2007年-世界发展银行全球_Power_System_Planning_in_India___Incorporating_Environmental_Externality_Costs_and_Benefits_38页_449kb

Summary of "Power System Planning in India: Incorporating Environmental Externality Costs and Benefits"

Core Content

This paper examines the integration of environmental externalities into power system planning in India, drawing comparisons with international studies, particularly in the European Union (EU) and China. It highlights the challenges and considerations involved in estimating and valuing these external costs, emphasizing the importance of incorporating them into policy and planning decisions.

Main Points

1. Scope and Objectives

• The paper reviews international and Indian studies on external costs of power generation.
• It focuses on negative environmental costs, with some attention to positive externalities.
• It specifically evaluates hydropower and resettlement and rehabilitation (RR) costs in India.
• It does not cover renewable energy sources other than hydro or nuclear power.

2. Methodology and External Cost Estimation

ExternE Methodology

• A "bottom-up" approach is used, analyzing the ecological and social footprint of each energy source.
• The method traces emissions through the environment using the "impact pathway" and estimates their health and environmental impacts.
• Impacts are then valued in monetary terms where possible, using willingness to pay (WTP) or avoidance costs.

Key Impact Categories

External Costs in the EU and China

• Coal & Lignite:
  • EU: $0.7–14.7$ US cents/kWh (without climate change), $1.6–1.6$ US cents/kWh (with climate change).
  • China: $1.0–18.1$ US cents/kWh (without climate change), $1.9–1.9$ US cents/kWh (with climate change).
• Gas:
  • EU: $0.4–3.0$ US cents/kWh (without climate change), $0.7–0.7$ US cents/kWh (with climate change).
  • China: $0.4–0.4$ US cents/kWh (without climate change), $0.8–0.9$ US cents/kWh (with climate change).
• Hydro:
  • EU: $0.0–1.3$ US cents/kWh (without climate change), $0.03–0.03$ US cents/kWh (with climate change).
  • China: Not reported.

3. Technology and Location Impact

• The external costs vary significantly based on the type of technology and the location of the plant.
• In the EU, a modern clean coal plant in Shandong, China, has lower external costs than a high-sulfur coal plant in Belgium.
• In India, the external costs for coal plants are estimated at $7.0–8.0$ US dollars/kWh, depending on the technology and emissions levels.

4. Health Impacts and Valuation

• Health impacts from coal and lignite are the highest, with coal plants contributing significantly to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
• The EU uses a consensus value of €3.5 million per statistical life lost for health-related external costs.
• In India, the WTP for a statistical life is between US$153,000 and US$358,000, while the human capital approach gives a range of US$202,000 to US$344,000.
• Health costs from nuclear power are minimal compared to fossil fuels, but there is a significant public perception gap regarding nuclear accident risks.

5. Transmission External Costs

• Transmission external costs are not fully addressed in current studies but are being explored under the NEEDS project.
• These include:
  • Health costs from electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure, with a preliminary estimate of 0.025 US cents/kWh in the EU.
  • Aesthetic costs of transmission lines, with estimates up to 0.6 US cents/kWh in high residential density areas.
  • Material production and transport costs, estimated at 0.06 US cents/kWh.

6. Indian Studies and Data Gaps

• Limited studies exist on external costs in India, but some estimates are available:
  • Bussolo and O'Connor (2001): Estimated non-carbon external costs for different technologies, ranging from $2.9 to $7.0 US dollars/kWh.
  • Lvovsky et al. (2001): Estimated damage costs for pollutants like PM10, SO2, and NOx in six Indian cities, but these are considered an underrepresentation of the true external costs.

7. Recommendations

• The paper recommends that India should undertake a detailed and comprehensive assessment of external costs to support better policy and planning.
• It emphasizes the need for peer-reviewed studies and broader agreement on valuation methods.
• The inclusion of external costs in power system planning and regulation is crucial for sustainable development.

Key Information

• ExternE is the primary methodology used internationally for estimating external costs.
• External costs are not only health-related but also include environmental and economic impacts.
• Location and technology significantly influence the magnitude of these costs.
• India's external costs are underestimated in current studies and require more rigorous analysis.
• Climate change is treated as an additional cost, with a base rate of €19/ton CO2 in the EU and €22/ton CO2 in China.
• WTP-based valuation is preferred for policy-making, though it may reflect social inequalities.
• Nuclear has minimal direct health impacts but faces public skepticism regarding accident risks.
• Transmission external costs are emerging as an important area for further research.

Conclusion

The paper concludes that while external cost estimates are essential for informed power system planning, they are often underrepresented in India. A more detailed and accurate assessment is needed to reflect the true environmental and health impacts of power generation and to guide sustainable and equitable policy decisions.