Shutting down coal-fired power plants benefits the environment and public health. A University of California study quantifies the profound local impacts in the U.S.
U.S. coal-fired power generation has declined significantly, with more than 330 production units taken offline between 2005 and 2016. During this period, over 600 natural gas units came online. Jennifer Burney, an environmental economist at the University of California, analyzed the local effects of these coal plant shutdowns by integrating data from authoritative sources.
Burney combined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) electricity production records with NASA's satellite air quality measurements. She also examined mortality rates in affected counties using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, alongside regional crop yields.
The analysis shows that transitioning to natural gas reduced nitrogen dioxide levels by 60% and sulfur dioxide by 80%. This shift avoided emitting more than 300 million tons of carbon dioxide.
The health and agricultural gains were striking: coal plant closures saved an estimated more than 26,000 lives and preserved 570 million bushels of corn, soybeans, and wheat over the period.
In contrast, coal plants that remained operational contributed to 329,417 premature deaths and the loss of 10.2 billion bushels of crops.
“We hear a lot about the global economic impacts of switching from coal to natural gas, but smaller-scale decisions can also have really big local consequences,” Burney explains. “The analysis provides a framework to further assess the costs and benefits of local investments in energy infrastructure.”
Natural gas isn't entirely "clean." While it emits less CO2 than coal, extraction and distribution release methane—a potent greenhouse gas. Roughly 8% of production leaks from shale gas wells due to venting, flaring, and equipment issues.
Full study details are published in Nature Sustainability.
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