Terminating links between emission trading programs

Links between emission trading programs are not immutable, as highlighted by New Jersey׳s exit from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2011. This raises the question of what to do with existing permits that are banked for future use—choices that have consequences for market behavior in advance of, or upon speculation about, delinking. We consider two delinking policies. One differentiates banked permits by origin, the other treats banked permits the same. We describe the price behavior and relative cost-effectiveness of each policy. Treating permits differently generally leads to higher costs, and may lead to price divergence, even with only speculation about delinking.     

Optimising the environmental benefits of emission reductions from UK coal- and oil-fired power stations: a critical loads approach

This paper describes a method for determining reductions of SO₂ emissions from coal- and oil-fired power stations, oil refineries and large industrial units in the UK taking into account their pollution potential. The method is based on the use of two gridded data sets: critical loads, which represent the sensitivity of the environment to acid deposition and modelled estimates of total (wet + dry) sulphur deposition for 646 point sources within the UK. An iterative method is used to identify and subsequently reduce emissions from point sources that contribute most to areas of critical loads exceedance. This paper demonstrates how the method may be used to determine an optimal allocation of emissions across the UK which yields the maximum amount of environmental protection per unit of emission.The paper then goes on to consider the changes that will have to take place within the UK power generation industry in order to meet the revised EC Large Combustion Plant Directive which comes into force on 1 January 2008. Particular emphasis is placed upon proposed emissions trading schemes and the environmental implications of allowing trading between stations with high and low pollution potentials. The paper concludes by suggesting that the emissions trading process should take into account the pollution potential of each source, irrespective of whether the proposed emission is within the plant's agreed emission limit. An approach based entirely on minimizing environmental damage rather than one which takes cost into account, as in current integrated assessment modelling, could provide an interesting approach across the rest of Europe.     

一个填埋场的气体排放控制系统的建立及其从中得到的几点启示

介绍位于纽约州北汉姆斯特城的ＰｏｒｔＷａｓｈｉｎｇｔｏｎ城市固体废弃物填埋场填埋气体的排放、监测和处理系统及其有关测试数据和从中得到的启示．     

Effect of catalyzed diesel particulate filter and its catalyst loading on emission characteristics of a non-road diesel engine

In this study, the effects of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) coupled with a catalyzed diesel particulate filter (CDPF) with different catalyst loadings on the power, fuel consumption, gaseous and particulate emissions from a non-road diesel engine were investigated. Results showed that the after-treatment had a negligible effect on the power and fuel consumption. The reduction effect of the DOC on the CO and hydrocarbon (HC) increased with the engine load. Further reductions occurred coupling with the CDPF. Increasing the catalyst loading resulted in a more significant reduction in the HC emissions than CO emissions. The DOC could increase the NO₂ proportion to 37.9%, and more NO₂ was produced when coupled with the CDPF below 250°C; above 250°C, more NO₂ was consumed. The after-treatment could reduce more than 99% of the particle number (PN) and 98% of the particle mass (PM). Further reductions in the PN and PM occurred with a higher CDPF catalyst loading. The DOC had a better reduction effect on the nucleation particles than the accumulation ones, but the trend reversed with the CDPF. The DOC shifted the particle size distribution (PSD) to larger particles with an accumulation particle proportion increasing from 13% to 20%, and the geometric mean diameter (GMD) increased from 18.2 to 26.0 nm. The trend reversed with the CDPF and the accumulation particle proportion declined to less than 10%. A lower catalyst loading on the CDPF led to a higher proportion of nucleation particles and a smaller GMD.     

Environmental aftermath of the radiation accident at Tomsk-7

An analysis is presented of the environmental effects of the most serious radiation accident recorded after Chernobyl, which occurred in the formerly secret town of Tomsk-7 in Siberia, Russia, on 6, April 1993. Fortunately, it appears not to have become a major industrial crisis or disaster. The causes of the accident are described. It is argued that a mixture of both objective and subjective prerequisites, including specific human, organizational, and technological factors, were responsible for the explosion or directly facilitated it. The Tomsk-7 accident's ecological, medical, social, and psychological consequences are discussed.     

修复达标土壤回填对地下水环境影响的层次化评估方法应用研究

以含1,2-二氯乙烷等10种有机物污染土壤异位修复后回填为例,采用层次化方法评估将按原厂址健康风险评价确定的修复目标进行达标修复后的土壤回填对回填区地下水下游700 m处饮用水井水质的影响.第一层次预测结果显示8种污染物在回填土层淋溶液中的浓度将超过评价标准,可能对目标水井水质造成污染.考虑回填区非饱和带土壤的吸附截留进行第二层次评价的结果显示,到达回填区地下水水面处浓度依然超过评价标准的污染物降低至6种,不能排除对目标水井的水质影响.进一步考虑地下水混合稀释进行第三层次评估的结果显示,经地下水混合稀释后,超过评价标准的污染物降低至4种.最后,考虑饱和带吸附截留作用进行第四层次评估的结果显示,目标水井中超过评估标准的污染物仅1种.由此可见,随着评估层次的不断深入,虽然所需开展的工作及获取的场地参数增加,但是污染物预测浓度更接近目标预测点的浓度,需调整修复目标的污染物数量逐渐减少,污染防治成本将逐渐降低.     

水泥行业二氧化碳排放统计——以贵阳市为例

本文从水泥行业二氧化碳的排放统计出发,研究二氧化碳排放的重要影响因素、二氧化碳排放的指标体系,从而得出一套水泥行业二氧化碳排放统计的核算方法.以贵阳市为例,从三种不同活动水平的统计数据对水泥行业生产工艺过程中产生的CO2排放量进行估算比较,验证统计核算方法的有效性,为贵阳市乃至全国水泥行业CO2的减排提供一个可行的科学依据.     

Emissions of SO2, NO and N2O in a circulating fluidized bed combustor during co-firing coal and biomass

This paper presents the experimental investigations of the emissions of SO2, NO and N2O in a bench scale circulating fluidized bed combustor for coal combustion and co-firing coal and biomass. The thermal capacity of the combustor is 30 kW. The setup is electrically heated during startup. The influence of the excess air, the degree of the air staging, the biomass share and the feeding position of the fuels on the emissions of SO2, NO and N2O were studied. The results showed that an increase in the biomass shares resulted in an increase of the CO concentration in the flue gas, probably due to the high volatile content of the biomass. In co-firing, the emission of SO2 increased with increasing biomass share slightly, however, non-linear increase relationship between SO2 emission and fuel sulfur content was observed. Air staging significantly decreased the NO emission without raising the SO2 level. Although the change of the fuel feeding position from riser to downer resulted in a decrease in the NO emission level, no obvious change was observed for the SO2 level. Taking the coal feeding position R as a reference, the relative NO emission could significantly decrease during co-firing coal and biomass when feeding fuel at position D and keeping the first stage stoichiometry greater than 0.95. The possible mechanisms of the sulfur and nitrogen chemistry at these conditions were discussed and the ways of simultaneous reduction of SO2, NO and N2O were proposed.     

A quantitative integrated assessment of pollution prevention achieved by Integrated Pollution Prevention Control licensing

This paper presents an innovative, quantitative assessment of pollution avoidance attributable to environmental regulation enforced through integrated licensing, using Ireland's pharmaceutical-manufacturing sector as a case study. Emissions data reported by pharmaceutical installations were aggregated into a pollution trend using an Environmental Emissions Index (EEI) based on Lifecycle Assessment methodologies. Complete sectoral emissions data from 2001 to 2007 were extrapolated back to 1995, based on available data. Production volume data were used to derive a sectoral production index, and determine ‘no-improvement’ emission trends, whilst questionnaire responses from 20 industry representatives were used to quantify the contribution of integrated licensing to emission avoidance relative to these trends. Between 2001 and 2007, there was a 40% absolute reduction in direct pollution from 27 core installations, and 45% pollution avoidance relative to hypothetical ‘no-improvement’ pollution. It was estimated that environmental regulation avoided 20% of ‘no-improvement’ pollution, in addition to 25% avoidance under business-as-usual. For specific emissions, avoidance ranged from 14% and 30 kt a^− 1 for CO₂ to 88% and 598 t a^− 1 for SO_x. Between 1995 and 2007, there was a 59% absolute reduction in direct pollution, and 76% pollution avoidance. Pollution avoidance was dominated by reductions in emissions of VOCs, SO_x and NO_x to air, and emissions of heavy metals to water. Pollution avoidance of 35% was attributed to integrated licensing, ranging from between 8% and 2.9 t a^− 1 for phosphorus emissions to water to 49% and 3143 t a^− 1 for SO_x emissions to air. Environmental regulation enforced through integrated licensing has been the major driver of substantial pollution avoidance achieved by Ireland's pharmaceutical sector — through emission limit values associated with Best Available Techniques, emissions monitoring and reporting requirements, and performance targets specified in environmental management plans. This compliant sector offers a positive, but not necessarily typical, case study of IPPC effectiveness.     

Blowing policy bubbles: rethinking emissions targets and low-carbon energy policies in the U.K.

The issue of proportionality is central to climate policy debates about setting targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of low-carbon energy. In effect, these debates centre on whether the perceived social costs outweigh the benefits of policies and, if not, whether this may lead to over-investment or ‘policy bubbles’. Political attention, agenda setting and policy image are all crucial drivers of ambitious policy formation, as seen in the case of the United Kingdom's (U.K.) Climate Change Act (2008). However, as political salience waned and economic depression dragged on, the cost of long-term climate targets has been reconsidered. Based on documentary analysis and 33 interviews with central political actors, this article presents a detailed account of how economic arguments have been used to reinterpret and challenge policies, using the heuristics of ‘over-investment’ and ‘policy bubbles’. Ultimately, arguments about proportionality hinge on which costs and benefits are considered. In the U.K., economic and technical framings are typically prioritised, but they do not explain contradictory and politically motivated policy decisions. We discuss these dynamics within the context of maturing renewable energy technologies, high energy prices and the U.K.’s cross-party consensus approach to climate politics.