Environmental Impacts of Electricity Production

Part 1:
Power from Coal
Image source: Greg Goebel
from Loveland CO, USA

Producing Electricity from Coal
How does it work?
image source: Tennessee Valley Authority
A typical coal burning plant
has a capacity of 500
megawatts (MW), burns over
a million tons of coal each
year, and produces enough
electricity for about 140,000
people

How does it work?
Pulverized
Coal
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
Pulverized coal is converted to electricity through the Rankine cycle:
1. The coal is blown into the furnace, becomes airborne, and is burned.
2. The heat generated from the burning heats water flowing through tubes in the furnace.
3. The water turns into pressurized steam which exits the furnace.
4. The steam turns the blades of a turbine.
5. The rotating turbine produces electricity.
6. The steam is condensed, cooled, and returned to the furnace to repeat the cycle.
Waste
Air Emissions

How does it impact the environment?
Pulverized
Coal
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
A typical 500MW coal burning plant can emit the following into the air each year:
• 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (leading to acid rain)
• 10,000 tons of nitrogen oxide
• 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide
• 500 tons of small particles
• 720 tons of carbon monoxide
• 125,000 tons of ash
• 225 pounds of arsenic and 114 pounds of lead
Waste
Air Emissions

Pulverized
Coal
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
Burning Coal in the United States:
• Accounts for about ¼ of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions every year.
• While carbon dioxide makes up a majority of greenhouse gas emissions from coal,
methane and nitrous oxide also play a role.
Waste
Air Emissions

Pulverized
Coal
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
Water is fundamental to burning coal for power as it is heated into steam and used to turn
the turbines that generate electricity. Water is withdrawn to support the electricity
production cycle and consumed through evaporation. How much is withdrawn (overall) and
how much is consumed depends on the cooling technology in a coal-based power plant.
Once-through cooling withdraws 20,000-50,000 gallons/MWh and consumes up to 300.
Recirculating withdraws 500-1,200 gallons/MWh and consumes up to 1,100.
Waste
Air Emissions

Pulverized
Coal
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
Burning coal produces solid waste, totaling over 100 million tons per year. This waste:
• Is often re-used (over 40%).
• Includes fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, and products of desulpherization.
• Contains toxics including arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, uranium, thorium,
dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
• Often ends up sitting in storage “forever” on the power plant site, making it vulnerable
to leakage, leaching, and other contamination of the surrounding community.
Waste
Air Emissions

Pulverized
Coal
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
Significant environmental impacts also result from the process of mining coal.
Coal mining generates a great deal of acidic and hazardous waste which has a profound
effect on water tables. Surface strip mining also destroys habitat and can permanently
disrupt ecosystems.
Waste
Air Emissions

How does it compare with other fuels?
Pulverized
Coal
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
Coal vs. the Rest (Natural Gas, Nuclear Energy, Renewables):
• Per MWh, coal burning produces about 5 times as much carbon monoxide, 400 times
more particulates, and 2,000 more times sulfur dioxide than burning natural gas.
• Per MWh, coal burning produces over twice the greenhouse gases as natural gas and up
to 100 times more greenhouse gases than nuclear and renewable technologies.
Waste
Air Emissions

Why does the U.S. use so much?
Coal is
ABUNDANT!
• The U.S. has about 265
billion tons that can be
mined competitively.
• The U.S. mines only
about 1 billion tons a
year.
• That's a 265 year
supply of coal at
present rates of
consumption.
Image Source: EIA
Despite its abundance, the U.S. usage of coal continues to decline dramatically in most states,
where it has been replaced by natural gas and increasing use of renewable resources.

What’s next for the U.S.?
Despite the fact
that Coal is
ABUNDANT:
The use of coal continues
to decline dramatically in
most states, where it has
been replaced by natural
gas and increasing use of
renewable resources.
2014: 39% of total electricity
2016: 30.9% of total electricity
Image source: Greg Goebel from Loveland CO, USA

Part 2:
Power from Natural Gas
Image Source: Mscalora

Producing Electricity from Natural Gas
How does it work?
image source: TennesseeValley Authority
Natural Gas can be converted to Electricity using a GasTurbine Power Plant
While gas turbines can power up quickly, they must be shut down for frequent repairs and are best
suited for peak power rather than continuous power production.

How does it work?
Natural
Gas
Compressor
Air
Turbine Electricity
In the GasTurbine, natural gas is converted to electricity through the Brayton cycle:
1. The compressor draws air into the plant and compresses it.
2. The compressed air is sent to the combustion chamber, where it is combined with
natural gas injected via multiple fuel injectors and burned at very high temperatures.
3. The resulting high temperature, high pressure gas flows into the turbine where it turns
the turbine blades to produce electricity.
Air Emissions

How does it work?
Natural Gas can also be converted to Electricity using a Boiler Power Plant that converts
natural gas to electricity similar to the way coal is burned to produce electricity.
Boiler power plants don’t need frequent repairs and can last 50 years or more.
Boiler Power Plants last longer and
require less frequent repairs, making
them better suited for continuous
electricity production, despite being
less efficient than gas turbine power
plants.

How does it work?
Natural
Gas
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
In the Boiler Power Plant, natural gas is converted to electricity through the Rankine cycle:
1. The gas is blown into the furnace, becomes airborne, and is burned.
2. The heat generated from the burning heats water flowing through tubes in the furnace.
3. The water turns into pressurized steam which exits the furnace.
4. The steam turns the blades of a turbine.
6. The steam is condensed, cooled, and returned to the furnace to repeat the cycle.
Air Emissions

How does it work?
+
Natural
Gas
Natural Gas can also be converted to Electricity using both a Boiler Power Plant and a Gas
Turbine Power Plant – a combined cycle power plant.

Natural Gas
Furnace
or
Combustion
Chamber
Water
or
Air
Turbine Electricity
Natural Gas Power Plants produce negligible amounts of:
• Mercury
• Sulfur dioxides
• Particulates
Air Emissions

Natural Gas
Furnace
or
Combustion
Chamber
Water
or
Air
Turbine Electricity
Burning Natural Gas in the United States:
• Emits about half the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent (greenhouse) gas than coal.
But, Natural Gas
• Leaks during production, emitting significant methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
• Can emit significant amounts of ozone and particulates during extraction (e.g. drilling).
Air Emissions

Natural Gas
Furnace
Water
Turbine Electricity
Water is fundamental to burning natural gas for power in a boiler style power plant as it is
heated into steam and used to turn the turbines that generate electricity. Water is
withdrawn to support the electricity production cycle and consumed through evaporation.
However, natural gas power plants still use less water than coal-based plants (and nuclear
power plants). At the present time, natural gas power plants, on average, use a quarter
(25%) of the water used by coal-burning plants. However, some methods used to extract
natural gas from the earth, like fracking, can involve huge amounts of water withdrawal and
usage.
Air Emissions

Why does the U.S. use so much?
Natural Gas is
ABUNDANT!
• The U.S. has up to 250
years left of natural
gas reserves.
• Among fossil fuels,
burning natural gas is
clean –it produces
fewer greenhouse
gases and toxic
emissions than coal.
Natural gas use for electricity has increased dramatically over the past decade, in large part
due to much reduced emissions and air quality impact compared to coal.

Because Natural Gas
is ABUNDANT and
CLEAN compared to
coal:
The use of natural gas will
continue to increase in the
United States until
renewable (or nuclear)
energy and resources can
take its place as a leader in
meeting electricity demand.
Image Source: Mscalora

Nuclear Power
How does it work?
Image source: scientificgamer.com

Nuclear Power
How does it work?
1. Uranium atoms split in a process called nuclear fission.
2. Fission produces heat. Fission also causes fission in other uranium atoms.
3. Control rods regulate how much fission occurs.
4. Heat turns water into steam.
5. Steam turns the blades of a turbine, which produces electricity.
Water
Nuclear Fission
Electricity
Uranium
Atoms
TurbineSteam
NuclearWaste
Control Rods

Producing Electricity from Nuclear Energy
Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Nuclear Energy
• Nuclear power has ZERO GHG emissions and ZERO air pollution during use.
• But, nuclear energy is responsible for some GHG emissions during manufacturing,
transport, installation, and decommissioning – about 0.06 pounds of carbon
dioxide equivalent gases per kWh of energy produced compared to 2 pounds per
kWh for burning coal.
Water
Nuclear Fission
Electricity
Uranium
Atoms
TurbineSteam
NuclearWaste
Control Rods

Water Usage
• Nuclear power can use large amounts of water, but some of this water is returned
to its point of origin rather than evaporating, leaving about 400 gallons/MWh
consumed in the production of electricity
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Typical Coal Power Plant
Typical Natural Gas Power
Plant Typical Nuclear Power
Plant Typical Wind Farm
Typical Solar Photovoltaic
Plant
GallonsperMWhofElectricity

Other Impacts
• Land Usage: Like natural gas and coal burning plants, nuclear power plants
consume very small amounts of land per electricity produced.
Water
Nuclear Fission
Electricity
Uranium
Atoms
TurbineSteam
NuclearWaste
Control Rods

Other Impacts
• While nuclear power plants release very small amounts of radiation into water and air
surrounding the plants, the most serious environmental (and public health) threat
imposed by nuclear energy is that of nuclear waste.
• In theory, nuclear waste can be stored safely in geological repositories (in the earth),
but the extreme ecosystem and human health consequences of a leak or release of
such waste makes it difficult to find a community willing to store it.
The Bottom Line
When operating “normally”, nuclear energy is safe, clean, and cost effective.
However, environmental and health impacts can skyrocket during accidents – whether
those accidents occur at the nuclear power plants themselves or at waste facilities.
Image Source: Jason Minshull
Image Source: CDC

Why does the U.S. use nuclear power?
Nuclear energy is clean and reasonably cost effective, but is neither abundant or
renewable. The U.S. is the world’s leading producer of nuclear energy, and after a 30
year period during which few new reactors were built, the U.S. is now in the process of
licensing and building several new reactors.
Nuclear
Power
Plants in the
U.S.
Image Source: world-nuclear.org

The expansion of natural gas, lower cost of fossil fuels, expansion
in renewable energy sources, and changes in wholesale electricity
markets have combined to make the addition of nuclear reactors
and power plants in the U.S. more difficult, hence limiting future
expansion of nuclear energy.
Image Source: Energy Information Administration, EIA

Part 4:
Power fromWater
Image Source: Farwestern / Gregg M. Erickson

HydroElectricity
How does it work?
Conventional Hydroelectric Plants

Producing Electricity from Water
How does it work?
In the Conventional Hydroelectric Plant:
1. Water is stored in a Reservoir behind a dam.
2. Water flows into a turbine near the bottom of the dam, turning the turbine blades.
3. The rotating blades produce electricity.
Is lost to
Evaporation
Flows through a
Dam
Water
in a Reservoir
Turns a
Turbine
Produces
Electricity
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Impacts
Ecosystem

HydroElectricity
How does it work?
Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plants

How does it work?
In the Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant:
1. Water is pumped into a reservoir at higher elevations during non-peak hours.
2. Water flows from the reservoir into the turbines during peak hours.
3. The turbines produce electricity.
Although this process consumes electricity, it makes a profit by trading non-peak power
(consumed) with peak power (generated).
Is lost to
Evaporation
Flows Downhill
Water
in a Reservoir
Turns a
Turbine
Produces
Electricity
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Impacts
Ecosystem

A typical hydroelectric power can generate 0.5 lbs. of CO2 per kilowatt-hour (compared to
0.6-2 lbs. for natural gas burning and 1.4-3.6 lbs. for coal burning). Some hydroelectric
power plants can produce 2 to 3 times the greenhouse gases of natural gas burning plants!
Hydroelectric
Plants can be
responsible for
significant
Greenhouse Gases
Is lost to
Evaporation
Flows through a
Dam
Water
in a Reservoir
Turns a
Turbine
Produces
Electricity
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Impacts
Ecosystem

• Carbon dioxide is released by
plants and trees destroyed during
the damming process.
• Dissolved methane builds up from
decomposing plants at the bottom
of the reservoir that results from
initial damming; the methane is
released into the air as a potent
greenhouse gas as water flows
through the dam.
• Carbon dioxide is released by
plants growing and dying along the
sides of the reservoir during
seasonal drawdown and refill
cycles in the reservoir.
Hydroelectric Plants can be responsible for significantGreenhouse Gases emissions.
Image Source: PRA

• Zero Heavy Metal (e.g. lead, arsenic, mercury) emissions
• Zero Sulfur Dioxide emissions
• Zero Nitrogen Oxide and Nitrous Oxide emissions
Air Quality impacts
associated with coal and
natural gas plants are
negligible in hydropower.
Is lost to
Evaporation
Flows through a
Dam
Water
in a Reservoir
Turns a
Turbine
Produces
Electricity
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Impacts
Ecosystem

While all hydroelectric power plants use a great deal of water, the
amount they consume varies widely, making it difficult to quantify
overall water consumption.
Is lost to
Evaporation
Flows through a
Dam
Water
in a Reservoir
Turns a
Turbine
Produces
Electricity
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Impacts
Ecosystem

How much water is “consumed” by evaporation from reservoirs or
lakes associated with hydroelectric plants depends on:
• Whether or not the reservoir/lake which feeds the dam is artificial or natural – would
the water have evaporated anyway?
• What the reservoir/lake is used for in addition to hydroelectricity (fishing, recreation,
etc.) – how much evaporated or consumed water should be assigned to electricity
production?
Image Source: P.hogg at EnglishWikipedia

Because large hydroelectric plants involve large reservoirs, they
can harm surrounding ecosystems and habitats in many ways.
Is lost to
Evaporation
Flows through a
Dam
Water
in a Reservoir
Turns a
Turbine
Produces
Electricity
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Releases
Greenhouse
Gases
Impacts
Ecosystem

Flooding land to facilitate hydroelectric power destroys wildlife, forest,
agricultural, and other lands. Reservoir water is more stagnant, colder,
and contains less dissolved oxygen and nutrients – which affects life
inside the reservoir and downstream when water is released. Dams
prevent fish and other animals from passing through, which can have
profound impacts on certain species.
Image Source: U.S. Fish andWildlife Service

Why does the U.S. use hydroelectricity?
Hydroelectricity
is clean*,
renewable, and
plentiful in
certain regions
of the U.S.
* excluding greenhouse gas emissions

Although it is renewable,
hydropower is
complicated by indirect
greenhouse gas emissions
and damage to
surrounding ecosystems
that results from dam and
reservoir construction.
For the first time (in 2016), wind-based electricity generation surpassed water-based
electricity generation in the U.S. While the U.S. is unlikely to build new hydroelectric
facilities in the future, existing facilities will continue to produce renewable and relatively
clean energy well into the future.
Image Source: Farwestern / Gregg M. Erickson

Part 5:
Power from the Sun
Image Source: ChristofferRiemer Image Source: RichardGifford from Sydney,Australia

Solar Power
Production of Electricity from the Sun
Method #1:
Photovoltaic (Solar) Panels convert sunshine
directly into Electricity either in a central
power plant or on individual rooftops. PV
Solar Energy is the most popular approach to
producing electricity from the sun.
Method #2:
Solar thermal plants concentrate
sunlight, and produce steam which in
turn produces electricity. Solar
thermal plants are more expensive
than PV panels and are much more
sensitive to cloud cover than PV
panels. They make up less than 5% of
total generation of electricity from
solar energy in the world.
Image Source: ChristofferRiemer
Image Source: Bkwcreator

Solar Power
How does it work?
image source: Wikimedia Commons
Method #1: Photovoltaic (PV)
Image Source: ChristofferRiemerImage Source: http://eco2solar.co.uk/

Producing Electricity from the Sun
How does it work?
1. Sunlight passes through an anti-reflective coating to transmit the most light to the PV.
2. The PV is a PN junction which receives light and converts it to free electrons and holes.
3. Free electrons and holes become a constant (DC) current that can either be:
• Stored in a battery until it is needed as DC (constant) voltage and current.
• Directly converted by an inverter from DC to AC (time-varying) voltage and current.
Semiconductor
PN Junction
Anti-Reflective
Coating
Inverter
DC
Electricity
Holes flow
one way
Electrons flow
the other way
Battery
Solar Panels
Method #1: Photovoltaic (PV)

Solar Power
How does it work?
Method #2: SolarThermal
image source: Solana CSP
Image Source: RichardGifford from Sydney,Australia

How does it work?
1. Sunlight is concentrated using troughs, dishes, or other technology.
2. The intensified sunlight heats water.
3. Water becomes steam.
4. Steam turns the blades of a turbine and produces electricity.
Water
Solar
Concentrators
ElectricityTurbine
Did you know?
1. Solar thermal energy represents less than
2% of the world’s total solar-based
electricity production.
2. Solar thermal power costs far more than
photovoltaic installations.
3. Solar thermal power suffers far more from
cloud cover than photovoltaic plants
Method #2: SolarThermal

Using Energy from the Sun
MultipleApproaches
Solar thermal plants and
Photovoltaic (solar panel) plants
Produce Electricity
Solar energy can also be used to heat
water in the home or to heat the home
directly through placement of sunrooms
and other techniques. These approaches
Do Not Produce Electricity

Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels
• Solar PV power has ZERO GHG emissions and ZERO air pollution during use.
• But, PV power does produce GHG emissions during manufacturing, transport, installation,
decommissioning, and dismantling – about 0.19 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent
gases per kWh of energy produced compared to 2 pounds per kWh for burning coal.
Semiconductor
PN Junction
Anti-Reflective
Coating
Inverter
DC
Electricity
Holes flow
one way
Electrons flow
the other way
Battery
Solar Panels

Water Usage
Solar PV power uses no water during regular operation. However, semiconductors used to
make PV panels consume large amounts of water during manufacturing. Even when
manufacturing is taken into consideration, solar PV plants use about 0.03 gallons/kWh
compared to 0.49 gallons/kWh for burning coal for electricity.
Semiconductor
PN Junction
Anti-Reflective
Coating
Inverter
DC
Electricity
Holes flow
one way
Electrons flow
the other way
Battery
Solar Panels

Other Impacts
• Land Usage: Solar PV can use between 3.5 and 10 acres per megawatt, land cannot be
shared with other uses as is the case with wind power.
• Solar PV cells contain quite a few hazardous and toxic materials including arsenic and
cadmium which means they must be disposed of or recycled properly to prevent harm.
Semiconductor
PN Junction
Anti-Reflective
Coating
Inverter
DC
Electricity
Holes flow
one way
Electrons flow
the other way
Battery
Solar Panels

Why does the U.S. use solar power?
Despite the fact that solar power is more expensive than other forms of electricity
production, Solar (Photovoltaic) Power takes advantage of the earth's most reliable and
abundant source of renewable energy.
• 12.2TRILLION watt hours per square mile reach the earth every year, compared to
• global electricity production which is presently around 20,279TRILLION watt hours
per year.

Solar Energy is clean
and abundant. Costs
continue to decrease
and solar power is
expected to increase as
a percentage of overall
electricity production
and as a percentage of
renewable energy
production well into
the foreseeable future.

Part 6:
Power fromWind
Image Source: Leaflet,Wikimedia Commons Photo by Kim Hansen. Postprocessing (crop, rotation,
color adjustment, dust spot removal and noise reduction)
by Richard Bartz and Kim Hansen.

Wind Power
How does it work?
Image Source: TennesseeValleyAuthority

Producing Electricity fromWind
How does it work?
1. Wind turns the rotor blades which turn a low speed shaft at about 30 to 60 rpm.
A motor may turn the rotor blades to face an optimal spot relative to the wind.
2. The gear box converts the rpm of the low speed shaft to a high speed shaft
which turns at over 1,000 rpm.
3. The high speed shaft drives an electricity generator.
Gear
Box
Rotor
Blades
Electricity
Wind
Generator

Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from WindTurbines
• Wind power has ZERO GHG emissions and ZERO air pollution during use.
• Wind turbines produce small amounts of GHG emissions during manufacturing, transport,
and installation – about 0.05 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent gases per kWh of energy
produced compared to 2 pounds per kWh for burning coal.
Gear
Box
Rotor
Blades
Electricity
Wind
Generator

Water Usage
Wind power uses no water during regular operation and only small amounts of water
during manufacturing and transport.
Gear
Box
Rotor
Blades
Electricity
Wind
Generator

Other Impacts
• Land Usage: Wind power uses about
30-140 acres per MWh, but only 1 acre
is disturbed permanently and about 3
acres temporarily during
construction.
Gear
Box
Rotor
Blades
Electricity
Wind
Generator

Other Impacts
• Wildlife: Wind turbines can kill bats and birds, but they do so in small numbers,
and certain strategies such as keeping turbines still in low wind can reduce
deaths by as much as 50% without impacting power production.
About 388,000 birds
killed annually
About 1,400,000,000 birds killed annually
Image Source:
Leaflet,Wikimedia Commons

Why does the U.S. use wind power?
Wind energy is clean, renewable, abundant, and cost effective. Although it is not a
reliable and consistent form of electricity because of natural variations in wind speed
due to climate and season, it can be used to complement and supplement other forms
of electricity production.
Did you know?
While wind turbines have no public health impact and minimal environmental impact,
one of the major obstacles to installing more wind energy is that wind turbines can
annoy people through sound, vibration, shadow flicker, and perceptions of disturbed
landscapes.
Wind
Generating
Capacity in
2016
Image Source: Aflafla1,WikimediaCommons

Wind Energy is clean
and renewable with
minimal overall
environmental
impacts. It is
abundant, cost-
effective, and its use is
expected to expand
rapidly in the next
decade.
Image Source: NREL

Part 7:
Power from Biomass
Image Source: NationalAgroforestryCenter, Canada

Power from Biomass
How does it work?
Image source: http://biomassbess.weebly.com/scientist.html

Power from Biomass
How does it work?
1. Wood or other forest and agricultural products are reacted at high temperatures
without combustion to produce a synthetic gas.
2. The synthetic gas is burned to produce heat .
3. The heat converts water to steam in a boiler.
4. Steam turns the blades of a turbine.
Biomass Gasification
Water
Turbine
Electricity
Waste
Air Emissions
Furnace
Boiler

Power from Biomass
Air Quality Impacts from Biomass are difficult to estimate
Biomass Gasification
Water
Turbine
Electricity
Waste
Air Emissions
Furnace
Boiler
• On the one hand, biomass power plants can emit more nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide,
and particulate matter than many coal burning plants.
• On the other hand, when compared to the alternative fate for biomass, burning biomass
for electricity produces a net gain. For example, open burning of wood and agricultural
products produces much more carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, particulate matter, and
total hydrocarbons than using that same biomass to produce electricity.

Power from Biomass
As is the case with air pollution generated by using biomass for electricity,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions are also complicated and depend on:
• Whether carbon neutral carbon dioxide is considered (i.e. the carbon dioxide that is
absorbed by replacement forest or agricultural product).
• Whether burning and emissions in a power plant are controlled or uncontrolled.
0
50
100
150
200
250
Uncontrolled Controlled Accounting for Replanting
PoundsperMMBtu
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Wood Biomass Power Coal Power Natural Gas Power

Power from Biomass
Like other thermoelectric plants (e.g. coal, natural gas), biomass power plants
withdraw water from local water supplies to heat into steam and drive turbines to
produce electricity. Depending on the type of plant, the amount of water actually
consumed (and not returned to the local water supplies) in this process varies with
the approach used to circulate and cool water in the plant.
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Coal Natural Gas Nuclear Solar Thermal Biomass
AverageGallonsperMWh
Once-Through Recirculating Dry Cooling

Power from Biomass
Other Impacts
• Land Usage: Biomass plants typically have a footprint of 10-100 acres, similar to
other thermoelectric plants (e.g. coal, natural gas).
• Waste Ash: Burning wood and agricultural products typically produces no toxic
waste, although burning municipal solid waste (garbage) can produce toxic ash.
Image Source: Brian Stansberry

Power from Biomass
Why does the U.S. use biomass for electricity?
Biomass accounts for only 2% of total electricity in the United States and the most
popular biomass products for electricity are lumber, agricultural or wood wastes.
Burning biomass reduces landfill volume but has mixed environmental impacts.
Biomass
Power
Plants in the
U.S.
Image Source: NREL

Power from Biomass
Biomass for electricity continues to increase over time, with the
American Southeast leading the way. However, this form of
renewable energy production is not growing as quickly as other forms
of renewable energy like wind energy, which is less controversial in
terms of net air quality and greenhouse gas impact.
Image Source:
Energy Information Administration, EIA

Additional Impacts
http://comingalongside.org/Technology/
http://labs.ee.washington.edu/community/EnvironmentalImpacts/

Environmental Impacts of Electricity Production

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