Incorporating upstream emissions into electric sector nitrogen oxide reduction targets

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Energy Policy
• Life-Cycle Assessment

Background:

• Electricity production is a primary source of U.S. air pollutants.
• Current emission reduction policies often focus on power plant controls or fuel switching.
• Life-cycle emissions, encompassing fuel extraction to generation, are often overlooked in air quality policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of including life-cycle emissions in air quality policymaking.
• To examine a hypothetical nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission reduction target for the U.S. electric sector.
• To compare the effectiveness and cost of emission reduction strategies with and without life-cycle considerations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) with U.S. state-level resolution.
• Modeled a hypothetical NOx emission reduction target for the electric sector.
• Analyzed emissions from power plants, fuel extraction, processing, transport, and power plant construction.

Main Results:

• Considering only power plant emissions led to a 5% offset in NOx reductions due to increased upstream emissions.
• Including fuel extraction, processing, and transport emissions in the reduction target met goals and reduced costs by 35% by 2050.
• Manufacturing and construction emissions increased, offsetting up to 7% of NOx reductions.

Conclusions:

• Life-cycle assessment provides a more comprehensive approach to air quality policymaking for the electric sector.
• Incorporating upstream emissions into reduction targets enhances effectiveness and reduces costs.
• Policy frameworks could incentivize reducing upstream emissions, though challenges like emission location identification exist.