RESEARCH ARTICLE

Estimation of environmental effects of photovoltaic generation in North-west China

  • Mengjia REN ,
  • Anastasia SHCHERBAKOVA
Expand
  • Energy and Mineral Engineering Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA

Received date: 27 Apr 2013

Accepted date: 03 Jul 2013

Published date: 05 Dec 2013

Copyright

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Abstract

In estimating emissions reductions brought about by renewables in China, much of existing research assumes that renewables displace coal power. In this paper, this assumption is challenged and the potential environmental effects of photovoltaic (PV) power in North-west China are reevaluated when the marginal generator actually being displaced is taken into account. The annual PV power generation in the North-west Grid is estimated, in this paper, to be as high as 17900 GW·h in 2015, roughly equaling to the output of 1.5 nuclear power plants in the US today. The total associated emission reduction in 2015 will at most be 0.36 percent of SO2 and 0.25 percent of NOx emissions from their 2010 levels in China. Further, PV power may render no emissions reduction at all if it displaces hydropower, which is often used to meet peak demand in the North-west Grid in China. These results imply that a more cost-effective area of focus in the short-term may be on desulfurization and denitrification technologies for coal plants.

Cite this article

Mengjia REN , Anastasia SHCHERBAKOVA . Estimation of environmental effects of photovoltaic generation in North-west China[J]. Frontiers in Energy, 0 , 7(4) : 535 -543 . DOI: 10.1007/s11708-013-0280-8

Acknowledgements

This project was generously supported by the Pennsylvania State University Summer Discovery Grant in 2012.
1
National Bureau of Statistics of China. Annual data. 2013–<month>01</month>–<day>12</day>, http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/statisticaldata/yearlydata/ (in Chinese)

2
Cavaliere V. China’s air pollution is so bad it’s visible from space (DAILY NEWS). 2013–<month>03</month>–<day>01</day>, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/china-pollution-bad-visible-space-article-1.1253838

3
Xu H. Status and trends of PV industry and technology in China. 2011–<month>10</month>, http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/solar/newsletter/pdfs/01_statusandtrendsofpvinchina_xuhonghua_s.pdf

4
Zhai J. Promoting distributed power generation to crack photovoltaic application dilemma. 2013–<month>03</month>–<day>18</day>, http://xjny.ts.cn/content/2012-08/06/content_7102045.htm (in Chinese)

5
Pittman R, Zhang V Y. Electricity restructuring in China: the elusive quest for competition. Economic Analysis Group Discussion Paper. 2013–<month>03</month>–<day>18</day>, from http://www.justice.gov/atr/public/eag/232668.pdf

6
Spiegel R J, Greenberg D L, Kern E C, House D E. Emissions reduction data for grid connected photovoltaic power systems. Solar Energy, 2000, 68(5): 475-485

DOI

7
Harder E, Gibson J M D. The costs and benefits of large-scale solar photovoltaic power production in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Renewable Energy, 2011, 36(2): 789-796

DOI

8
Katzenstein W, Apt J. Air emissions due to wind and solar power. Environmental Science & Technology, 2009, 43(2): 253-258

DOI PMID

9
Bernal-Agustín J L, Dufo-López R. Economical and environmental analysis of grid connected photovoltaic systems in Spain. Renewable Energy, 2006, 31(8): 1107-1128

DOI

10
Syed A M, Fung A S, Ugursal V I. Environmental and economic impacts of integrating photovoltaic and wind-turbine energy systems in the Canadian residential sector. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 2008, 28(3): 210-218

DOI

11
Kaffine D, McBee B, Lieskovsky J. Emissions savings from wind power generation: evidence from Texas, California and the Upper Midwest. 2013–<month>04</month>–<day>02</day>from http://www.webmeets.com/files/papers/aere/2011/203/KaffineAERE.pdf

12
Borenstein S. The market value and cost of solar photovoltaic electricity production. 2013-<month>01</month>-<day>12</day>, http://www.ucei.berkeley.edu/PDF/csemwp176.pdf

13
Tan Z, Zhang H, Xu J, Wang J, Yu C, Zhang J. Photovoltaic power generation in China: development potential, benefits of energy conservation, and emission reduction. Journal of Energy Engineering, 2012, 138(2): 73-86

DOI

14
Cullen J. Measuring the environmental benefits of wind-generated electricity. 2013-<month>04</month>-<day>02</day>, http://www.u.arizona.edu/~jcullen/Documents/measuringwind.pdf

15
BJX. The accommodation of Qinghai photovoltaic power directly pressures the “National Grid”. 2013-<month>01</month>-<day>12</day>, http://guangfu.bjx.com.cn/news/20120614/366616-2.shtml (in Chinese)

16
EIA. How much electricity does a typical nuclear power plant generate? 2013-<month>03</month>-<day>18</day>, http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=104&t=3

17
Zhao J. Analysis on load characteristics of Northwest Power Grid. Shaanxi Etectric Power, 2009, 37(4): 76-79in Chinese)

DOI

18
PJM. PJM 101 The basics. 2013–<month>03</month>–<day>18</day>, http://www.pjm.com/~/media/training/core-curriculum/ip-pjm-101/pjm101-the%20basics.ashx

19
Yi L, Zhu M, Wei L, Jiang N, Yu G.A computing method for peak load regulation ability of Northwest China power grid connected with large-scale wind farms. Power System Technology, 2010, 34(2): 128-132in Chinese)

DOI

20
Xie J, Bai X, Wei J, Chen L, Gan D. Study of peaking cost compensation in Northwest China Power Grid. Journal of Zhejiang University (Engineering Science), 2009, 43(3): 584-589

DOI

21
Northwest Electricity Regulatory Authority. Northwest Regional Electricity Regulatory Report. 2013-<month>03</month>-<day>28</day>, http://xbj.serc.gov.cn/jgdt/content_3_7_0_0_654.html

22
Qian J, Zhang H, Qin Y, Wang Y. Power compensation for wind power generation in Northwest Grid. Power System and Clean Energy, 2010, 26(8): 11-14in Chinese)

DOI

23
Cao L, Wang C. Calculation of SO2 and NOx emission factors of China’s National Power Grid. China Environmental Science, 2010, 1(29), 7-11

DOI

24
NDRC. 2011 Baseline Emission Factors for Regional Power Grids in China. 2013-<month>03</month>-<day>18</day>, http://cdm.ccchina.gov.cn/WebSite/CDM/UpFile/File2720.pdf

25
Fthenakis V M, Kim H C, Alsema E. Emissions from photovoltaic life cycles. Environmental Science & Technology, 2008, 42(6): 2168-2174

DOI PMID

26
The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China. Notice about printing the 12th Five-Year Plan for energy conservation and emissions reduction by the state council. 2013-<month>06</month>-<day>03</day>, http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2012-08/21/content_2207867.htm (in Chinese)

27
Wang H. Developing distributed generation to save the Chinese photovoltaic. 2013-<month>01</month>-<day>12</day>, http://www.china5e.com/show.php?contentid=239135 (in Chinese)

28
Xu J, Sun D. The smart grid-the best of all scheme to solve the bottleneck problems of wind power and photoelectric power generation connected with power network on a large scale. Ningxia Electric Power, 2012, (1): 11-16in Chinese)

DOI

29
Energy Industry Research Center. Industry of clean energy is gathering in policy-friendly and resource-abundant regions. 2013-<month>01</month>-<day>12</day>, http://www.ccidconsulting.com/ei/gdcy/xny/sdpl/webinfo/2011/05/1306285593666350.htm (in Chinese)

Outlines

/