Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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June 2018, there are battery storage units in commercial use. The amount of
energy that can be stored in a battery has units of kWh or MWh, while the
flow of power into or out of the battery has units of kW or MW. In 2018, rated
power was 750 MW for grid- connected battery energy storage in the USA
(CSS, 2018).
In addition to grid storage, batteries are being installed in homes that
have solar panels on the roof and an EV or two in the garage (Hockenos,
2019). The use of the roof for solar- generated electricity for personal home
use eliminates the losses from transmission and distribution of electricity.
As more people charge their EVs at home, this requires power flow to the
EV, and distribution systems may need to be upgraded if the electricity
comes from the utility. However, homes with solar panels and a flow of
electricity from the roof to the home, and home storage, reduce the flow
of electricity in the distribution system. The home with solar panels and
storage batteries is an efficient option which is becoming a good economic
choice.
14.4 Analysis of Co- Benefits
Many people have not considered the interrelated aspects of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. Both of these benefits can
occur, in tandem, to varying degrees due to the reduced use of combustion
methods for generating electricity. The nature of these benefits is sometimes
additive, but also sometimes interactive (i.e. they build on and multiply each
other). Co- benefits from reducing combustion include improved air quality
and water quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced impacts
on climate change.
When all of the benefits of transitioning to renewable energy to generate
electricity are considered, the cost/ benefit analysis shows many applications
where one should move forward with installations of wind and solar generation of electricity (Ou et al., 2018; Scovronick et al., 2019). Because of air
quality improvements, there are immediate benefits from the transition to
clean power generated with wind and solar energy (Scovronick et al., 2019).
Water use for wind- and solar- generated electricity is also less than that for
coal- fired and nuclear power plants (Ou et al., 2018).
California officials and citizens have recognized the air quality co- benefits
of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and have undertaken many initiatives
designed to both improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions. Because
of the challenges of finding ways to meet all of the air quality regulations,
there is a major effort to electrify transportation. Some of the programs have
incentives for communities that are most impacted by air pollution (CARB,
132
1 3 2
June 2018, there are battery storage units in commercial use. The amount of
energy that can be stored in a battery has units of kWh or MWh, while the
flow of power into or out of the battery has units of kW or MW. In 2018, rated
power was 750 MW for grid- connected battery energy storage in the USA
(CSS, 2018).
In addition to grid storage, batteries are being installed in homes that
have solar panels on the roof and an EV or two in the garage (Hockenos,
2019). The use of the roof for solar- generated electricity for personal home
use eliminates the losses from transmission and distribution of electricity.
As more people charge their EVs at home, this requires power flow to the
EV, and distribution systems may need to be upgraded if the electricity
comes from the utility. However, homes with solar panels and a flow of
electricity from the roof to the home, and home storage, reduce the flow
of electricity in the distribution system. The home with solar panels and
storage batteries is an efficient option which is becoming a good economic
choice.
14.4 Analysis of Co- Benefits
Many people have not considered the interrelated aspects of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. Both of these benefits can
occur, in tandem, to varying degrees due to the reduced use of combustion
methods for generating electricity. The nature of these benefits is sometimes
additive, but also sometimes interactive (i.e. they build on and multiply each
other). Co- benefits from reducing combustion include improved air quality
and water quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced impacts
on climate change.
When all of the benefits of transitioning to renewable energy to generate
electricity are considered, the cost/ benefit analysis shows many applications
where one should move forward with installations of wind and solar generation of electricity (Ou et al., 2018; Scovronick et al., 2019). Because of air
quality improvements, there are immediate benefits from the transition to
clean power generated with wind and solar energy (Scovronick et al., 2019).
Water use for wind- and solar- generated electricity is also less than that for
coal- fired and nuclear power plants (Ou et al., 2018).
California officials and citizens have recognized the air quality co- benefits
of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and have undertaken many initiatives
designed to both improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions. Because
of the challenges of finding ways to meet all of the air quality regulations,
there is a major effort to electrify transportation. Some of the programs have
incentives for communities that are most impacted by air pollution (CARB,