States Can Lead Equitable Transition to 100% 可再生能源 by 2035 

New Analysis Shows How with Enormous Health and Economic Benefits

出版于2022年4月19日

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剑桥, 马萨诸塞州(4月19日), 2022)—The need for resilient renewable energy is stronger than ever, 随着对清洁电力需求的增长和日益恶化的617888九五至尊娱乐影响对老化的电网构成挑战. 幸运的是, 各州可以在617888九五至尊娱乐变化方面发挥领导作用,到2035年用可再生能源满足100%的电力需求, 根据“On the Road to 100% 更新ables,” an analysis released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), Michigan Environmental 正义 Coalition (MEJC), GreenRoots, 和柯巴脂. 

该研究侧重于可再生电力标准(RESs)作为 无污染能源的驱动因素,并评估了空气质量的改善, 公共卫生, 电力成本, and power-sector jobs that result. The report recommends that states enact comprehensive clean energy transition policies, 包括在已经负担过重的环境正义社区优先减少污染的政策, avoid new investment in fossil fuel infrastructure, and prevent dangerous overdependence on gas. 除了, 受这些决定影响最大的EJ社区应该拥有决策权,以确保每个人都能从清洁能源中受益, 根据报告.

“We focused on the two dozen states in the contiguous U.S. that have demonstrated interest in being climate leaders as members of the U.S. 617888九五至尊娱乐联盟(USCA),Paula García说, senior bilingual energy analyst at UCS and lead author of the study. “这些州已承诺根据2015年巴黎617888九五至尊娱乐协议的目标减少温室气体排放,并处于推动脱碳努力的有利地位. While this is not a replacement for national and international leadership, 我们的研究结果让我们感到鼓舞,即国家层面的行动本身就能对减少污染产生影响.”

The study analyzed two main scenarios: a “No New Policy” scenario, where electricity policy and plans continue business as usual, and a “100% RES” scenario, where each USCA state meets all of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2035. 这项研究的重点是可再生能源,因为随着各州向100%零污染电力的转变,这些技术有望成为新发电能力的主要来源. Existing nuclear power plants, though not counting toward the 100% requirement, remain open through their lifespans for this analysis. 

The two scenarios yielded stark contrasts in 公共卫生 and economic benefits. In the “100% RES” scenario, 到2035年,USCA各州共同将二氧化碳(CO2)排放量减少58%,二氧化硫(SO2)和氮氧化物(NOx)排放量分别减少88%和76%. In the “No New Policy” scenario, the reduction in CO2 emissions is only 12%, and SO2 and NOx decrease only 27% and 18% respectively by 2040.

Compared to the “No New Policy” scenario, 100% RES的结果为6,000 to 13,000 fewer premature deaths, 140,000 fewer cases of asthma exacerbation, 和700年,减少000个517888九五至尊娱乐日. The value of the 公共卫生 benefits totals almost $280 billion over the two decades.

The study found a 100% RES would not only yield health and economic benefits, but would also be more affordable. If all the USCA states enacted a 100% RES, 到2040年,居民平均能源负担——用于取暖的电力和天然气支出占收入的比例——将下降几乎是没有新政策情况下的两倍. 在100% RES场景中, the typical household could save $150 a year versus the business-as-usual case by 2040. Not included in those calculations are additional savings from electrification, 例如,采用电动汽车的家庭可以节省汽油费用,使用电热泵可以节省取暖油或丙烷的费用.

该研究还强调了确保最能从中受益的家庭减少能源负担的重要性.

"Our energy choices affect us in many ways, such as the quality of the air we breathe, the job opportunities in a green economy, or how much we spend on energy,” said Leslee Gutiérrez Carrillo, lead environmental justice organizer at COPAL. “Decreasing energy costs is especially important for low-income households, 因为许多 人在能源上的花费占他们收入的比例高于普通家庭.”

该研究还显示,除了可再生能源之外,还需要采取更多措施来确保公平过渡,减少化石燃料发电产生的温室气体排放和空气污染. 

“Most RESs don't require fossil fuel plants to close, 这意味着公用事业公司和其他电厂所有者可以保持它们的运行,并将电力出口给其他州的客户,” said María Belén Power, associate executive director of GreenRoots. “这使低收入社区和有色人种社区遭受的不成比例的伤害长期存在,并阻碍了减少温室气体排放的进展.” 

作者对三个州进行了更深入的建模,发现100%可再生能源加上禁止新建天然气发电厂和加速关闭燃煤电厂的政策,将更快、更大幅度地削减各州的二氧化碳排放量, SO2, 及氮氧化物排放.   

该分析还提供了一个警示故事,说明各州在不清理电网的情况下,鼓励普及汽车和建设电气化. 

“没有脱碳的电气化”情景研究了如果由于运输和供暖电气化的增加,美国各州的电力需求增加56%会发生什么, but no additional efforts were made to decarbonize the grid. 研究发现,与目前的USCA州政策相比,电力部门的排放量将会上升. CO2 emissions would increase 14%, SO2 emissions would increase 19%, 及氮氧化物排放 would increase 6% by 2040. 

这给EJ社区敲响了警钟,也给政策制定者敲响了警钟——如果没有迅速建设可再生能源的政策,电网的电气化将加剧全国范围内的环境种族主义. 我们需要将公平的电气化与优先减少EJ社区的排放结合起来,” said Jamesa Johnson Greer, executive director of MEJC.