While researchers and engineers all over the world are busy advocating renewable energies like wind as an answer to reduce the amount of coal emissions, some naturalists believe that wind energy might not be the weapon required to fight coal emissions.
Dan Boone, a naturalist in Maryland, has explained that air pollution would be least effected by adding wind turbines to the gird. This theory seems confusing as we all believe that generating power from wind would not result in any emissions like those in case of coal-fired power plants. But the truth really depends on a system known as the cap-and-trade system. Cap-and-trade system A.K.A Emissions trading is an administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants.
Air pollution is already regulated under the system and the system has also shown some advantages and the system has proved itself worthy by effectively reducing NOx which create ozone and sulfur dioxide (SO2) the gas mainly responsible for acid rain. Even CO2 emissions have been reduced by 19% from 1995 to 2003 in Pennsylvania.
We all believe that if we erect thousands of grids that could promise steady electricity generation, we could reduce coal emissions even more. But considering the Cap-and-trade system on its feeble side, the system relies on an established total cap on emissions. If a plant reduces its emission below the mentioned cap then the incentive for the plant is that it can sell that extra to another plant to allow it to pollute more, hence the net effect on the pollution will be a big zero.
Moreover, it’s unlikely that the cap will be lowered because of wind energy. The energy generated by wind is not sufficient to power the entire world. The Department Of Energy hopes that by 2030 the total electricity contributed by wind in the United States will be just 0.89% of the amount required and the rest will still be generated by conventional means.
For now we don’t see much reduction in the emissions till the time wind energy generation systems undergo a major revolution.
Via: Kirbymtn
