Regional variations of environmental co-benefits of wind power generation in China

Jin Yang, Dan Song and Feng Wu

Applied Energy, 2017, vol. 206, issue C, 1267-1281

Abstract: The rapid development and large-scale penetration of wind power would bring about substantial environmental benefits by substituting fossil fuel-based thermal power generation. In this paper, the environmental co-benefits synergized with energy saving benefit of wind power penetration in China were quantified. Moreover, the regional distribution of environmental co-benefits was mapped by considering the baseline emission factor of each region. Based on the co-benefits analysis results, the wind power deployment pathways were designed to enlarge the environmental co-benefits in the whole country level. The results show that the CO2, SO2, NOx, and PM2.5 emissions reduced and water consumption saved due to wind power penetration account for respectively 2.58%, 2.71%, 2.66%, 1.58%, and 2.34% of total environmental emissions and water consumption from the whole power generation sector in China. In view of regional distribution, the environmental co-benefits of wind power to the power system is not proportional to the amount of fossil-fueled power that it displaces. The penetration of wind power results in the largest environmental co-benefits in the North China grid. The Northwest China grid has a higher environmental alleviating potential compared with the Northeast China grid even though the two regions has an equal magnitude of wind power penetration. Scenario analysis suggests that lowering the proportion of thermal power in power generation structure and the transmission of bundled wind power and thermal power from the north to the load centers are promising ways in enlarging the environmental co-benefits of wind power penetration.

Keywords: Wind power; Environmental co-benefits; Regional distribution; Scenario analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.10.016

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