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Rapid fuel switching from coal to natural gas through effective carbon pricing
File(s)
NENERGY-17061065B-FINAL.pdf (1.22 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Staffell, IL
Wilson, IAG
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Great Britain’s overall carbon emissions fell by 6% in 2016, due to cleaner electricity production. This was not due to a surge in low-carbon nuclear or renewable sources; instead it was the much-overlooked impact of fuel switching from coal to natural gas generation. This Perspective considers the enabling conditions in Great Britain and the potential for rapid fuel switching in other coal-reliant countries. We find that spare generation and fuel supply-chain capacity must already exist for fuel switching to deliver rapid carbon savings, and to avoid further high-carbon infrastructure lock-in. More important is the political will to alter the marketplace and incentivize this switch, for example, through a stable and strong carbon price. With the right incentives, fuel switching in the power sector could rapidly achieve on the order of 1 GtCO2 saving per year worldwide (3% of global emissions), buying precious time to slow the growth in cumulative carbon emissions.
Date Issued
2018-05-01
Date Acceptance
2018-02-05
Citation
Nature Energy, 2018, 3 (5), pp.365-372
URI
URL
DOI
ISSN
1520-8524
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Start Page
365
End Page
372
Journal / Book Title
Nature Energy
Volume
3
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved.
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-018-0109-0
Grant Number
EP/M001369/1
EP/L024756/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Energy & Fuels
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Materials Science
ELECTRICITY-GENERATION
BRITISH ELECTRICITY
ENERGY-STORAGE
CO2 EMISSIONS
FOSSIL-FUELS
BRIDGE FUEL
SECTOR
TRANSITION
REDUCTION
BRITAIN
0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
0907 Environmental Engineering
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-03-26