Corwin Zigler News Today

When looking at the future of Austin's energy generation, Mayor Kirk Watson says he's looking at three prongs: sustainability and climate, affordability and reliability.

In an examination of emissions data and Medicare records, researchers calculated that exposure to fine particulate air pollutants emitted by coal-fired power plants (coal PM2.5) is associated with a mortality risk 2.1 times greater than that of PM2.5 from other sources.

Exposure to fine particulate air pollutants from coal-fired power plants (coal PM2.5) is associated with a risk of mortality more than double that of exposure to PM2.5 from other sources, according to a new study led by George Mason University, The University of Texas at Austin, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Pollution from coal-fired power plants is much more deadly than previously thought. But there is also some very good news.

Coal-burning pollution has been found to have a mortality risk 2.1 times higher than particulates emitted by all other sources.

By replacing greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions that would otherwise be created by fossil fuel-based power plants, the renewable energy source benefits the environment, air quality, and public health.

Nearly 10 percent of today's electricity in the United States comes from wind power. The renewable energy source benefits climate, air quality, and public health by displacing emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants that would otherwise be produced by fossil-fuel-based power plants.

Health benefits associated with wind power could more than quadruple if operators turned down output from the most polluting fossil-fuel-based power plants when energy from wind is available. However, compared to wealthier communities, disadvantaged communities would reap a smaller share of these benefits.