Regional variations in the health, environmental, and climate benefits of wind and solar generation

Abstract

When wind or solar energy displace conventional generation, the reduction in emissions varies dramatically across the United States. Although the Southwest has the greatest solar resource, a solar panel in New Jersey displaces significantly more sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter than a panel in Arizona, resulting in 15 times more health and environmental benefits. A wind turbine in West Virginia displaces twice as much carbon dioxide as the same turbine in California. Depending on location, we estimate that the combined health, environmental, and climate benefits from wind or solar range from $10/MWh to $100/MWh, and the sites with the highest energy output do not yield the greatest social benefits in many cases. We estimate that the social benefits from existing wind farms are roughly 60% higher than the cost of the Production Tax Credit, an important federal subsidy for wind energy. However, that same investment could achieve greater health, environmental, and climate benefits if it were differentiated by region.

Long-term implications of sustained wind power growth in the United States: Direct electric system impacts and costs

“…As of year-end 2015, there were nearly 74 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind capacity in the United States, and wind generation totaled 4.7% of 2015 U.S. electricity generation (AWEA 2016). While historical growth in wind power has been significant, interest in continued and sustained growth in wind is stimulated by its abundant resource potential (more than 10,000 GW of gross land-based wind and 4,000 GW of gross offshore wind in the United States [Lopez et al 2012]); competitive long-term stable pricing (Wiser and Bolinger 2014); economic development opportunities (Brown et al 2012); and favorable environmental attributes, relative to other sources of electricity (Siler-Evans et al 2013). At the same time, historically low natural gas prices, low wholesale electricity prices, and reduced demand for electricity could depress future wind investments (DOE 2015).…”

“…For example, Yang and Chen (2016) evaluate the sustainability of wind power systems. McCubbin and Sovacool (2013) compare the health and environmental impacts of wind to natural gas, Siler-Evans et al (2013), Buonocore et al (2016), and Cullen (2013) explore regional health and climate benefits, while Arent et al (2014) assess a small subset of benefits associated with a high-penetration renewable energy scenario in the U.S.…”

New approach for optimal electricity planning and dispatching with hourly time-scale air quality and health considerations

“…Muller et al (4,5) developed the Air Pollution Emission Experiments and Policy (APEEP) analysis model that links air emissions data to monetary and nonmonetary damages with county-scale spatial resolution. Siler-Evans et al (6) evaluated the social benefits of wind and solar power by using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions data and the APEEP model. They examined changes in damages due to changes in generation within several US subregions, using annually averaged impacts from the APEEP model (6).…”

Assessment of Wind Power Generation Along the Coast of Ghana

“…Such analyses will become complex if the impacts for different energy types changes with the geographic setting. For example, wind energy benefits on health and CO 2 reduction caused by displacing fossil fuels varies considerably across the U.S. [24]. Though adding complexity, variation across landscapes in variables that drive the impacts of energy development ultimately creates opportunities to plan national energy strategies that minimize impacts while maximizing benefits.…”