Pollutant Logistics
Plant Scherer's SO2, NOx, and CO2 emissions with comparisons to Plant Brown and the national average.
SO2 Emissions
The graph of the SO2 Emission Rate by Boiler above showcases the tons of SO2 emissions by boiler per Megawatt-Hour produced. It is shown in the graph that there is a dramatic decrease in emissions, with the installation of Wet Lime Scrubbers, beginning in 2011.
For more information about SO2 and our interpretation of the total SO2 Generated, click below.
Power Plant Comparisons
In addition to the specific details and data about Plant Scherer, it also important to take a step back and explore how the facility compares to other power plants in the state of Georgia and across the United States. By comparing Plant Scherer to its counterparts, we can identify how the facility is doing in terms of its emissions. Is Plant Scherer producing more or less emissions per unit of power generated than other power plants? We answer this question in this section.
First, let’s compare Plant Scherer’s emissions to the emissions of another similar coal-fired power plant located in the state of Georgia, Plant Bowen. Plant Bowen, like Plant Scherer, is one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the United States. Using data from the EPA’s Clean Air Markets Program, the following three figures compare CO2, SO2, and NOx emissions (in tons) per unit of power generated at each plant (in megawatt hours, MW-h).
Comparison of CO2 Emissions Per Unit of Power Generated
Comparison of SO2 Emissions Per Unit of Power Generated
Comparison of NOx Emissions Per Unit of Power Generated
From these figures, it is seen that, at present, Plant Scherer and Plant Bowen have similar SO2 and NOX emissions per unit of power generated. These emissions values have also both been trending down since the late 1990’s. In terms of CO2 emissions though, Plant Scherer emits more per unit of power generated than Plant Bowen. For both plants, this emissions value has been trending upwards since the late 1990’s.
Beyond just the state of Georgia, it is also important to compare Plant Scherer to power plants all across the United States. To do this, Plant Scherer must be compared to the national averages for power plant emissions per unit of power generated. Using data from the EPA’s Clean Air Markets Program, the following three figures compare the CO2, SO2, and NOX emissions (in tons) per unit of power generated (in MW-h) for both Plant Scherer and the nation as a whole. It should be noted that the national average was only calculated for the years 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018. The emissions data for Plant Scherer is shown for each year 1998 – 2018.
Comparison of CO2 Emissions Per Unit of Power Generated
Comparison of SO2 Emissions Per Unit of Power Generated
Comparison of NOx Emissions Per Unit of Power Generated
From these figures, it is seen that, through the years, Plant Scherer’s SO2 and NOX emissions per unit of power generated have been very similar to the national averages. Both of these values have also been trending down since the late 1990’s. In terms of CO2 emissions though, Plant Scherer emits more per unit of power generated than the national average. The national average has been trending down since the late 1990’s while Plant Scherer’s emissions have been trending slightly upward.
Although Plant Scherer is on par with other power plants in Georgia and across the country in terms of SO2 and NOX emissions per unit of power generated, it has higher CO2 emissions. This means that there is still room for improvement at the facility to ensure that power for the people and industries of Georgia does not come at a cost to air quality, public health, and global climate.
Questions?
For more information on control descriptions, visit EPA's website > type “Scherer” into the search on the left side of the page > Click Monitoring Plans tab > Hit the "i" for a specific unit > Get complete information on a specific unit.