Evolution of China's NOx emission control strategy during 2005∼2020 over coal-fired power plants: A satellite-based assessment

Xiaoxi Yan; Yuan Xu; Guanna Pan

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119243

Evolution of China's NO_x emission control strategy during 2005∼2020 over coal-fired power plants: A satellite-based assessment

J Environ Manage. 2023 Dec 15:348:119243. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119243. Epub 2023 Oct 10.

Authors

Xiaoxi Yan¹, Yuan Xu², Guanna Pan³

Affiliations

¹ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing & State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
² Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China. Electronic address: yuanxu@cuhk.edu.hk.
³ Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.

PMID: 37827080
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119243

Abstract

Since especially the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), China has made great efforts to reverse the increasing trend of NO_x emissions through end-of-pipe measures. With the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) level 2 swath product of tropospheric NO_2, this study explores the temporal-spatial patterns of NO_x concentrations over China's coal-fired power plants from 2005 to 2020 and investigates the evolution of its control strategy. The nationwide deployment of flue-gas denitration facilities was a critical measure to mitigate NO_x emissions from coal-fired power plants, while this study externally assesses the implementation gap of their operation. Our results illustrate that, besides the impacts of economic cycles, China's control strategy experienced a dramatic transformation from an ad hoc campaign style for meeting short-term temporary targets to more sustainable, technology- and governance-centered institutional arrangements for ensuring long-term fundamental solutions. Furthermore, the satellite-based assessment may provide not only ex post evaluation, but also in-time and independent data for more effective and efficient environmental compliance monitoring.

Keywords: Compliance and enforcement; Environmental policy and governance; Flue-gas denitration; Remote sensing and satellites.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / analysis
Air Pollution* / prevention & control
China
Coal
Power Plants

Substances

Air Pollutants
Coal