Marginal cost pricing for coal fired electricity in coastal cities of China: The case of Mawan Electricity Plant in Shenzhen City, China

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Zhang, Shi-qiu | Duan, Yan-xin

Affiliations: Center for Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

Abstract: By developing a GDMOD model to estimate the environmental externalities associated with electricity generation, this project provides a detailed analysis of the damages and costs caused by different pollutants at varying distances from the Mawan Electricity Plant in Shenzhen, China. The major findings of this study can be summarized that (1) environmental damages caused by electricity production are large and are mainly imposed on regions far away from the electricity plant; (2) air pollution is the most significant contributor to the total damages, and SO2, NOx, and particulate matter are the three major pollutants with highest damages; (3) the damages caused per unit of particulate, NOx, and SO2 emissions are much higher than pollution treatment and prevention costs. The research results of this project showed that China needs to have a more effective levy system on SO2, and a more manageable electricity tariff mechanism to internalize the environmental externalities. The results have also implications for pollution control strategies, compensation schemes as well as emission trading arrangements.

Keywords: marginal cost pricing, environmental damages, environmental policy

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 401-412, 2003