Electricity's Impact: Air Pollution And The Modern Home

Electricity generation is a major contributor to air pollution. Power plants that burn fossil fuels like coal, gas, oil, and biomass emit harmful pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and mercury. These emissions degrade air quality, harm human health, and contribute to climate change. The electric power sector is a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions, with the US electric power industry accounting for about 33% of total energy-related CO2 emissions in 2022. Additionally, the extraction, transportation, and refining of fossil fuels can further harm the environment and expose workers to hazardous emissions. To mitigate these issues, a transition to clean, renewable, and zero-emission sources of electricity is critical for improving air quality, protecting ecosystems, and ensuring lung health.

Burning fossil fuels

The combustion of fossil fuels also produces fine particulate matter, PM 2.5, which includes soot. These particles are problematic as they linger in the air, are easily inhaled, and can penetrate deep into the lungs, entering the bloodstream and causing damage to multiple organs. The health impacts of PM 2.5 are especially detrimental to children and older individuals, with increased risks of asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer.

The Global Burden of Disease study in 2015 calculated the annual PM 2.5 death toll at 4.2 million. However, this estimate has since been doubled by a more recent study, which utilised a finer spatial scale to analyse local measures of pollution. This study, conducted by researchers from Harvard University, the University of Birmingham, and the University of Leicester, estimated 8.7 million premature deaths each year due to fossil fuel air pollution.

Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, responsible for over 0.3 degrees Celsius of the 1-degree increase in global temperatures. Oil releases approximately a third of the world's total carbon emissions, and natural gas accounts for a fifth. Despite this, natural gas is often promoted as a cleaner energy source, demonstrating the pervasive influence of the fossil fuel industry, which continues to prioritise profits over the environment and public health.

To address this crisis, urgent action is needed to transition from fossil fuels to renewable and clean energy sources. While the Paris Agreement in 2015 committed countries to reducing carbon emissions, current trajectories indicate that more ambitious measures are required to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Greenhouse gases

The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, to produce electricity results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO2) constitutes the majority of these emissions, with smaller amounts of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) also being released. In 2022, the electric power sector accounted for 24% of total greenhouse gas emissions, or 6,343 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Coal combustion is more carbon-intensive than burning natural gas or petroleum for electricity production, and it accounted for 55% of the sector's CO2 emissions in 2022, despite only generating 20% of the electricity in the United States.

The use of electricity in homes, businesses, and factories contributes to the overall greenhouse gas emissions. When the emissions from electricity generation are allocated to the industrial end-use sector, industrial activities account for a significant portion of the emissions. Additionally, the commercial and residential sectors, which include buildings, consume large amounts of electricity, particularly for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, and appliances. As a result, the inclusion of indirect electricity-related emissions from these sectors leads to a substantial increase in their overall greenhouse gas emissions.

The electric power sector has made progress in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions over the years. Since 1990, emissions from electric power production have decreased by about 15% due to a shift towards lower- and non-emitting sources of electricity generation and improvements in end-use energy efficiency. However, the sector still faces challenges in reducing its carbon footprint, with fossil fuel-fired power plants remaining a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions.

To address the issue of greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production, a transition to clean and renewable sources of electricity is necessary. Sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and tidal power are considered "zero-emission" sources that can significantly reduce the health and environmental impacts associated with traditional power generation. By adopting these alternative sources of electricity, it is possible to mitigate climate change, improve air quality, and protect the health and well-being of communities and ecosystems.

Extraction and transportation of fuels

The extraction and transportation of fuels have significant impacts on the environment and human health. The fossil fuels that are extracted and transported include oil, natural gas, coal, kerogen shale, and peat.

Extraction

Surface mining accounts for 62% of coal extraction, while underground mining makes up the remaining 38%. Both methods create environmental and human health issues in surrounding areas. Coal mining operations wash toxic runoff into streams, rivers, and lakes, and dump unwanted rock and soil into streams. Strip mining, particularly in places such as Canada's boreal forest, can release large carbon stores. Coal miners are at an increased risk of direct lung health impacts, including pneumoconiosis, also known as Black Lung Disease.

Peat extraction involves milling cutters digging into the peat bed and cutting out thin layers, which are then dried in the sunlight and processed into chips.

Accessing natural gas requires drilling a well and using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which can be a source of air emissions and contaminated wastewater. Uranium mining, which is necessary for nuclear power, has been linked to increased risks of lung cancer for miners.

Oil extraction can result in spills and leaks that pollute drinking water sources and endanger ecosystems.

Transportation

The transportation of fuels can also create additional emissions. Coal is often shipped by rail, and diesel locomotives are a source of pollution emissions. Oil is also transported by rail or pipelines, and leaks from pipelines and storage facilities can occur, driving health harms and worsening climate change. Gas is primarily transported through pipelines, and compressor stations must be erected at intervals to cool the gas and increase its pressure.

Regulations and Alternatives

The United States has laws in place, such as the Clean Air Act, that aim to regulate air pollutant emissions from power plants. The transition to zero-emission sources of electricity, such as hydropower, biomass, wind, geothermal, and solar energy, is crucial for improving air quality and reducing health risks associated with the extraction and transportation of fuels.

Clean energy alternatives

The use of electricity does contribute to air pollution, particularly through the burning of fossil fuels and other fuels like coal, gas, oil, and biomass. These release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, impacting lung health and causing conditions such as asthma and bronchitis.

To mitigate these effects, a shift towards clean energy alternatives is necessary. Here are some strategies and sources of clean energy that can help reduce air pollution:

• Wind Power: Wind energy is one of the cleanest and most widely available renewable energy sources. It involves capturing the wind's kinetic energy and converting it into electricity. In 2020, the United States had over 60,000 wind turbines, making wind power the largest source of renewable electricity in the country. Wind power reduces dependence on fossil fuels and avoids the release of combustion pollutants.
• Solar Power: Solar energy harnesses the power of the sun to generate electricity and heat. Rooftop solar panels can be used for water heating and powering electrical appliances. In areas with ample sunlight, solar stoves and microgrids can be utilized for cooking and basic electricity needs.
• Geothermal Energy: While still emitting some fine particulate matter, geothermal energy produces significantly less pollution than fossil fuels.
• Clean Fuels and Technologies: Introducing cleaner fuels and technologies for cooking, heating, and lighting can reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution. For instance, BIOHEAT® is a blend of ultra-low sulfur heating oil and biodiesel, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 86% compared to traditional heating oil.
• Low-Emission Biomass Stoves: While biomass combustion is generally opposed due to its particle pollution and release of carcinogens, certain stoves with improved combustion efficiency can significantly lower emissions. Pyrolysis, where biomass is heated without oxygen, is another alternative that produces fewer air pollutants.
• Nuclear Fusion: Although not yet commercially viable, nuclear fusion has the potential to be a clean, safe, and carbon-free energy source in the future.
• Government Policies and Incentives: Supportive government policies, economic incentives, and conditional cash transfers can encourage the adoption of clean energy sources. For example, providing incentives or rewards for communities transitioning to clean energy can accelerate progress.
• Education and Awareness: Educational campaigns, advertisements, and other media can be used to raise awareness about the benefits of clean energy and the negative consequences of polluting fuels. This knowledge can stimulate and sustain behavior changes related to energy use and household practices.

Health and environmental impacts

The health and environmental impacts of electricity generation are significant and wide-ranging. In the United States, about 62% of total electricity generation in 2022 was produced from fossil fuels, which release harmful pollutants when burned. These include coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases, as well as materials that come from plants (biomass) and municipal and industrial wastes. The burning of these fuels results in the emission of harmful pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide, mercury, and hazardous heavy metals. These emissions contribute to air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution, impacting communities across the nation.

The health impacts of electricity generation are particularly concerning. Air emissions from burning fossil fuels can lead to respiratory and heart problems, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer. These issues are especially prevalent in children and the elderly. Additionally, coal miners and workers in oil and gas fields are at an increased risk of direct lung health impacts, including lung cancer and Black Lung Disease. The emissions from power plants also contribute to climate change, which further threatens public health and affects ecosystems.

Electricity generation also has significant environmental impacts beyond air pollution. The disposal of coal ash, which can contain contaminants like mercury, cadmium, and arsenic, poses risks to groundwater. Additionally, the cooling water intake structures of power plants can adversely affect aquatic life by pulling in large numbers of fish and shellfish or their eggs. Furthermore, electricity transmission lines and distribution infrastructure can alter the visual landscape and disturb native plant populations and wildlife.

Water usage is another critical environmental impact of electricity generation. All thermal power plants use water as a cooling fluid, and changes in water resources may impact the reliability of electricity generation. Hydroelectric power, while being the largest source of renewable energy, can also have adverse effects, including the release of carbon dioxide during construction, flooding of reservoirs, disruption of aquatic ecosystems and bird life, and, in rare cases, catastrophic failure of dam walls.

However, it is important to recognize that renewable power technologies offer significant environmental benefits. Unlike fossil fuels, renewable sources such as solar and wind can generate electricity without releasing large quantities of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. These "zero-emission" sources of power can substantially reduce health harms and premature deaths caused by air pollution and climate change.

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