Abstract
Coal is the dominant emitter of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) in some countries, comprising ~92% of total emissions in China. Mitigation of these emissions can be driven by a number of factors, such as energy-efficiency improvements, installation of scrubbers, and use of renewable energy. This study evaluates the historical reduction of overall SO2 emission intensity from coal consumption for 30 Chinese provinces between 2000 and 2016. These trends are further combined with expected coal use from 2020 to 2050 along with scenarios of future power generation to explore China's future SO2 emissions. The results show that provinces starting with a high emission intensity in general have higher reduction rates. By 2050, China's potential SO2 emissions are between 3.9 Mt and 4.1 Mt, and industry mitigation efforts, such as the installation of scrubbers, appear to contribute most to abatement. Additionally, this study estimates the impact on global average temperatures from SO2 mitigation due to the adoption of renewables in the electric sector using the MAGICC model and find an increase of ~0.01 °C by 2050. Considering the reduced abatement opportunities of desulfurization technologies and climate change effects of coal combustion, renewable energy provides the most promising option for SO2 mitigation.
Highlights
China’s GDP reached 10.8 trillion USD by 2018, contributing 13.1% to the world economy (World Bank, 2020)
Ac cording to Su et al (2011), ~92% of SO2 emissions are from coal con sumption in 2007 in China
More over, of the total primary energy consumption from coal, ~42–52% was combusted in the electric sector (Fig. 1(b))
Summary
China’s GDP reached 10.8 trillion USD (in 2010 constant prices) by 2018, contributing 13.1% to the world economy (World Bank, 2020). This growth has led to increasing environmental pressures and attention to sustainable development. Coal is the largest source of energy in China, which contributes significantly to SO2 emissions. Between 2000 and 2015, coal consumption contributed ~64–73% of total energy consumption (Fig. 1(a)). More over, of the total primary energy consumption from coal, ~42–52% was combusted in the electric sector (Fig. 1(b)).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
