An Analysis of Costs and Health Co-Benefits for a U.S. Power Plant Carbon Standard

PLoS One. 2016 Jun 7;11(6):e0156308. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156308. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants can have important "co-benefits" for public health by reducing emissions of air pollutants. Here, we examine the costs and health co-benefits, in monetary terms, for a policy that resembles the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan. We then examine the spatial distribution of the co-benefits and costs, and the implications of a range of cost assumptions in the implementation year of 2020. Nationwide, the total health co-benefits were $29 billion 2010 USD (95% CI: $2.3 to $68 billion), and net co-benefits under our central cost case were $12 billion (95% CI: -$15 billion to $51 billion). Net co-benefits for this case in the implementation year were positive in 10 of the 14 regions studied. The results for our central case suggest that all but one region should experience positive net benefits within 5 years after implementation.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants* / adverse effects
  • Air Pollutants* / economics
  • Carbon Dioxide* / administration & dosage
  • Carbon Dioxide* / economics
  • Carbon Footprint / economics*
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Environmental Exposure* / adverse effects
  • Environmental Exposure* / economics
  • Humans
  • Models, Economic*
  • Power Plants / economics*
  • United States

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Carbon Dioxide

Grants and funding

Funding for this work was provided by grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Foundation Grant #s: 2013-9458 and 2014-1413) and the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment (Harvard Internal # 271065) through Harvard University, and by Mistra’s Indigo research program and the FORMAS Human Cooperation to Manage Natural Resources through support to Resources for the Future. A listing of the known relevant funding sources and other relationships of the authors of this paper are below. The study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the paper; and decision to submit for publication was solely conducted by the authors.