Contributions of power generation to air pollution and associated health risks in India: current status and control scenarios

摘要

This study estimates the impact of power generation on pollutant concentrations and associated mortality across India in current scenario and compares, with three other control policy intervention scenarios. About 60% of the total power generated in India earlier was from coal-fired plants that contributed to about 49%, 34%, 6.6%, and 6% of SO_2, NO_x, PM_(fine), and CO emissions in India. Contribution of power plants to fine particulate matter (PM_(2.5)) was highest in winter (14.12 μg/m~3) and lowest in monsoon (1.99 μg/m~3). SO_4~- and NO_3~-contributed the most (65-97%) to total P_(2.5) attributed to power plants indicating maximum reduction in secondary inorganic aerosols due to implementation of regulating policies on power plants. Among the three control policy intervention scenarios on power plants, COPP scenario reflecting implementation of emission standards on current operating plants was found to be the best scenario resulting in reduction of pollutant concentrations. It resulted in reduction of about 9 μg/m~3 in PM_(2.5) concentration that in turn led to saving of 73,209 lives and increase in about 1.7 years of life lost/person (YLL/person). In case of UCPP and CNPP scenarios, where regulating policies were implemented only in under construction and new power plants, respectively, there was increase in PM_(2.5) concentration of about 8.22 and 19.03 μg/m~3 and also 50,200 and 115,894 extra premature mortality, respectively.