LEAST-COST GREENHOUSE PLANNING - SUPPLY CURVES FOR GLOBAL WARMING ABATEMENT

This paper presents a methodology for comparing the cost-effectiveness of different technical options for the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions. The methodology also allows a determination of the extent to which each technology can contribute to abatement by a specified date. The primary focus of the paper concerns carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The analysis concludes that of seventeen different abatement options examined, the nuclear option is the most expensive, except for the marginal CO2 savings achieved from advanced coal technology. A combination of energy efficiency measures and high efficiency gas-fired generation can achieve CO2 savings approaching 285 million tonnes per year by year 2005. This represents a saving of 46.5% over existing emissions from the stationary sector (ie excluding transport). If the analysis is extended to include the effect of methane emissions from fossil fuel cycles, the advantages of energy efficiency and the renewable generating sources is improved.