Evaluating the effectiveness of abatement technologies in reducing air pollution from power plants

Air pollution from coal-based power plants poses significant health and environmental risks. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of abatement technologies, specifically flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wet scrubbers and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, in reducing air pollution from power plants in Israel. We analyzed air quality data from eight monitoring stations near the Hadera Power Plant, comparing pollutant concentrations before (2015) and after (2019) the installation of abatement systems. Hourly averages of nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations were computed and analyzed using Wilcoxon's paired test and linear regression models. Results showed significant decreases in overall pollutant concentrations after the installation of abatement systems. Total average NOx concentrations decreased from 11.68 to 6.88 ppb in summer and from 9.78 to 7.38 ppb in winter. Similar reductions were observed for NO2 and SO2. Monitoring stations data-specific analysis revealed statistically significant decreases in 86.7% of all comparisons. Furthermore, in 21 out of 22 linear regression models, the variable indicating the installation of the abatement systems was negatively associated with the pollutants' concentrations. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of abatement technologies in reducing air pollution from power plants, supporting their implementation as a viable strategy for improving air quality and protecting public health in areas near coal-fired power plants.