Power Switch

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the EPA establish specific emission rate standards for existing fossil fuel-fired utility boilers (1,450 lbs/MWh) and natural gas combustion turbines (1,100 lbs/MWh). The proposal centers on a 'model' interstate emission credit trading rule that allows states flexibility in compliance, including the use of state-specific emission budgets. Analysis by The NorthBridge Group indicates this approach could reduce electric sector carbon dioxide emissions by 27 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, resulting in a total reduction of 636 million metric tons. The report argues that nearly 70 percent of these reductions would come from optimizing fossil dispatch. Beyond climate benefits, the proposal is estimated to avoid over 2,000 premature deaths annually due to reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The total monetized health and climate benefits are estimated at $34 billion in 2020, significantly outweighing the $9.4 billion compliance cost.

• The proposed regulatory approach is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the electric sector by 27 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, totaling a reduction of 636 million metric tons.
• The majority of the projected emission reductions would be achieved by changing the dispatch of existing power plants, specifically by increasing the use of underutilized natural gas combined cycle units to replace high-emitting coal units.
• CATF recommends that the EPA set specific net performance standards: 1,450 lbs/MWh for subpart Da fossil fuel-fired utility boilers and 1,100 lbs/MWh for subpart KKKK natural gas combustion turbines.
• The proposal suggests a 'model' interstate emission credit trading rule to provide states with flexibility and lower compliance costs, allowing for the use of mass-based state budgets.
• The economic analysis estimates a marginal cost of carbon abatement of $34 per metric ton, with total program costs of $9.4 billion and total monetized benefits of $34 billion in 2020.
• The policy is expected to yield significant public health improvements by reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by over 400,000 tons each by 2020, avoiding over 2,000 premature deaths per year.
• The report identifies a 'suite of options' for coal-fired units to reduce emissions by approximately 30 percent, including heat rate improvements, coal drying, switching to higher rank coal, and natural gas co-firing.

APA

Schneider, C. (2014). Power Switch. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/21094115/CATF_Pub_PowerSwitch.pdf

Chicago

Schneider, Conrad. Power Switch. Clean Air Task Force, 2014. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/21094115/CATF_Pub_PowerSwitch.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Schneider |first1=Conrad |title=Power Switch |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=February 2014 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/21094115/CATF_Pub_PowerSwitch.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{schneider2014power, author = {Schneider, Conrad}, title = {{Power Switch}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2014}, month = feb, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/21094115/CATF_Pub_PowerSwitch.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }