Targeted NOx Emissions Control for Improved Environmental Performance

Abstract

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are the main ozone precursors, and NOx control programs in the US have led to substantial reductions in emissions. However, it is unknown whether these programs have optimally reduced ozone concentrations. Current control programs do not account for spatial and temporal specificities of NOx emissions. In this paper, this shortcoming in traditional trading systems is addressed and a methodology for identifying optimal NOx emission control strategies is developed. The proposed method combines an optimization platform with an adjoint (or backward) sensitivity model. Using the proposed method, a 2007 case study of 218 US power plants is examined. The results indicate that differentiating between emissions can significantly enhance environmental performance. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.