POLLUTION DEATHS FROM FOSSIL FUEL-BASED POWER PLANTS

POLLUTION DEATHS FROM FOSSIL FUEL-BASED POWER PLANTS

1. Global death toll from the pollution from fossil fuel burning-based electricity generation. It is estimated that 0.3 million people die annually world-wide from societally-imposed, fossil fuel-based electricity generation pollutants (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates, volatile organics and heavy metals, notably mercury) and 170,000 people die annually world-wide from coal burning-based electricity generation (see: http://green-blog.org/2008/06/14/pollutants-from-coal-based-electricity-generation-kill-170000-people-annually/ )

2. Canadian estimate of coal-based power pollution deaths. An Ontario, Canada, Ministry of Energy study found that the “true cost” (in cents/kWh) of coal burning-based electricity (taking the environmental and human cost into account) could be 4-5 times the “actual market price” and that pollution from coal plants producing 27 TWh/year (20% of supply) kills 668 people per year in Ontario (population 12.2 million) (see: http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=8836).

3. Australian fossil fuel-based power pollution deaths. The data in #2 suggest that coal plants producing 77% of Australia's annual 255 TWh of electricity from 51 GW capacity (i.e. 0.77 x 255 = 196.4 TWh/year; see: http://www.uic.com.au/nip37.htm ) might kill about 196.4 TWh x 668/27 TWh = 4,859 people annually in Australia (population 21 million); in Australia 255 bn kWh x $0.04/kWh = $10.2 bn; 0.77 (coal-based) x $10.2 bn = $7.85 billion; $7.85 bn /4,859 deaths means that Australian electricity consumers pay for electricity @ $1.6 million per fellow Australian killed by coal.

4. International comparisons of fossil fuel-based power pollution deaths. “Annual coal-based electricity deaths” [“total annual fossil fuel-based electricity deaths”] are 170,000 [283,000] (the World), 11,000 [13,000] (India), 47,000 [47,500] (China), 49,000 [72,000] (the US), 3,400 [6,900] (the UK), 4,900 [5,400] (Australia) and 2,700 [3,800](Canada) as compared to 110 [360] (heavily renewable-based New Zealand) (see: http://green-blog.org/2008/06/14/pollutants-from-coal-based-electricity-generation-kill-170000-people-annually/ ; http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=8836 ).

5. Australian fossil fuel-based road deaths and power plant pollution deaths.

i. The ANNUAL Victoria (Australia) death toll on roads in 2007 = 332 i.e. about 330 (see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/20/2167718.htm ).

ii. The ANNUAL Australian death toll on roads in 2007 = 1,016 i.e. about 1,000 (see: http://www.caradvice.com.au/9032/2007-australian-road-toll/ ).

iii. The ANNUAL Australian death toll from coal-based electricity pollutants = 4,859 = about 4,900 (see: http://climatefactsheets.blogspot.com/2008/06/global-warming-dangers-solutions-for.html ).

iv. The ANNUAL Australian death toll from fossil fuel-based electricity pollutants = about 5,400 (see: http://climatefactsheets.blogspot.com/2008/06/global-warming-dangers-solutions-for.html ).

v. The ANNUAL Victorian death toll from brown coal pollutants (Victorian brown coal-based electricity is 21.9% of Australia’s electricity generation: http://climatefactsheets.blogspot.com/2008/06/coal-is-king-australia-co2-pollution.html ) = 0.219 x 4,859 = 1,064 = about 1,000.

vi. The ANNUAL Victorian death toll from fossil fuel burning (road deaths plus electricity) = 332 + 1,064 = 1,396 = about 1,400.

vii. The ANNUAL Australian death toll from fossil fuel burning (road deaths plus electricity) = 1,016 + 5,400 = 6,416 = about 6,400.

6. Human cost of pollution from of a new 400 MW brown coal power plant. The State of Victoria and Federal Australian Governments are giving a $150 million subsidy for a $750 million 400 MW coal-based electricity power plant planned to produce 30% less carbon dioxide (CO₂) pollution. The actual “capacity factor” means that Australia’s 51 GW electricity capacity generates 255 TWh/year - this means that the 400 MW station would actually generate about 2 TWh/year. The ANNUAL Victorian (Australian) deaths from the “new 400 MW plant” pollutants = 2 TWh/year x 668 persons/27 TWh/year = 49.5 = about 50 Victorians (Australians).

7. Estimated annual $ cost of fossil fuel burning pollution-based deaths. The Ontario Ministry of Energy study estimated $4.2 million CAD per life and cited a range of values from $2.6 - $13.3 million CAD per life (the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and $5 million CAD per life (Europe's ExternE study) (see: http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=8836). Using $5 million per life, the ANNUAL cost of deaths due to fossil fuel-burning-based electricity generation = 1,064 persons x $5 million per person = $5,320 million (Victoria) and 5,400 persons x $5 million/person = $27,000 million (for Australia).

8. Annual $ cost of pollution deaths from a new 400 MW coal-based power plant. Taking the European valuation of $5 million per person (see: http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=8836), the ANNUAL cost due to deaths of Victorians (Australians) of a new 400 MW coal-based power plant = 50 persons x $5 million/person = $250 million ANNUALLY.

9. HOWEVER, morbidity (illness) costs can be 6 times mortality costs. The Ontario Ministry of Energy study estimated that the costs from long-term exposure were more than six times those from premature deaths (avoidable deaths, excess deaths) (see: http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=8836).

10. THE BIG PICTURE – over 6 billion global warming deaths this century. Top UK climate scientist Professor James Lovelock FRS (the Gaia Hypothesis) has estimated that over 6 billion people will perish this century due to inadequately addressed global warming from greenhouse gas pollution (see: http://www.businessandmedia.org/printer/2007/20071022221333.aspx and http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/16956300/the_prophet_of_climate_change_james_lovelock ) .

CONTACT: Yarra Valley Climate Action Group (YVCAG): mawj@bigpond.com ; Climate Emergency Network (CEN): http://www.climateemergencynetwork.org/ .