Marcellus Fracked Gas Leads to Record Low Emissions in PJM Grid
This decline has occurred as competitive wholesale electricity markets continue to encourage the entry of new technologies, and lower-emitting, more efficient resources replace older, less efficient
Marcellus Fracked Gas Leads to Record Low Emissions in PJM Grid
ELECTRICAL GENERATION | INDUSTRYWIDE ISSUES
April 24, 2024
PJM is the largest electric grid operator in the U.S. It serves 65 million people in 13 states plus the District of Columbia (including PA, OH, and WV). PJM recently issued a press release to tout a radical reduction in emissions of all types. From 2005 to 2023, carbon dioxide (CO2) emission rates fell 43% across PJM’s footprint. Emission rates for nitrogen oxides (NOx) declined 90%, and the rates for sulfur dioxide (SO2) dropped 96%. It is, says PJM, a new all-time low for electric power emissions across the PJM region. Why the drastic drop? Because (says the Marcellus Shale Coalition), a number of coal-fired power plants have been replaced by natural gas-fired plants.
PJM issued a press release on March 28th:
The average emission rates for carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide from generators operating in the PJM footprint dropped to a record low in 2023, having steadily declined for nearly two decades, according to annual data compiled by PJM.
From 2005 to 2023, carbon dioxide emission rates fell 43% across PJM’s footprint. Emission rates for nitrogen oxides declined 90%, and the rates for sulfur dioxide dropped 96%.
This decline has occurred as competitive wholesale electricity markets continue to encourage the entry of new technologies, and lower-emitting, more efficient resources replace older, less efficient units.
The PJM system average annual value is a weighted average that accounts for higher loads during the summer and winter months. Emissions are measured in pounds per megawatt-hour (lbs/MWh).
PJM’s Emissions page and PJM Now app include a visualization of overall average hourly emissions information for the region PJM serves.
PJM also publishes 5-minute marginal emission rates, hourly marginal emission rates and hourly total emissions on Data Miner.
PJM stakeholders have identified potential uses for marginal emission rates to determine the times each day when electricity use can have the least impact on the environment by drawing on lower-emitting resources.
In addition, PJM Environmental Information Services Inc. in March 2023 began providing hourly, time-stamped certificates for PJM generation, answering the growing demand for procuring and tracking carbon-free energy around the clock.
Advocates of the approach maintain that hourly certificates can help electricity consumers, including large government and business customers, tailor their energy consumption to the availability of carbon-free energy at all hours of the day. Such demand expressed through the market could also incent new carbon-free generation resources to serve the hours of the day when renewable energy production is currently lacking. (1)
The Center Square – Pennsylvania coverage of the PJM news (published yesterday) adds comments by MSC President Dave Callahan properly crediting shale gas and gas-fired power as the reason for the drastic drop in emissions:
Partisan divides remain for Pennsylvania’s energy future, but the state’s electric grid keeps posting drops in emissions.
PJM, the 13-state grid that stretches from Illinois to North Carolina, noted a trend that’s continued for two decades: dramatic declines in pollutants.
“From 2005 to 2023, carbon dioxide emission rates fell 43% across PJM’s footprint. Emission rates for nitrogen oxides declined 90%, and the rates for sulfur dioxide dropped 96%,” a press release from PJM says. “This decline has occurred as competitive wholesale electricity markets continue to encourage the entry of new technologies, and lower-emitting, more efficient resources replace older, less efficient units.”
Much of this regional drop has been driven by pollution reductions in Pennsylvania with the switch from coal to natural gas. Though Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed an energy plan to tax pollution more heavily and encourage renewable energy, the lion’s share of electricity production in the commonwealth still comes from natural gas and nuclear energy, with coal still a bigger source than solar or wind energy.
Natural gas producers say the rise of fracking has driven emissions reductions.
“Accounting for nearly half of PJM’s generation capacity, abundant and clean Pennsylvania natural gas is driving significant air quality improvements in the power sector while also providing critical resilience to the grid,” Marcellus Shale Coalition President David Callahan said. “The data is clear.”
The gains, he said, haven’t been a result of state policy demands.
“Market-based solutions have led to these notable achievements, all of which should ensure that natural gas has a leading role in our energy future,” Callahan said.
Future reductions, however, could stagnate. State policy and issues with building more gas pipelines has meant production in Pennsylvania has been somewhat stagnant as production grows in Texas and Louisiana. Additionally, the Biden administration has put a pause on LNG exports. (2)
(1) PJM Inside Lines (Mar 28, 2024) – Emission Rates in PJM Reach All-Time Low
(2) The Center Square – Pennsylvania/Anthony Hennen (Apr 23, 2024) – PJM grid has significant decline in emissions