Because of the nature of fuels utilised in the electricity supply industry (ESI) and the rapidly growing utilisation of energy in the form of electricity, the environmental impacts of electricity production are gaining more importance than those of other forms of energy, and this demands a thorough understanding of their nature.This chapter tries to record the environmental detrimental effects of electricity, methods of quantifying them (where possible), and analyses technologies, investments and other means of control.

Chapter Contents:

• 8.1 Introduction
• 8.2 Environmental impacts of electricity fuels
• 8.2.1 Environmental impact of different generation fuels
• 8.3 Environmental evaluation
• 8.4 Health and environmental effects of electricity
• 8.4.1 Direct health effects
• 8.4.1.1 Fossil-fired generation plants
• 8.4.1.2 Renewable
• 8.4.1.3 Transmission and distribution
• 8.4.2 Environmental impact
• 8.4.2.1 Local impacts
• 8.4.2.2 Regional impacts
• 8.5 Investment costs in reducing dangers to health and environmental impacts
• 8.6 Evaluation of the environmental cost of electricity generation
• 8.6.1 Assessing health impacts and costs
• 8.6.2 Assessing damage to buildings, properties and forests by air pollution
• 8.7 Climate change costing
• 8.7.1 Environmental impacts and the environmental discount rate
• 8.8 Discounting concepts in climate change
• 8.8.1 The welfare discount rate
• 8.8.2 The welfare discount rate r sw, abatement policies and carbon pricing
• References

Inspec keywords: environmental management; electricity supply industry; costing

Other keywords: electricity production; environmental impacts; long term discounting; cost estimation; electricity supply industry; ESI; environmental considerations; electricity environmental detrimental effects; project evaluation

Subjects: Environmental factors; Power system management, operation and economics