Carbon drawdown potential of utility-scale solar in the United States: Evidence from the state of Georgia

Marilyn A. Brown, Ranal Tudawe and Hamilton Steimer

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2022, vol. 161, issue C

Abstract: Governments around the world recognize the need to identify options for reducing their carbon footprints, tailored to local conditions. In an analysis of the U.S. state of Georgia, both utility-scale and rooftop solar were down-selected among 20 from a set of 100 options, prompting analysis of the pros and cons of different types of solar systems. Analysis included simulating a modest carbon tax (starting at $10/tonne CO2) in a computable general equilibrium model of the U.S. energy system. On the one hand, the results indicate that utility-scale solar could reduce Georgia's carbon footprint by an additional 10% by 2030. Currently, 98% of Georgia's solar electricity comes from utility-scale solar and only 2% from rooftop solar. Each additional tonne of CO2 avoided in 2030 would have private costs of -$3.9 to +$71 and would produce significant social benefits of $68 to $79. On the other hand, the modeling suggests that a $10 carbon tax is not sufficient to spur the growth of rooftop solar in Georgia. Additional incentives would be needed, but their traditional design could hurt low-income customers. As a class, low-income households subsidize affluent homeowners who own rooftop solar by paying higher electricity prices that allow utilities to offer solar incentives. These trade-offs are prompting proposals to grow utility-scale solar at the expense of rooftop solar. However, choosing one or the other type of solar represents a false dichotomy. Ultimately, meeting science-based climate goals will require a broad, deep, and rapid response that engages both utility-scale and rooftop solar.

Keywords: Solar photovoltaics; Air pollution; Solar farms; GHG emissions; Public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2022.112318

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