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Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a groundbreaking methodology to estimate the value of climate and air quality benefits derived from wind and solar energy generation. A recent report utilizing this methodology analyzed data from 2019 to 2022, concluding that wind and solar power provided $249 billion in climate and air quality health benefits during this period.
Advocates of renewable energy argue that the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is insufficient for comparing the economics of wind and solar generation with fossil-fuel sources. Emissions from natural gas and coal-fired plants, including carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx), impact climate and air quality significantly and should be factored into the evaluation of renewable energy’s benefits.
The Berkeley Lab researchers used publicly available electricity generation data, dividing the continental U.S. into ten regions where wind or solar supplied at least 3% of electricity demand. An 11th region centered on Tennessee was excluded as it did not meet the thresholds. The methodology measures daily generation from solar, wind, gas, and coal sources by region, averaging emissions data yearly due to the delay in daily emissions data availability.
The report reveals that in 2022, 1.0 MWh of wind generation offset 0.89 MWh of fossil generation (0.29 MWh from coal and 0.60 MWh from gas). Similarly, 1.0 MWh of solar generation offset 0.76 MWh of fossil generation (0.14 MWh from coal and 0.62 MWh from gas). These offsets are not one-to-one due to factors such as transmission loss from renewable sources, curtailment issues, and absorption by battery storage, which were not included in the analysis.
To determine the monetary value of the climate and air quality benefits from reduced emissions, the researchers used published reports in scientific journals. They referenced a 2022 article in Nature for the social cost of carbon and a 2019 article in Environmental Research Letters for the social costs of pollutants like SO2 and NOx.
With these generation offsets and social costs of emissions, the researchers calculated the health benefits of renewable generation. The 435.6 TWh of wind generation in the U.S. during 2022 prevented 228,798 kilotons (KT) of CO2, 116 KT of SO2, and 129 KT of NOx emissions, resulting in $62.4 billion in health benefits. Solar generation, producing 116.1 TWh, prevented 45,729 KT of CO2, 15 KT of SO2, and 28 KT of NOx emissions, yielding $11.6 billion in health benefits.
The researchers assert that their new methodology demonstrates that the benefits of renewable generation are significantly higher than previously estimated. This could bolster the case for increasing the penetration of wind and solar energy in the U.S. Furthermore, the analysis tools could be adapted globally wherever sufficient data are available. “The relatively simple data needed for our approach increases the possibility that it could be adapted to other regions around the world,” the researchers said.
This new methodology could play a crucial role in advocating for renewable energy adoption, highlighting its substantial benefits for climate and public health. |
