated a cumulative methane emissions mitigation of 10.70 Tg.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mikalai Filonchyk, Michael P. Peterson
Summary: The United States is a leading producer of electricity in the world, with coal accounting for 21.8% of the total electricity generated, which amounted to about 4116 billion kWh in 2021. This study examines emissions from coal-fired power plants and their spatial extent using both terrestrial and satellite data, and emphasizes the effectiveness of government policies in reducing emissions. The research reveals a steady decline in pollutant emissions from the US energy sector, with sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) decreasing by 93.4% and 84.8% respectively between 1990 and 2020, and carbon dioxide (CO2) decreasing by 37% between 2007 and 2020. However, while overall emissions from coal-fired power plants are declining, some individual plants still lack environmental equipment to control emissions, and certain power plants remain major emitters of SO2, NOx, and CO2. The use of TROPOMI satellite data enables the detection of point emissions from individual power plants, including those in rural areas, highlighting the ongoing pollution concerns from coal-fired power plants despite the progress made.
GEOSCIENCE FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cristian Mardones
Summary: In 2019, Chile announced a plan to shut down coal-fired power plants early, leading to cleaner production in the energy sector and electricity-intensive industries. This research uses an intersectoral model to simulate the transition from coal-fired thermoelectric generation to solar and wind energy. The results show that national production increases by USD 977 million, but employment decreases by 24 thousand jobs. Additionally, replacing coal-fired plants reduces national CO2 emissions by 37%.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hui Yue, Ernst Worrell, Wina Crijns-Graus, Shaohui Zhang
Summary: Efficiency improvements in the industrial sector can reduce reliance on coal-fired power generation and lead to the phased-out of high-polluting power units in China. By promoting efficient electricity usage in industry, less efficient coal-fired plants can be curbed from coming online, leading to significant reduction in air pollutant emissions due to the closure of coal-fired power units. Improved industrial energy efficiency is shown to be more cost-effective than installing flue gas controls in coal-fired plants, and can also contribute to climate change mitigation and enable the expansion of renewable power supply.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Di Wang, Haoyu Li, Chaonan Wang, Yunlong Zhou, Xiaoli Li, Mei Yang
Summary: This study successfully optimized the energy utilization efficiency of coal-fired power plants and reduced costs by establishing a mathematical model of the thermodynamic system and proposing a novel air preheating system.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Misbath Daouda, Lucas Henneman, Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Alison Gemmill, Corwin Zigler, Joan A. Casey
Summary: This study investigated the association between coal PM2.5 and preterm birth rates in the U.S., finding a positive non-linear relationship that was stronger for White women. The results suggest that transitioning away from coal may reduce preterm birth rates in the country.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Han Wang, Zhenghui Fu, Shulan Wang, Wenjie Zhang
Summary: The combination of linear programming model and fuzzy desirability function can effectively reduce CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants and simulate emissions under different reduction requirements. This method can provide a reference for government policy makers to predict CO2 emissions and guide adjustments in industrial and energy structures.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Manuel Linsenmeier, Adil Mohommad, Gregor Schwerhoff
Summary: Carbon pricing policies play a crucial role in combating climate change, and our research provides strong evidence that the adoption of these policies in one country influences the adoption in other countries. The diffusion of carbon pricing increases the likelihood of policy adoption by several percentage points for neighboring countries. By using Monte Carlo simulations, we estimate that the emissions reductions resulting from policy diffusion may surpass domestic emission reductions in many countries. These findings support the implementation of stringent climate policies, especially in countries with relatively low domestic emissions.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chong Tian, Bengen Gong, Xiaochuan Wang, Yongchun Zhao, Junying Zhang
Summary: The results suggest that ultra-low emission retrofits can significantly reduce particulate matter emissions, but can also affect the distribution of trace elements in particulate matter from different sampling sites due to changes in local reaction conditions.
Article
Economics
Jing-Li Fan, Zezheng Li, Kai Li, Xian Zhang
Summary: Coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) are the main source of CO2 emissions in China, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is widely recognized as a key technology for achieving carbon neutrality in the power industry. The study finds that multiple incentives used together will help the early development of CCUS projects, and suggests that giving coal-fired CCUS the same subsidies as carbon-free electricity will promote the retrofitting of CCUS to CFPPs.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tong Gao, Pengfei Jin, Dan Song, Bin Chen
Summary: This paper tracked the carbon footprint of coal-fired power plants in China from 2000 to 2020, finding that carbon emissions increased annually while emissions from the construction process peaked in 2006. The carbon footprint gaps between western and eastern provinces have narrowed over the past 20 years.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yuhuan Xu, Huijun Wu, Zhanfeng Dong, Qianqian Wang, Xinyue Chen
Summary: This study establishes a model using life cycle assessment to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions and energy use efficiency of a circulating fluidized bed coal-fired plant with gangue and coal co-combustion technology. The results show that increasing the proportion of coal decreases GHG emissions and improves EUE. The ideal co-combustion coal mass ratio is 20% to 30%.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)