(Washington) The government of Joe Biden announced a plan to reduce CO2 emissions on Thursday.2 gas and coal-fired power plants from 2030, much-awaited measures as part of the United States’ climate commitments.
These new regulations include, among other things, the obligation for certain coal-fired power stations to capture the majority of their CO emissions.2instead of releasing them into the atmosphere.
If they go into effect, they will be the first restrictions on such emissions imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on existing plants.
PHOTO BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
US President Joe Biden
Electricity generation accounts for around a quarter of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, the second largest sector after transport.
“Across our nation, Americans are seeing and feeling the devastating effects of climate change,” EPA Chief Michael Regan said Thursday, announcing the measures, which will likely be fought in court, as a previous attempt under President Obama.
They have the potential to prevent the emission of more than 600 million tons of carbon by 2042, the equivalent of the emissions of all American cars in six months, according to the EPA, which assured that they would have a “negligible” impact on electricity prices.
The agency relies in particular on CO capture and storage techniques2which are still uncommon and expensive.
The government is betting on their development, after passing a law (Inflation Reduction Act, IRA) last year, which included increased tax credits for plants using these techniques.
Under the new rules, coal-fired power plants that plan to continue beyond 2040 will have to install technologies that capture 90% of CO2 issued from 2030.
On the other hand, no restrictions are imposed for coal-fired power plants retired by 2032, or even 2035 for those operating at less than 20% of their capacity.
The EPA argues that installing these technologies will take time, and will be especially cost-effective for plants operating longer.
“Series of Actions”
For gas power plants, the largest will have to capture 90% of their CO2 by 2035, or use low-carbon hydrogen at 30% by 2032, and 96% by 2038.
Michael Regan assured that these proposals were “100% in line” with the commitments of Joe Biden, who promised carbon-neutral electricity production from 2035. They are “in a series of actions”, a- he argues.
In 2015, Barack Obama had already announced a plan to reduce CO emissions2 plants, blocked before entering into force. Seized on this case, the Supreme Court had limited the EPA’s ability to act last year.
According to its decision, general rules, which would have the consequence of forcing a transition from coal to other energy sources, exceed the authority of the agency.
The EPA has tried to avoid this pitfall by proposing tailor-made rules depending on the type of power plant, their level of use, or even their closing date.
These measures follow the “traditional approach” of the EPA to act under the “Clean air act”, assured Mr. Regan. “We are confident that we are within those limits,” he said.
The new rules are expected to be finalized in 2024, after a period of public debate.
“Turning point” or “distraction”?
They “signal that the era of unlimited pollution from power plants is over,” Dan Lashof, of the World Resources Institute, told AFP. It is “a turning point”, abounded Julie McNamara, of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
Both, however, wanted the proposal to go further with regard to gas-fired power plants.
Other environmental groups have also been very critical of carbon capture and storage (CCS) techniques, which they fear will allow polluting power plants to continue, instead of switching directly to renewable energies.
It is a “distraction”, tackled an official of the Climate Justice Alliance.
There are currently only around 35 CO capture and storage sites in the world.2 for industrial processes or power generation, according to the International Energy Agency.
But “pollution control technology doesn’t need to be on every street corner to become the basis of a standard,” said Jay Duffy of the Clean Air Task Force.
Mitch McConnell, leader of the conservative minority in the Senate, judged him that the EPA imposed “unfeasible deadlines” and “unproven technologies”, which would lead to “rising electricity prices and blackouts” .
A significant number of coal-fired power plants have already closed over the past decade.
In 2022, about 60% of electricity generation in the United States came from gas (40%) or coal (20%) power plants, according to the US Energy Information Agency. The rest came from renewable energies (21.5%) and nuclear (18%).