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1. Air quality and public health co-benefits of 100% renewable electricity adoption and electrification pathways in Los Angeles

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad24cc  

   Li, Yun; Ravi, Vikram; Heath, Garvin; Zhang, Jiachen; Vahmani, Pouya; Lee, Sang-Mi; Zhang, Xinqiu; Sanders, Kelly T; Ban-Weiss, George A (February 2024, Environmental Research Letters)

   Abstract To demonstrate how a mega city can lead in decarbonizing beyond legal mandates, the city of Los Angeles (LA) developed science-based, feasible pathways towards utilizing 100% renewable energy for its municipally-owned electric utility. Aside from decarbonization, renewable energy adoption can lead to co-benefits such as improving urban air quality from reductions in combustion-related emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NO_x), primary fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and others. Herein, we quantify changes to air pollutant concentrations and public health from scenarios of 100% renewable electricity adoption in LA in 2045, alongside aggressive electrification of end-use sectors. Our analysis suggests that while ensuring reliable electricity supply, reductions in emissions of air pollutants associated with the 100% renewable electricity scenarios can lead to 8% citywide reductions of PM_2.5concentration while increasing ozone concentration by 5% relative to a 2012 baseline year, given identical meteorology conditions. The combination of these concentration changes could result in net monetized public health benefits (driven by avoided deaths) of up to $1.4 billion in year 2045 in LA, results potentially replicable for other city-scale decarbonization scenarios. 

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2. The Interplay of Incentives, Electricity Price and Demand on Transport Decarbonization: The Case of Electric Vehicles in the U.S.

   https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2023.3347147  

   Wang, Tianye; Deason, Jonathan; Shittu, Ekundayo (January 2023, IEEE Engineering Management Review)

   While extant research explores the impact of Electric Vehicle (EV) incentives on EV market shares, less is known about how such policies and other socioeconomic factors interact that ultimately affect the goal of transportation emission reductions. The study summarized herein employed a sample of 510 state-year CO 2 emissions data sets in the transportation sector spanning a decade (2010-2019) in a multiple linear regression model. Going beyond earlier studies, we find that, while a higher number of EV incentives would significantly contribute to transportation emission reductions, this effect could be dampened by population growth. In addition, we find that, while higher electricity prices may weaken the effectiveness of EV incentives, a high count of EV incentives is more effective in reducing CO 2 emissions than a low count of EV incentives when the electricity price is low. This finding implies that having multiple EV incentives can be effective in reducing transportation carbon emissions even in the face of rising prices of electricity. The study also examines the effectiveness of promoting the density of charging stations and alternative fuel incentives in advancing carbon emission reductions. 

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3. Residential precooling on a high-solar grid: impacts on CO ₂ emissions, peak period demand, and electricity costs across California

   https://doi.org/10.1088/2753-3751/acfa91  

   Mayes, Stepp; Zhang, Tong; Sanders, Kelly T (October 2023, Environmental Research: Energy)

   Abstract As regional grids increase penetrations of variable renewable electricity (VRE) sources, demand-side management (DSM) presents an opportunity to reduce electricity-related emissions by shifting consumption patterns in a way that leverages the large diurnal fluctuations in the emissions intensity of the electricity fleet. Here we explore residential precooling, a type of DSM designed to shift the timing of air-conditioning (AC) loads from high-demand periods to periods earlier in the day, as a strategy to reduce peak period demand, CO₂emissions, and residential electricity costs in the grid operated by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). CAISO provides an interesting case study because it generally has high solar generation during the day that is replaced by fast-ramping natural gas generators when it drops off suddenly in the early evening. Hence, CAISO moves from a fleet of generators that are primarily clean and cheap to a generation fleet that is disproportionately emissions-intensive and expensive over a short period of time, creating an attractive opportunity for precooling. We use EnergyPlus to simulate 480 distinct precooling schedules for four single-family homes across California’s 16 building climate zones. We find that precooling a house during summer months in the climate zone characterizing Downtown Los Angeles can reduce peak period electricity consumption by 1–4 kWh d⁻¹and cooling-related CO₂emissions by as much as 0.3 kg CO₂ d⁻¹depending on single-family home design. We report results across climate zone and single-family home design and show that precooling can be used to achieve simultaneous reductions in emissions, residential electricity costs, and peak period electricity consumption for a variety of single-family homes and locations across California. 

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4. Understanding the Health Impacts of Vehicular Emissions in South Florida: A Comprehensive Analysis

   https://doi.org/10.25148/URJ.020105  

   Ducheine, Janelle; Horesh, Noah; Quinn, Jason (May 2024, FIU Undergraduate Research Journal)

   South Florida is famous for its diverse cultural scene and year-round sunshine. This success, however, has not been without its consequences. While the region enjoys economic prosperity, the hidden cost of deteriorating air quality and adverse health effects from vehicle emissions necessitates urgent attention. Electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential solution, promising reduced emissions, and increased energy efficiency. However, the intricate life cycle emissions associated with EV energy production raise questions about their net benefits. Using predictive modeling and historical data, the study forecasts emissions trajectories and assesses their health implications. Results indicate a substantial reduction in pollutants like PM2.5 and NOx by 2050, particularly in counties with higher vehicle miles traveled (VMT). However, challenges remain, such as Broward County’s heightened dependence on polluting electricity sources for EV charging, leading to increased SO2 emissions and public health costs. The analysis underscores the importance of transitioning to cleaner energy sources, highlighting the potential benefits of renewable resources in reducing emissions and improving public health outcomes. By incorporating comprehensive data and predictive models, this study provides valuable insights for policymakers and communities, advocating for a concerted effort towards sustainable transportation solutions. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the necessity of proactive measures to mitigate the adverse effects of vehicle emissions and foster a healthier, more sustainable future for South Florida. 

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5. Impacts of sectoral, regional, species, and day-specific emissions on air pollution and public health in Washington, DC

   https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2021.00043  

   Nawaz, M. O.; Henze, D. K.; Harkins, C.; Cao, H.; Nault, B.; Jo, D.; Jimenez, J.; Anenberg, S. C.; Goldberg, D. L.; Qu, Z. (January 2021, Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene)

   We present a novel source attribution approach that incorporates satellite data into GEOS-Chem adjoint simulations to characterize the species-specific, regional, and sectoral contributions of daily emissions for 3 air pollutants: fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This approach is implemented for Washington, DC, first for 2011, to identify urban pollution sources, and again for 2016, to examine the pollution response to changes in anthropogenic emissions. In 2011, anthropogenic emissions contributed an estimated 263 (uncertainty: 130–444) PM2.5- and O3-attributable premature deaths and 1,120 (391–1795) NO2 attributable new pediatric asthma cases in DC. PM2.5 exposure was responsible for 90% of these premature deaths. On-road vehicle emissions contributed 51% of NO2-attributable new asthma cases and 23% of pollution-attributable premature deaths, making it the largest contributing individual sector to DC’s air pollution–related health burden. Regional emissions, originating from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, were the most responsible for pollution-related health impacts in DC, contributing 57% of premature deaths impacts and 89% of asthma cases. Emissions from distant states contributed 34% more to PM2.5 exposure in the wintertime than in the summertime, occurring in parallel with strong wintertime westerlies and a reduced photochemical sink. Emission reductions between 2011 and 2016 resulted in health benefits of 76 (28–149) fewer pollution-attributable premature deaths and 227 (2–617) fewer NO2-attributable pediatric asthma cases. The largest sectors contributing to decreases in pollution-related premature deaths were energy generation units (26%) and on-road vehicles (20%). Decreases in NO2-attributable pediatric asthma cases were mostly due to emission reductions from on-road vehicles (63%). Emission reductions from energy generation units were found to impact PM2.5 more than O3, while on-road vehicle emission reductions impacted O3 proportionally more than PM2.5. This novel method is capable of capturing the sources of urban pollution at fine spatial and temporal scales and is applicable to many urban environments, globally. 

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