Morrow Pacific: Life Cycle Assessment of a Coal Export Project
dc.contributor.advisor | Patiño-Echeverri, Dalia | |
dc.contributor.author | Bohnengel, Andrew Barrett | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2013-04-25T20:56:47Z | |
dc.date.available | 2013-04-25T20:56:47Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2013-04-25 | |
dc.department | Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences | |
dc.description.abstract | Stricter emissions requirements on coal-fired power plants together with low natural gas prices have contributed to a recent decline in the use of coal for electricity generation in the United States. Faced with a shrinking domestic market, many coal companies are taking advantage of a growing coal export market. As a result, U.S. coal exports hit an all-time high in 2012, fueled largely by demand in Asia. The Australian firm Ambre Energy is currently pursuing a permit to develop and operate a coal export project in Oregon that will ship 8.8 million tons of Powder River Basin coal annually to Asian markets via rail, river barge, and ocean vessel. This study uses a hybrid life cycle assessment model to conduct the only environmental life cycle analysis of the project to date. Social and environmental impacts are quantified and monetized to provide a full picture of the project’s externalities as a basis for comparison to other energy export alternatives. Findings show that fuel combustion during the three transport phases of the project contributes significant emissions add-ons to the pollution profile of the exported coal. This study highlights the unintended social and environmental consequences of policies intended to reduce air emissions from domestic coal-fired power plants. | |
dc.identifier.uri | ||
dc.language.iso | en_US | |
dc.subject | coal export | |
dc.subject | morrow pacific project | |
dc.subject | Life cycle assessment | |
dc.subject | energy transport | |
dc.subject | coal export project | |
dc.subject | morrow pacific | |
dc.title | Morrow Pacific: Life Cycle Assessment of a Coal Export Project | |
dc.type | Master's project |