Hello, solar enthusiasts! It’s another insightful day on the solar blog, and indeed, I have some fascinating news to share regarding solar developments in Los Angeles. Today, I am diving into the findings from a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which examined the local health and air quality benefits of achieving 100% renewable energy generation in Los Angeles’ transport and electricity sector. This is especially interesting for anyone considering solar panels for your home or even a larger solar array for home and business use.
The Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy study, affectionately called LA100, critically analysed how different approaches to achieving carbon neutrality directly influence health and air quality outcomes in LA. They based their study on figures from 2012 and compared these with potential outcomes across four adoption scenarios by 2045. The key finding? Each scenario could significantly reduce citywide air pollutant emissions like oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
But where does the significant reduction in emission come from? You guessed it! From electrification and infrastructural changes to sectors that aren’t typically power-focused, like transportation and buildings. This also includes the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach. Imagine what happens if every one of us contributes to these synergistic changes by considering solar companies or a solar company for our electricity needs!
Here’s a catch though: These reductions in emissions would lead to a temporary increase in the ozone concentration in certain parts of Los Angeles. Nevertheless, researchers attribute this phenomenon to “temporary but inevitable growing pains” as the city strives towards reducing the ozone concentration long term.
Interesting still, the study revealed that health outcomes reflect changes in air quality. In one scenario, researchers found that 96 premature deaths and 53 cardiovascular-related hospital admissions would have been avoided. However, there was also a slight increase in asthma-related emergency room visits due to the temporary rise in ozone concentrations.
Consider this: a health outcomes focused scenario leads to approximately $900 million in annual monetized health benefits for the City of Los Angeles. This figure skyrocketed to over $4 billion when considering the monetized health benefits of neighboring counties.
In conclusion, the information from the LA100 study is a clear indication of just how crucial solar power and renewable energy are, not just for the environment and our pocketbooks, but also for our health. It’s truly high time that we make a move toward solar companies who can provide us with solar panels for our homes, helping to improve the health outcomes of our communities. And who knows, maybe the next step could be a complete solar array for home usage? After all, every little step can make a big difference!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/02/27/nrel-finds-100-renewable-scenario-improves-la-air-quality-and-health/
