Costs of achieving emission limits in coal-burning power plants under the recent best available techniques regulation amendment: Evidence from national microeconomic data. (10th June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vojáček, Ondřej; Brabec, Jan; Macháč, Jan
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 352(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-06-10
• Subjects: Regulatory impact assessment -- Marginal abatement costs -- Large combustion plants -- Best available techniques -- Brown coal -- Regulatory costs; EU European Union -- EUR euro -- FBC boiler fluidized bed combustion boiler -- FGD flue gas desulphurization -- IED Industrial Emissions Directive -- IPPC Integrated Prevention and Pollution Control -- Mg/Nm3 milligrams per cubic meter -- MW megawatt -- MWh megawatt hour -- NOx nitrogen oxides -- PC boiler pulverized coal boiler -- PM particulate matter -- SCR selective catalytic reduction -- SNCR selective non-catalyc reduction -- SO2 sulphur dioxide -- t tonnes; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131600
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Emissions limits for coal-burning power plants are gradually being tightened around the world, with additional requirements and consequently significant costs placed on existing power plants. Design that conforms to regulatory requirements require credible estimation of the associated abatement costs. However, the existing methods for estimating abatement costs do not estimate those costs using microeconomic data or take the need to retrofit current abatement technologies into sufficient consideration. Therefore, they fail to calculate the actual costs of compliance accurately and thus are not suitable for assessment of cost proportionality, which is the key principle of regulatory design. This paper introduces a straightforward and innovative methodological approach to quantification of abatement costs that can reflect the real-world situation at an individual power plant and allows assessment of proportionality in meeting emission standards. The approach is based on collection of detailed data at the level of individual plants and on the comparison of costs associated with various levels of emission reduction in defined scenarios. The approach is demonstrated by application to nearly 50% of the installed thermal power capacity of the Czech Republic. The results show that recent European regulations for coal-burning plant emissions incur high abatement costs for most power plants, despite having very little effect in terms of emission reductions. Highlights: Marginal abatement cost analysis under tightening IPPC emission standards conducted. Reasonable technology modification and replacement scenarios were analysed. Technology replacement significantly increases cost with little impact on emissions. Commonly used approach fails to reflect the real costs of regulation. Current regulation ignores innovation cycles without allowing for long-term vision.