Are we following the right path?: assessment of the Portuguese thermoelectricity generation on atmospheric emissions

• Autor(a) principal: Meireles, M.
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Soares, I., Afonso, O.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://ciencia.iscte-iul.pt/public/pub/id/6312; http://hdl.handle.net/10071/10338
• topic: Electricity sector; Thermoelectricity generation; Atmospheric emissions

This paper examines the Portuguese electricity-supply-sector evolution within the EU-27 and its impact on atmospheric emissions. Using a dataset of SO2, NOx, CO2 and particulates emissions for Portuguese thermoelectricity plants between 1990 and 2008, the performed panel data model shows emissions to be a positive function of fossil fuel combustible use. Nevertheless, these results denote a more “impressive” correlation per GWh generated than in other EU countries. They also indicate that only SO2 emissions are a negative function of liberalization, which may be explained by the market power of the incumbent that does not feel threatened to adopt environmental improvements.