Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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In 2016, China had 168.7 GW of installed wind power capacity and
generated 241 TWh of electricity (Huenteler et al., 2018). Two challenges that
have reduced the amount of electricity that is used are connecting the new
wind power to the grid and curtailing the electricity flow to users because
of grid capacity and grid management (Lam et al., 2016). There is the potential to install 2400 GW of wind capacity by 2050 and produce 5350 TWh of
electricity per year, which would be about 35% of the electricity generated
(Huenteler et al., 2018). One of the important issues in China is to improve
site selection.
There are also many other electric power issues in China that are being
considered as the efforts to provide power, improve air quality, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions continue. Market reforms that are designed to
reduce the cost of electricity to consumers include the introduction of wholesale and retail competition (Lin et al., 2019). Planning studies on carbon
dioxide emission pricing and its impact on electricity are considered in this
study. Since coal is one of the lower- cost options in China, a high carbon
dioxide price is needed to alter the choice of sources of power. Both PM2.5
concentrations and carbon emissions are affected by generating electricity
using coal.
Simulation has been used to investigate alternatives and the impacts on
air quality, health, and carbon emissions in 2030 (Peng et al., 2018). If the
2015 state of 75% electricity from coal is maintained, there are air quality
and health benefits from transitioning to 30% electric vehicles and 30% of
the residential population shifting from solid fuels to electricity for residential heating and cooking. There are even greater benefits if only 50% of the
electricity comes from coal. The avoided deaths in China are 55,000 to 69,000
when only 50% of the electricity is generated using coal, compared to 41,000
to 57,000 for 75% of electricity from coal. Shifting to only 50% coal for power
generation results in a 14– 16% reduction in carbon emissions.
13.3 London, United Kingdom
London is the largest city in the United Kingdom, the seat of government, and
the cultural center of Britain. In contrast to China, it is in a fully developed
country and it is geographically very small. A major issue in London is the
specific need to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Poor air quality is the
greatest environmental risk to public health in the United Kingdom (Joint Air
Quality Unit, 2017), and there is an ongoing effort to take action to improve
air quality in London. Between 2010 and 2015, nitrogen oxide emissions
were reduced by 19%. In 2013, about 57% of nitrogen oxide emissions were
from road transportation, and 45% of these were associated with buses and
coaches, 18% with trucks, and 15% with taxis (Simons, 2019). One of the
122
1 2 2
In 2016, China had 168.7 GW of installed wind power capacity and
generated 241 TWh of electricity (Huenteler et al., 2018). Two challenges that
have reduced the amount of electricity that is used are connecting the new
wind power to the grid and curtailing the electricity flow to users because
of grid capacity and grid management (Lam et al., 2016). There is the potential to install 2400 GW of wind capacity by 2050 and produce 5350 TWh of
electricity per year, which would be about 35% of the electricity generated
(Huenteler et al., 2018). One of the important issues in China is to improve
site selection.
There are also many other electric power issues in China that are being
considered as the efforts to provide power, improve air quality, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions continue. Market reforms that are designed to
reduce the cost of electricity to consumers include the introduction of wholesale and retail competition (Lin et al., 2019). Planning studies on carbon
dioxide emission pricing and its impact on electricity are considered in this
study. Since coal is one of the lower- cost options in China, a high carbon
dioxide price is needed to alter the choice of sources of power. Both PM2.5
concentrations and carbon emissions are affected by generating electricity
using coal.
Simulation has been used to investigate alternatives and the impacts on
air quality, health, and carbon emissions in 2030 (Peng et al., 2018). If the
2015 state of 75% electricity from coal is maintained, there are air quality
and health benefits from transitioning to 30% electric vehicles and 30% of
the residential population shifting from solid fuels to electricity for residential heating and cooking. There are even greater benefits if only 50% of the
electricity comes from coal. The avoided deaths in China are 55,000 to 69,000
when only 50% of the electricity is generated using coal, compared to 41,000
to 57,000 for 75% of electricity from coal. Shifting to only 50% coal for power
generation results in a 14– 16% reduction in carbon emissions.
13.3 London, United Kingdom
London is the largest city in the United Kingdom, the seat of government, and
the cultural center of Britain. In contrast to China, it is in a fully developed
country and it is geographically very small. A major issue in London is the
specific need to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Poor air quality is the
greatest environmental risk to public health in the United Kingdom (Joint Air
Quality Unit, 2017), and there is an ongoing effort to take action to improve
air quality in London. Between 2010 and 2015, nitrogen oxide emissions
were reduced by 19%. In 2013, about 57% of nitrogen oxide emissions were
from road transportation, and 45% of these were associated with buses and
coaches, 18% with trucks, and 15% with taxis (Simons, 2019). One of the