Increase in the Use of Coal to Generate Electricity

Source: EIA, Annual Energy Review 2001, T.7.3, T.8.2a

• America's electric industry has invested tens of billions of dollars in advanced technologies to improve the quality of the air over the past 30 years. In addition, each year electric utilities also spend between $1.3 and $3.3 billion on environmental practices (e.g., operation and maintenance). While this figure includes spending on all types of pollution controls, a significant portion is related to air emissions.

  Source: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Form 1

This investment has paid off. Between 1980 and 2001 (the last year data were available) emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOX), and particulate matter (PM-10) from electricity from coal have dropped.
(* Measured by the pounds of emissions per KWh generated by coal.)

• The SO2 emission rate has dropped 38%
  
• The NOX emission rate has dropped 32%
  
• The PM-10 emission rate has dropped 25%

  Source: EPA, National Emissions Inventory, Average Annual Emissions, February 2003

Decrease in Emissions from Electricity Generated from Coal

Source: EPA, National Emissions Inventory, Average Annual Emissions, February 2003

NOTE REGARDING PM-10 TRENDS: For the first time, EPA has tried to estimate PM primary emissions, which are defined as filterable plus condensible. Previous EPA reports for utility PM emissions included only "filterable" PM. In 1999, EPA included the condensible portion. This explains why the PM emissions from utilities fuel combustion appear to increase dramatically. While EPA's latest published emissions trend report only includes the combined PM data, the data for "filterable" PM-10 from coal generation shows a decrease from 1980 of 76 percent.

• No power plants are exempt from emission limits. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, since its passage in 1970, utility compliance with the Clean Air Act has significantly reduced emissions.
  
  
• New clean-coal technologies being developed reduce emissions while improving efficiency.
  
  
• Coal is getting cleaner before it ever enters the power plants. Many steps are taken to provide a cleaner, more efficient combustion process with less potential for atmospheric pollution prior to burning coal. These steps include chemical evaluation of coal deposits during the exploration stage, improved coal preparation and cleaning, and computerized coal analysis and blending.

Electric technologies make everyday processes more energy efficient, more productive, less costly and better for the environment. When examining the environmental impact of power plants, one should consider the decreases in emissions that occur at end-use sources through the use of efficient electric technologies. The net effect of electric technologies often results in a reduction in total emissions to the atmosphere.

Voluntary agreements are flexible policy instruments designed to achieve environmental protection objectives in a manner that best suits the economic circumstances of companies. They encourage industry-led initiatives to address environmental objectives, promote cooperation between industry and government, and achieve energy and environmental objectives.

• Electric utilities promote the wiser and wider use of electric technologies, which make everyday processes more energy efficient, more productive, less costly and better for the environment.
  
  
• In addition to meeting or exceeding the requirements of the Clean Air Act, utilities generating electricity from coal have also been leaders in voluntarily reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  

  Source: U.S. Department of Energy Climate Challenge

  
  
• Voluntary programs by more than 600 electric utilities eliminated 237 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in the year 2000. This is more than four times the goal established by the federal government in 1993. The electric industry is continuing its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by forming Power Partners^SM, which is developing and implementing voluntary climate actions to sustain economic growth.
  
  
• Electric utilities lead all U.S. industries by a wide margin in taking voluntary actions to mitigate greenhouse gases. They account for more than 70 percent of all voluntary actions taken to mitigate greenhouse gases, according to the Department of Energy.

• Utility companies are sponsoring reforestation programs in the U.S. and abroad that will remove millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.