Characterizing Air Quality Impacts Related to North Atlantic Offshore Emissions Sources

Kirk R. Baker*, R. Byron Rice and Neal Fann, 
{"title":"Characterizing Air Quality Impacts Related to North Atlantic Offshore Emissions Sources","authors":"Kirk R. Baker*,&nbsp;R. Byron Rice and Neal Fann,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestair.5c00179","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p >Wind energy projects are being planned and constructed off the northern Atlantic coast to provide additional energy capacity to the eastern U.S. Emissions related to construction, operation, and routine maintenance of these offshore wind projects, and the chemical transformation of these emissions in the atmosphere can result in pollutants that have known negative human health effects. However, the increased electrical capacity provided by these offshore wind projects could result in some reduction in onshore electrical generating (EGU) facilities. Here, multiple air quality models (a reduced complexity tool and a more sophisticated photochemical grid model) were applied to predict annual average PM<sub>2.5</sub> and seasonal average maximum daily 8 h average O<sub>3</sub> impacts from offshore wind projects and resulting reductions in onshore EGUs. The reduced complexity tool reasonably replicated the magnitudes and spatial gradients of impacts predicted by the photochemical transport model. Air pollution impacts from the offshore wind energy projects tended to be highest nearest the projects. Air pollution impacts were much higher from the construction phase compared to postconstruction (operation and maintenance). Predicted reductions to onshore EGUs due to increased offshore energy capacity resulted in regional decreases in PM<sub>2.5</sub> and O<sub>3</sub> that outpaced increases related to offshore wind projects. This effect was more pronounced for population influenced PM<sub>2.5</sub> compared to that for O<sub>3</sub>. This is likely due to offshore wind energy capacity being highest in the winter, which results in more onshore EGU emissions reductions outside of the summer season when precursor emissions would be most impactful on O<sub>3</sub> production. Reductions in onshore EGU emissions were based on assumptions that the increased energy capacity would not simply meet increased demand over present-day levels or be balanced by non-fossil-fuel-based energy sources such as nuclear, solar, or onshore wind farms.</p>","PeriodicalId":100014,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T Air","volume":"2 7","pages":"1369–1378"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"ACS ES&T Air","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestair.5c00179","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Wind energy projects are being planned and constructed off the northern Atlantic coast to provide additional energy capacity to the eastern U.S. Emissions related to construction, operation, and routine maintenance of these offshore wind projects, and the chemical transformation of these emissions in the atmosphere can result in pollutants that have known negative human health effects. However, the increased electrical capacity provided by these offshore wind projects could result in some reduction in onshore electrical generating (EGU) facilities. Here, multiple air quality models (a reduced complexity tool and a more sophisticated photochemical grid model) were applied to predict annual average PM2.5 and seasonal average maximum daily 8 h average O3 impacts from offshore wind projects and resulting reductions in onshore EGUs. The reduced complexity tool reasonably replicated the magnitudes and spatial gradients of impacts predicted by the photochemical transport model. Air pollution impacts from the offshore wind energy projects tended to be highest nearest the projects. Air pollution impacts were much higher from the construction phase compared to postconstruction (operation and maintenance). Predicted reductions to onshore EGUs due to increased offshore energy capacity resulted in regional decreases in PM2.5 and O3 that outpaced increases related to offshore wind projects. This effect was more pronounced for population influenced PM2.5 compared to that for O3. This is likely due to offshore wind energy capacity being highest in the winter, which results in more onshore EGU emissions reductions outside of the summer season when precursor emissions would be most impactful on O3 production. Reductions in onshore EGU emissions were based on assumptions that the increased energy capacity would not simply meet increased demand over present-day levels or be balanced by non-fossil-fuel-based energy sources such as nuclear, solar, or onshore wind farms.

Abstract Image

北大西洋近海排放源对空气质量影响的表征。
北大西洋沿岸正在规划和建设风能项目,以向美国东部提供额外的能源容量。与这些海上风能项目的建设、运营和日常维护有关的排放以及这些排放在大气中的化学转化可能导致污染物,对人类健康产生已知的负面影响。然而,这些海上风电项目提供的电力容量增加可能会导致陆上发电(EGU)设施的减少。本研究采用了多种空气质量模型(一种降低复杂性的工具和一种更复杂的光化学网格模型)来预测海上风电项目的年平均PM2.5和季节性最大每日8小时平均O3影响,以及由此导致的陆上egu减少。降低复杂性的工具合理地复制了光化学输运模型预测的影响的大小和空间梯度。海上风能项目对空气污染的影响往往是最接近项目的。施工阶段对空气污染的影响远高于施工后(运营和维护)。由于海上能源容量的增加,预计陆上egu的减少导致区域PM2.5和O3的下降超过了海上风电项目相关的增长。与O3相比,受人口影响的PM2.5的这种影响更为明显。这可能是由于海上风能容量在冬季最高,这导致在夏季之外更多的陆上EGU排放量减少,而夏季前体排放对O3生产的影响最大。陆上EGU排放量的减少是基于这样的假设,即增加的能源容量不能简单地满足当前水平上增加的需求,也不能通过非化石燃料能源(如核能、太阳能或陆上风力发电场)来平衡。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
自引率
0.00%
发文量
0
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:604180095
Book学术官方微信