| Title |
A worldwide analysis of stranded fossil fuel assets’ impact on power plants’ CO2 emissions / |
| Authors |
Grant, Don ; Hansen, Tyler ; Jorgenson, Andrew K ; Longhofer, Wesley |
| DOI |
10.1038/s41467-024-52036-8 |
| Full Text |
|
| Is Part of |
Nature communications.. Berlin : Nature Portfolio. 2024, vol. 15, iss. 1, art. no. 7517, p. [1-10].. eISSN 2041-1723 |
| Abstract [eng] |
Will power plants emit less or more CO2 in anticipation of stronger climate policies that would strand fossil fuel reserves? Here, using a worldwide data source on individual power plants’ CO2 emissions and the value of countries’ at-risk fossil fuel assets, we show that between 2009 and 2018, plants emitted more CO2 in countries where more assets would be devalued under a 1.5 °C scenario, which we theorize is due to these countries’ regulatory leniency and plants’ vested interest in long-term fossil fuel contracts. Although the extra amount of carbon emitted each year trigged by imperiled assets is relatively small, it would exhaust a sizable portion of the electricity sector’s remaining carbon budget when added up over time. This is especially true in the U.S. and Russia where up to 16% and 12% of their budgets, respectively, could be spent within ten years due solely to the stranded asset effect. |
| Published |
Berlin : Nature Portfolio |
| Type |
Journal article |
| Language |
English |
| Publication date |
2024 |
| CC license |
|
