Open AccessComparative Environmental, Economic, and Jobs Impacts in the USA of Renewable Energy Compared to Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage
Author(s) -
Roger H. Bezdek
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of earth and environmental science research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2634-8845
DOI - 10.47363/jeesr/2021(3)149
Subject(s) - retrofitting , renewable energy , power station , coal , carbon capture and storage (timeline) , environmental economics , natural resource economics , environmental science , economics , waste management , engineering , climate change , electrical engineering , structural engineering , ecology , biology
This paper assesses the relative economic and jobs benefits of retrofitting an 847 MW USA coal power plant with carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology compared to replacing the plant with renewable (RE) energy and battery storage. The research had two major objectives: 1) Estimate the relative environmental, economic, and jobs impacts of CCUS retrofit of the coal plant compared to its replacement by the RE scenario; 2) develop metrics that can be used to compare the jobs impacts of coal fueled power plants to those of renewable energy. The hypotheses tested are: 1) The RE option will reduce CO2 emissions more than the CCUS option. We reject this hypothesis: We found that the CCUS option will reduce CO2 emissions more than the RE option. 2) The RE option will generate greater economic benefits than the CCUS option. We reject this hypothesis: We found that the CCUS option will create greater economic and jobs benefits than the RE option. 3) The RE option will create more jobs per MW than the CCUS option. We reject this hypothesis: We found that the CCUS option will create more jobs per MW more than the RE option. We discuss the implications of these findings.