Unit Commitment Incorporating Spatial Distribution Control of Air Pollutant Dispersion

Air pollution problems are attracting increasing attention, especially among developing countries with frequent haze events. Renewable energy sources such as wind power are expected to help relieve such environmental concerns. However, air pollution issues under such a changing energy structure receive inadequate attention. Mostly, constraints for total pollutant emissions are considered in unit commitment (UC) and economic dispatch (ED) problems. In this paper, we propose a UC model with wind power that considers the dispersion of air pollutants. The dispersion process is described by models involving meteorological conditions and the system’s geographical distribution, to estimate the spatial distribution of air pollutants, i.e. the concentration of ground-level air pollutants at monitored locations such as load centers. A penalty cost is introduced based on this estimation. Particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, the major air pollutant concerning most developing countries, is selected as the focus of this work. To properly estimate and sufficiently utilize the benefits of wind power for air pollutant dispersion control, robust optimization is applied to accommodate wind power uncertainty. Case studies justify this consideration of air pollutant dispersion, and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model for improving load centers’ air pollution control and utilizing wind power benefits.postprin

Smaller, Closer, Dirtier: Diesel Backup Generators in California

Quantifies the threat to air quality and human health by backup generators, and examines air quality in Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and Fresno, with some analysis of San Francisco as well

Linking Energy Efficiency and Public Health: A case study of Illinois

A growing body of research has established the connection between emissions from fossil fuels and severe impacts on human health, such as asthma attacks in children and adults and chronic cardiovascular problems. This work evaluates in monetary terms the implementation of two energy-saving scenarios. Illinois, as a state with high coal electricity generating content, has been chosen as a case study to quantify the impacts brought up by air pollution on public health. The potential benefits of improved air quality and health are the considered results of implemented energy efficiency technologies. This report is a culmination of a summer internship project at the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance that links emissions, public health, and energy efficiency practices for commercial and residential buildings. Using Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT) and CO-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) tools demonstrates that increased compliance with energy-efficiency portfolio standard (EEPS) by 0.2% will reduce PM2.5 emissions by 8.8 tons. The reduction contributes to an additional 1.2-3.2 million US dollars saved from avoided health impacts

ESSAYS ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA

Expanding electricity generation is driving economic activity in the developing world. Increasing energy demand, largely met through the combustion of coal and natural gas, poses significant trade-offs between development objectives and environmental well-being. In this dissertation I examine the Indian electricity sector. Chapter 1 studies the impact of regulatory changes affecting state-owned electricity utilities on the efficiency of coal-fired power plants. The results indicate that the unbundling of generation companies from state-owned utilities improved operating reliability at coal-fired power plants. The improvements were, however, restricted to states that restructured their electricity utilities prior to the Electricity Act of 2003. The results also show that the reforms did not result in an improvement in thermal efficiency or capital utilization at these plants. Chapter 2 estimates the health impacts from PM2.5, SO2 and NOx emissions from coal-fired plants in India. I derive estimates of the total premature mortality impact from each plant in my sample associated with each of the three pollutants. I find that the majority of the impact, about 70%, is due to SO2 emissions--a pollutant currently unregulated in India due to the low sulfur content of Indian coal. I also conduct a cost benefit analysis of two pollution control options currently available in India--coal washing and the installation of an flue-gas desulfurization unit (FGD). The results from the case study show that both options pass the cost-benefit test using reasonable estimates of the Value of a Statistical Life (VSL) for India. Chapter 3 more thoroughly examines the benefits and costs of FGD retrofit at coal-fired power plants in India. Using emissions estimates and output from a medium-range Lagrangian puff (atmospheric) model I estimate the net benefits of FGD installation for a sample of power plants. The results show that a substantial proportion of power plants pass the cost-benefit test for an FGD installation using reasonable estimates of the VSL for India. The results indicate a substantial scope for FGD installation to control SO2 emissions in the Indian power sector and suggest that it should be considered as a viable option for pollution control policy

Spatially resolved life cycle models for the environmental footprint of electricity generation

textElectricity generation has significant environmental impacts, including on regional air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and water availability. Modeling the overall environmental impact of electricity generation requires linked simulations of power generation, air pollution physics and chemistry, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use. Tools for performing these analyses in an integrated manner are just beginning to emerge. This work expands on the development of linked models for electricity generation, air quality, and water use that have provided single-day snapshots of these environmental impacts. The original model used a non-linear optimization model for power generation, a regional photochemical model for air quality impacts, and self-contained modules for greenhouse gas emissions and water usage at power plants in Texas. The new model includes life cycle scenarios for the power sector (including changes in both the fuel production and electricity generation stages) and expands the temporal scale of the modeling framework to include impacts on monthly, seasonal, and annual time scales instead of on single days. In addition, the air quality framework has been expanded to include atmospheric particulate matter as an air quality impact. This modeling framework will be used to assess the air quality impacts of new natural gas developments in the Barnett and Eagle Ford shale regions in Texas, the consumptive water impact of new natural gas development in Texas, the impact of seasonal versus ozone forecast-based pricing for power plant NOx emissions in the state of Texas, and the potential cost and air quality impacts of drought-based operation of the power grid in Texas.Chemical Engineerin

Symmetry in Renewable Energy and Power Systems

This book includes original research papers related to renewable energy and power systems in which theoretical or practical issues of symmetry are considered. The book includes contributions on voltage stability analysis in DC networks, optimal dispatch of islanded microgrid systems, reactive power compensation, direct power compensation, optimal location and sizing of photovoltaic sources in DC networks, layout of parabolic trough solar collectors, topologic analysis of high-voltage transmission grids, geometric algebra and power systems, filter design for harmonic current compensation. The contributions included in this book describe the state of the art in this field and shed light on the possibilities that the study of symmetry has in power grids and renewable energy systems

AB 1007 Full Fuel Cycle Analysis (FFCA) Peer Review

LLNL is a participant of California's Advanced Energy Pathways (AEP) team funded by DOE (NETL). At the AEP technical review meeting on November 9, 2006. The AB 1007 FFCA team (Appendix A) requested LLNL participate in a peer review of the FFCA reports. The primary contact at the CEC was McKinley Addy. The following reports/presentations were received by LLNL: (1) Full Fuel Cycle Energy and Emissions Assumptions dated September 2006, TIAX; (2) Full Fuel cycle Assessment-Well to Tank Energy Inputs, Emissions, and Water Impacts dated December 2006, TIAX; and (3) Full Fuel Cycle Analysis Assessment dated October 12, 2006, TIAX