Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Externalities in the Global Energy System

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Energy for Development

Part of the book series: Environment & Policy ((ENPO,volume 54))

Abstract

This chapter addresses externalities in the global energy system and introduces a methodology for assessing environmental impacts and external costs. The health effects due to air pollution and global warming dominate current estimates of external costs. These costs may be substantial and should affect investment decisions, but there are large variations between technologies and locations. Consistent comparisons of technologies must clearly differentiate between past and future technologies. Good technologies, including advanced fossil fuels, have rather low external costs due to air pollution, while climate change contributions may be very high but are subject to very large uncertainties. The external costs of nuclear and renewables are low. The social aspects of energy systems are represented only to a limited extent in current estimates of external and total costs. The inclusion of broader social factors in the multi-­criteria decision analysis framework favours renewables and is a challenge for future nuclear.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Currie, J., & Walker, R. (2009). Traffic congestion and infant health: Evidence from E-Zpass (NBER Working Paper No. 15413). Cambridge: National Bureau of Economic Research. www.nber.org/papers/w15413

  • Desaigues, B., Ami, D., Hutchinson, M., Rabl, A., Chilton, S., et al. (2006). Final report on the monetary evaluation of mortality and morbidity risks from air pollution (Deliverable no. 6.7–RS1b), New Energy Externalities Development for Sustainability (NEEDS) project, Brussels, Belgium. www.needs-project.org

  • DLR, EDF, PSI, IER, POLITO, et al. (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, Electricité de France, Paul Scherrer Institute, Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Use of Energy, Politecnico di Torino et al.). (2009). External costs from emerging electricity generation technologies. Deliverable no. 6.1–RS1a, New Energy Externalities Development for Sustainability (NEEDS) project, Brussels, Belgium. www.needs-project.org/2009

  • European Commission. (1999). ExternE – externalities of energy. Final Report. www.externe.info

  • Faberi, S., Gaggi, S., & Hirschberg, S. (2007). Reporting and evaluation of the survey on the ‘Externality’ concept (Deliverable report RS2b D-12.2), New Energy Externalities Development for Sustainability (NEEDS) project, Brussels, Belgium. www.needs-project.org

  • Friedrich, R. (2007). The externE approach to assess marginal external costs of energy conversion. Presentation at a NEEDS Workshop, Ljubljana, Slovenia. www.needs-project.org/public/Friedrich.ppt.zip

  • Hirschberg, S., & Burgherr, P. (2002). Risks and benefits of climate-friendly energy supply options. Invited paper presented at the sixth international conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management (PSAM6), San Juan, Puerto Rico.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschberg, S., Heck, T., Gantner, U., Lu, Y., Spadaro, J. V., et al. (2003). Environmental impact and external cost assessment. In B. Eliasson & Y. Y. Lee (Eds.), Integrated assessment of sustainable energy systems in china: The China energy technology program (Alliance for global sustainability series, Vol. 4, pp. 445–586). Dordrecht: Kluwer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschberg, S., Bauer, C., Burgherr, P., Cazzoli, E., Dones, R., et al. (2008a). Treatment of risks in sustainability assessment of energy systems. Paper presented at the 9th international conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management (PSAM9), Hong Kong, China.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschberg, S., Bauer, C., Burgherr, P., Dones, R., Schenler, W., et al. (2008b). Sustainability criteria and indicators for assessment of electricity supply options (Deliverable report RS2b D-3.2), New Energy Externalities Developments for Sustainability (NEEDS) project, Brussels, Belgium. www.needs-project.org/2009

  • Holmes, N. S., & Morawska, L. (2006). A review of dispersion modelling and its application to the dispersion of particles: An overview of different dispersion models available. Atmospheric Environment, 40(30), 5902–5928.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). (2000). Special report on emission scenarios (Special report of Working Group III of the IPCC). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamal, H. H., Pillay, M. S., Zailina, H., Shamsul, B. S., Sinha, K., et al. (2004). A study of health impact & risk assessment of urban air pollution in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: UKM Pakarunding Sdn Bhd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karimzadegan, H., Rahmatian, M., Farhud, D. D., & Yunesian, M. (2008). Economic valuation of air pollution health impacts in the Tehran area, Iran. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 37(1), 20–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, J. D., Nethery, E., & Brauer, M. (2008). Within-urban variability in ambient air pollution: Comparison of estimation methods. Atmospheric Environment, 42(6), 1359–1369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, C., & Sinai, T. (2003). Network effects, congestion externalities, and air traffic delays: Or why not all delays are evil. American Economic Review, 93(4), 1194–1215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). (2001). Extended producer responsibility: A guidance manual for governments. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). (2005). Analytical framework for evaluating the costs and benefits of extended producer responsibility programmes. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parry, I. W. H., Walls, M., & Harrington, W. (2007). Automobile externalities and policies. Journal of Economic Literature, 45(2), 373–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, H. W., & Bae, C.-H. C. (Eds.). (2008). Road congestion pricing in Europe: Implications for the United States. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth, S., Hirschberg, S., Bauer, C., Burgherr, P., Dones, R., et al. (2009). Sustainability of electricity supply technology portfolio. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 36, 409–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schenler, W., Hirschberg, S., Burgherr, P., & Makowski, M. (2009). Final report on the sustainability assessment of electricity supply options (Deliverable no. D10.2 – RS2b), New Energy Externalities Development for Sustainability (NEEDS) project, Brussels, Belgium. www.needs-project.org/2009

  • Sen, A. K., Tiwari, G., & Upadhyay, V. (2010). Estimating marginal external costs of transport in Delhi. Transport Policy, 17(1), 27–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein, A. F., Isakov, V., Godowitch, J., & Draxler, R. R. (2007). A hybrid modeling approach to resolve pollutant concentrations in an urban area. Atmospheric Environment, 41(40), 9410–9426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steyn, D. G., & Rao, S. T. (2010). Air pollution modelling and its application XX (NATO science for peace series C: Environmental security). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tol, R. S. J. (2006). The polluter pays principle and cost–benefit analysis of climate change: An application of FUND (Working Paper 2006.88). Milan: Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.

    Google Scholar 

  • UN WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Programme). (2003). Water for people, Water for life (1st UN World Water Development Report). Paris: UNESCO and Oxford: Berghahn Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • UN WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Programme). (2006). Water, a shared responsibility (2nd UN World Water Development Report). Paris: UNESCO and Oxford: Berghahn Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). (2010). Clearing the waters: A focus on water quality solutions. Nairobi: UNEP.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (World Health Organization). (2010). Health and environment in Europe: Progress ­assessment. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232, Villigen PSI, Switzerland

    Stefan Hirschberg

Authors
  1. Stefan Hirschberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Hirschberg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. (IAEA), Department of Nuclear Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramerstrasse 5, Vienna, 1400, Wien, Austria

    Ferenc L. Toth

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 International Atomic Energy Agency 2012

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hirschberg, S. (2012). Externalities in the Global Energy System. In: Toth, F. (eds) Energy for Development. Environment & Policy, vol 54. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4162-1_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation