Influence of population density and temporal variations in emissions on the air duality benefits of NOx emission trading.
Ozone formation is a complex function of local hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions. Therefore, trading of NOx emissions among geographically distributed facilities can lead to more or less ozone formation than across-the-board reductions. Monte Carlo simulations of trading scenarios involving 51 large NOx point sources in eastern Texas were used in a previous study by the authors to assess the effects of trading on air quality benefits, as measured by changes in ozone concentrations. The results indicated that 12% of trading scenarios would lead to greater than a 25% variation from conventional across-the-board reductions when air quality benefits are based only on changes in ozone concentration. The current study found that when benefits are based on a metric related to population exposure to ozone, two-thirds of the trading scenarios lead to changes in air quality benefits of approximately 25%. Variability in air quality benefits is not as strongly dependent on the temporal distribution of NOx emissions.
Nobel
Carolyn E
CE
Center for Energy and Environmental Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, 78758, USA.
McDonald-Buller
Elena C
EC
Kimura
Yosuke
Y
Lumbley
Katherine E
KE
Allen
David T
DT
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D004777:Environment; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000032:analysis*; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000032:analysis*; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis*; D011156:Population Density; D011634:Public Health
D000393:Air Pollutants; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone