Abatement Opportunities and Abatement
Costs at Existing Coal Generation Units
Joshua Linn (RFF)
Dallas Burtraw (RFF)
Erin Mastrangelo (Maryland)
RFF First Wednesday
December 7, 2011
What Can We Learn from the Operation of
Existing Coal Generation Units?
 Observe operation and efficiency at coal units 1985-2009
 Document heterogeneous heat rates and estimate
abatement opportunities
 Estimate abatement costs and compare policy designs
 Results available soon in RFF Discussion Paper:
“Regulating Greenhouse Gases from Coal Power Plants
under the Clean Air Act”
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Figure 1: Heat Input vs. Heat Rate (2008)
Heat Input (million MWh)
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
5
10
15
20
25
Heat Rate (mmBTU/MWh)
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Figure 2: Estimated Heat Rate Distribution by Firing Type
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
6
8
All Units
10
Tangential
12
Front
14
Opposed
16
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Results
 Heterogeneity suggests significant abatement opportunities
exist, up to 5 percent emissions reduction
 Costs appear to be as low, or lower, than engineering
estimates
 Evidence of small bounce-back (“rebound”) effect
 Analysis suggests benefits of flexibility
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