Technological Progress in Particulate Removal Equipment at U.S. Coal Burning Power Plants

Abstract

Coal-fired power plants contribute significantly to particulate matter emissions, which are regulated in the U.S. with emissions standards set by individual states. The theoretical literature generally, though not always, finds that standards offer inferior incentives to develop and adopt technological innovations, especially in end-of-pipe pollution control. This analysis empirically tests for cost-saving innovations in the operating, capital, and lifetime costs of flue gas particulate collectors. Results suggest that operating costs have fallen over time, capital costs have increased, and that these changes have led to no statistical change in lifetime costs.