Did an Ultra-Low Emissions Policy on Coal-Fueled Thermal Power Reduce the Harmful Emissions? Evidence from Three Typical Air Pollutants Abatement in China

Penghao Ye, Senmao Xia, Yu Xiong, Chaoyang Liu, Fei Li, Jiamin Liang and Huarong Zhang
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Penghao Ye: School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
Senmao Xia: International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship & Center for Business in Society, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Yu Xiong: Surrey Business School, University of Surrey, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK
Chaoyang Liu: Research Center for Environment and Health, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
Fei Li: Research Center for Environment and Health, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
Jiamin Liang: Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Huarong Zhang: School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: Thermal power generation based on coal-fired power plants has the advantages of stability and controllability and has been the largest source of electricity supply in China. Coal-fired power plants, however, are also accompanied by high carbon emissions and the release of harmful substances (mainly including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and smoke dust), and are even regarded as the “chief criminal” in terms of air pollution. However, thermal power is also a pioneering industry involved in several environmental regulations and cleaner production techniques before other industries. Evidence of this is China’s ultra-low emissions (ULE) policy on coal-fired power plants, implemented in 2015. To verify this policy’s effect, this study treats ULE as an exogenous impact variable, examining its emissions reduction effect on SO 2 , NO x , and smoke dust in Eastern and Central China using the difference-in-difference method (DID). The results show that the total emissions of the three pollutants were abated by 0.133%, 0.057% and 0.036% in Eastern, and by 0.120%, 0.035% and 0.043% in Central China at every 1% rise of thermal power generated after ULE. In addition, several other factors can also argue for the promotion of thermal power. Other industries, such as steel or chemical, have proven that they can contribute significant SO 2 and NO x emissions. Based on these results, we provide suggestions on synergistic emissions reduction among multiple industries, as well as a discussion on the necessity of implementing ULE in Western China.

Keywords: thermal power industry; emission reduction; ultra-low emission; SO 2; NO x; smoke dust; difference-in-difference (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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