Renewables from Executive Summary

Power generation from renewables and natural gas continues to increase

In the Reference case, the natural gas share of electric power generation increases from 24 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2035, while the renewables share grows from 10 percent to 15 percent. In contrast, the share of generation from coal-fired power plants declines. The historical reliance on coal-fired power plants in the U.S. electric power sector has begun to wane in recent years.

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Over the next 25 years, the share of electricity generation from coal falls to 38 percent, well below the 48-percent share seen as recently as 2008, due to slow growth in electricity demand, increased competition from natural gas and renewable generation, and the need to comply with new environmental regulations. Although the current trend toward increased use of natural gas and renewables appears fairly robust, there is uncertainty about the factors influencing the fuel mix for electricity generation. AEO2012 includes several cases examining the impacts on coal-fired plant generation and retirements resulting from different paths for electricity demand growth, coal and natural gas prices, and compliance with upcoming environmental rules.

While the Reference case projects 49 gigawatts of coal-fired generation retirements over the 2011 to 2035 period, nearly all of which occurs over the next 10 years, the range for cumulative retirements of coal-fired power plants over the projection period varies considerably across the alternative cases (Figure 5), from a low of 34 gigawatts (11 percent of the coal-fired generator fleet) to a high of 70 gigawatts (22 percent of the fleet). The high end of the range is based on much lower natural gas prices than those assumed in the Reference case; the lower end of the range is based on stronger economic growth, leading to stronger growth in electricity demand and higher natural gas prices. Other alternative cases, with varying assumptions about coal prices and the length of the period over which environmental compliance costs will be recovered, but no assumption of new policies to limit GHG emissions from existing plants, also yield cumulative retirements within a range of 34 to 70 gigawatts. Retirements of coal-fired capacity exceed the high end of the range (70 gigawatts) when a significant GHG policy is assumed (for further description of the cases and results, see "Issues in focus").

Renewables from Market Trends

Wind power leads rise in world renewable generation, solar power also grows rapidly

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Renewable energy is the world's fastest-growing source of marketed energy in the AEO2012 Reference case, increasing by an average of 3.0 percent per year from 2010 to 2035, compared to an average of 1.6 percent per year for total world energy consumption. In many parts of the world, concerns about the security of energy supplies and the environmental consequences of GHG emissions have spurred government policies that support rapid growth in renewable energy installations.

Hydropower is well-established worldwide, accounting for 83 percent of total renewable electricity generation in 2010. Growth in hydroelectric generation accounts for about one-half of the world increase in renewable generation in the Reference case. In Brazil and the developing nations of Asia, significant builds of mid- and large-scale hydropower plants are expected, and the two regions together account for two-thirds of the total world increase in hydroelectric generation from 2010 to 2035.

Solar power is the fastest-growing source of renewable energy in the outlook, with annual growth averaging 11.7 percent. However, because it currently accounts for only 0.4 percent of total renewable generation, solar remains a minor part of the renewable mix even in 2035, when its share reaches 3 percent. Wind generation accounts for the largest increment in nonhydropower renewable generation—60 percent of the total increase, as compared with solar's 12 percent (Figure 70). The rate of wind generation slows markedly after 2020 because most government wind goals are achieved and wind must then compete on the basis of economics with fossil fuels. Wind-powered generating capacity has grown swiftly over the past decade, from 18 gigawatts of installed capacity in 2000 to an estimated 179 gigawatts in 2010.

Renewable energy sources lead rise in primary energy consumption

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With the exception of petroleum and other liquids, which falls through 2032 before increasing slightly in the last 3 years of the projection, consumption of all fuels increases in the AEO2012 Reference case. In addition, coal consumption increases at a relatively weak average rate of less than 0.1 percent per year from 2010 to 2035, remaining below 2010 levels until after 2031. As a result, the aggregate fossil fuel share of total energy use falls from 83 percent in 2010 to 77 percent in 2035, while renewable fuel use grows rapidly (Figure 73). The renewable share of total energy use (including biofuels) increases from 8 percent in 2010 to 14 percent in 2035 in response to the Federal RFS, availability of Federal tax credits for renewable electricity generation and capacity, and State renewable portfolio standard (RPS) programs.

The petroleum and other liquids share of fuel use declines as consumption of other liquids increases. Almost all consumption of liquid biofuels is in the transportation sector. Biofuels, including biodiesel blended into diesel, E85, and ethanol blended into motor gasoline (up to 15 percent), account for 10 percent of all petroleum and other liquids consumption in 2035.

Natural gas consumption grows by about 0.4 percent per year from 2010 to 2035, led by the use of natural gas in electricity generation. Growing production from tight shale keeps natural gas prices below their 2005-2008 levels through 2035. By the end of 2012, a total of 9.3 gigawatts of coal-fired power plant capacity currently under construction is expected to come online, and another 1.7 gigawatts is added after 2017 in the Reference case, including 0.9 gigawatts with carbon sequestration capability. Additional coal is consumed in the coal-toliquids (CTL) process to produce heat and power, including electricity generation at CTL plants.

Sales of alternative fuel, fuel flexible, and hybrid vehicles rise

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LDVs that use diesel, other alternative fuels, hybrid-electric, or all-electric systems play a significant role in meeting more stringent GHG emissions and fuel economy standards, as well as offering fuel savings in the face of higher fuel prices. Sales of such vehicles increase from 14 percent of all new LDV sales in 2010 to 35 percent in 2035 in the AEO2012 Reference case. Sales would be even higher with consideration of the proposed fuel economy standards covering MYs 2017 through 2025 that are not included in the Reference case (see discussion in "Issues in focus").

Flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), which can use blends of ethanol up to 85 percent, represent the largest share of vehicles, at 17 percent of all new vehicle sales. Manufacturers selling FFVs currently receive incentives in the form of fuel economy credits earned for CAFE compliance through MY 2016. FFVs also play a critical role in meeting the RFS for biofuels.

Sales of hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles that use stored electric energy grow considerably in the Reference case (Figure 91). Micro hybrids, which use start/stop technology to manage engine operation while at idle, account for 6 percent of total LDV sales in 2035, which is the largest share for vehicles that use electric storage. Gasoline-electric and diesel-electric hybrid vehicles account for 5 percent of total LDV sales in 2035; and plug-in and all-electric hybrid vehicles account for 3 percent of LDV sales and 9 percent of sales of vehicles using diesel, alternative fuels, hybrid, or all-electric systems.

Sales of diesel vehicles also increase, to 4 percent of total LDV sales in 2035. Light-duty gaseous and fuel cell vehicles account for less than 0.5 percent of new vehicle sales throughout the projection because of the limited availability of a fueling infrastructure and their high incremental cost.

Coal-fired plants continue to be the largest source of U.S. electricity generation

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Coal remains the dominant fuel for electricity generation in the AEO2012 Reference case (Figure 94), but its share declines significantly. In 2010, coal accounted for 45 percent of total U.S. generation; in 2020 and 2035 its projected share of total generation is 39 percent and 38 percent, respectively. Competition from natural gas and renewables is a key factor in the decline. Overall, coal-fired generation in 2035 is 2 percent higher than in 2010 but still 6 percent below the 2007 pre-recession level.

Generation from natural gas grows by 42 percent from 2010 to 2035, and its share of total generation increases from 24 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2035. The relatively low cost of natural gas makes the dispatching of existing natural gas plants more competitive with coal plants and, in combination with relatively low capital costs, makes natural gas the primary choice to fuel new generation capacity.

Generation from renewable sources grows by 77 percent in the Reference case, raising its share of total generation from 10 percent in 2010 to 15 percent in 2035. Most of the growth in renewable electricity generation comes from wind and biomass facilities, which benefit from State RPS requirements, Federal tax credits, and, in the case of biomass, the availability of lowcost feedstocks and the RFS.

Generation from U.S. nuclear power plants increases by 10 percent from 2010 to 2035, but the share of total generation declines from 20 percent in 2010 to 18 percent in 2035. Although new nuclear capacity is added by new reactors and uprates of older ones, total generation grows faster and the nuclear share falls. Nuclear capacity grows from 101 gigawatts in 2010 to 111 gigawatts in 2035, with 7.3 gigawatts of additional uprates and 8.5 gigawatts of new capacity between 2010 and 2035. Some older nuclear capacity is retired, which reduces overall nuclear generation.

Most new capacity additions use natural gas and renewables

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Decisions to add capacity, and the choice of fuel for new capacity, depend on a number of factors [129]. With growing electricity demand and the retirement of 88 gigawatts of existing capacity, 235 gigawatts of new generating capacity (including end-use combined heat and power) are projected to be added between 2011 and 2035 (Figure 95).

Natural-gas-fired plants account for 60 percent of capacity additions between 2011 and 2035 in the Reference case, compared with 29 percent for renewables, 7 percent for coal, and 4 percent for nuclear. Escalating construction costs have the largest impact on capital-intensive technologies, which include nuclear, coal, and renewables. However, Federal tax incentives, State energy programs, and rising prices for fossil fuels increase the competitiveness of renewable and nuclear capacity. Current Federal and State environmental regulations also affect fossil fuel use, particularly coal. Uncertainty about future limits on GHG emissions and other possible environmental programs also reduces the competitiveness of coal-fired plants (reflected in AEO2012 by adding 3 percentage points to the cost of capital for new coal-fired capacity).

Uncertainty about demand growth and fuel prices also affects capacity planning. Total capacity additions from 2011 to 2035 range from 166 gigawatts in the Low Economic Growth case to 305 gigawatts in the High Economic Growth case. In the AE02012 Low Tight Oil and Shale Gas Resource case, natural gas prices are higher than in the Reference case and new natural gas fired capacity from 2011 to 2035 accounts for 102 gigawatts, which represents 47 percent of total additions. In the High Tight Oil and Shale Gas Resource case, delivered natural gas prices are lower than in the Reference case and natural gasfired capacity additions by 2035 are 155 gigawatts, or 66 percent of total new capacity.

Wind dominates renewable capacity growth, but solar and biomass gain market share

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From 2010 to 2035, total nonhydropower renewable generating capacity more than doubles in the AEO2012 Reference case (Figure 100). Wind accounts for the largest share of that new capacity, increasing from 39 gigawatts in 2010 to 70 gigawatts in 2035. Both solar capacity and biomass capacity grow at faster rates than wind capacity, but they start from smaller levels.

Excluding new projects already under construction, PV accounts for nearly all solar capacity additions both in the end-use sectors (where 11 gigawatts of PV capacity is added from 2010 to 2035) and in the electric power sector (8 gigawatts added from 2010 to 2035). While end-use solar capacity grows throughout the projection, the growth of solar capacity in the electric power sector is concentrated primarily in the last decade of the projection period (2025-2035) when the technology becomes more cost-competitive. Geothermal capacity nearly triples over the projection period, but in 2035 it still accounts for only about 5 percent of total nonhydropower renewable generating capacity.

Renewable capacity additions are supported by State RPS programs, the Federal RFS, and Federal tax credits. Total renewable capacity—particularly, wind and solar—grows rapidly in the near term in the AEO2012 Reference case. There is, however, relatively little projected need for new generation capacity of any type, including renewables, for the remainder of the current decade, primarily because there is an abundance of existing natural gas fired capacity that can be operated at higher capacity factors. After 2020 there is a need for new generation capacity in the Reference case, resulting in a resurgence in renewable capacity growth.

Nonhydropower renewable generation surpasses hydropower by 2020

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In the AEO2012 Reference case, nonhydropower renewable generation grows at an average annual rate of 3.9 percent, nearly tripling from 2010 to 2035. Generation from nonhydropower renewable sources has been small historically in comparison with hydroelectric generation; however, nonhydropower renewable generation surpasses hydroelectric generation in 2020 in the Reference case (Figure 101).

The share of the total electricity generation accounted for by nonhydropower renewable generation increases from about 4 percent in 2010 to 9 percent in 2035. Although wind remains the largest source of nonhydropower renewable generation through 2035, both solar and biomass generation grow at faster annual rates. Solar generation increases by an average of nearly 10 percent per year, and biomass generation increases by 6 percent per year.

Both solar and wind energy are intermittent resources, and as a result their contributions to the generation mix are less than their contribution to the capacity mix. Biomass-fired generation, on the other hand, is dispatchable and grows to levels approaching wind generation by the end of the projection, at 145 billion kilowatthours in 2035, as compared with 194 billion kilowatthours for wind-powered generation. Most of the growth in biomass generation comes from CHP units used in the production of biomass-based liquid fuels, primarily in response to the Federal RFS. Biomass co-firing and end-use generation play an important role in satisfying State RPS mandates, particularly from 2010 to 2020, when overall capacity growth is modest.

State renewable portfolio standards increase renewable electricity generation

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Regional growth in renewable electricity generation is based largely on two factors: availability of renewable energy resources and the existence of State RPS programs that require the use of renewable generation. After a period of robust RPS enactments in several States, the past few years have been relatively quiet in terms of State program expansions, primarily due to the subdued economic climate.

The highest level of nonhydroelectric renewable generation in 2035, 93.9 billion kilowatthours, occurs in the WECC California (CAMX) region (Figure 102), whose area approximates the California State boundaries. (For a map of the electricity regions presented, see Appendix F.) The three largest contributors to the total are wind, solar, and geothermal generation. The region encompassing the Pacific Northwest has more overall renewable generation, the vast majority of which comes from hydroelectric sources.

Although the Western and Southwestern States have the most projected solar installations, State RPS programs heavily influence the growth of solar capacity in the eastern States, where both the Reliability First Corporation/East (RFCE) and the Reliability First Corporation/West (RFCW) regions have large amounts of end-use solar generation, with 1.7 billion kilowatthours and 1.9 billion kilowatthours, respectively. The two regions are not known for a strong solar resource base, and the installations are in response to the ITC as well as solar requirements embedded in State RPS programs. Most biomass capacity— confined largely to the end-use sectors—is built at the sites of cellulosic ethanol plants, many of which are in the Southeast.

Transportation uses lead growth in consumption of petroleum and other liquids

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In 2010, the United States imported 11 percent of its total natural gas supply. In the AEO2012 Reference case, U.S. natural gas production grows faster than consumption, so that early in the next decade exports exceed imports. In 2035, U.S. net natural gas exports are about 1.4 trillion cubic feet (about 4 billion cubic feet per day), half of which is exported overseas as liquefied natural gas (LNG). The other half is transported by pipelines, primarily to Mexico.

U.S. LNG exports supplied from lower 48 natural gas production are assumed to start when LNG export capacity of 1.1 billion cubic feet per day goes into operation in 2016. An additional 1.1 billion cubic feet per day of capacity is expected to come on line in 2019. At full capacity, the facilities could ship 0.8 trillion cubic feet of LNG to overseas consumers per year. Net U.S. LNG exports are somewhat lower than those figures imply, however, because LNG imports to the New England region are projected to continue. In general, future U.S. exports of LNG depend on a number of factors that are difficult to anticipate and thus are highly uncertain.

Net natural gas imports from Canada decline over the next decade in the Reference case and then stabilize at about 1.1 trillion cubic feet per year (Figure 109), when natural gas prices in the U.S. lower 48 States become high enough to motivate Canadian producers to expand their production of shale gas and tight gas. In Mexico, natural gas consumption shows robust growth through 2035, while Mexico's production grows at a slower rate. As a result, increasing volumes of imported natural gas from the United States fill the growing gap between Mexico's production and consumption.

Biofuels and natural gas liquids lead growth in total petroleum and other liquids supply

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In the AEO2012 Reference case, domestic production of petroleum and other liquids grows by 3.1 million barrels per day from 2010 to 2035 (Figure 111). Total production grows rapidly, from 9.7 million barrels per day in 2010 to 12.1 million barrels per day in 2020, as production of crude oil and NGL from tight oil formations (including shale plays) increases sharply. After 2020, total U.S. production of petroleum and other liquids grows more slowly, to 12.7 million barrels per day in 2035, as tight oil production levels off despite continued increases in crude oil prices. As production of other liquid fuels increases, the crude oil share of total domestic petroleum and other liquids production declines from 56 percent in 2010 to 47 percent in 2035. NGL production increases by more than 0.9 million barrels per day, to 3.0 million barrels per day in 2035, mainly as a result of strong growth in production of both tight oil and shale gas, which contain significant volumes of NGLs.

Biofuels production grows by 0.8 million barrels per day from 2010 to 2035 as a result of the EISA2007 RFS, with ethanol and biodiesel accounting for 0.7 and 0.1 million barrels per day, respectively, of the increase in the Reference case. The increase in domestic ethanol production reduces consumption of petroleum- based motor gasoline components by about 6 percent in 2035 on an energy-equivalent basis. In the early years of the projection, ethanol is used primarily for blending in E10 (motor gasoline blends containing up to 10 percent ethanol) and E15 (15 percent ethanol). In 2035, 37 percent of domestic ethanol production is used in E85 (85 percent ethanol) and 63 percent in E10 and E15 blends. In addition, growth in next-generation "xTL" production, which includes both biomass-to-liquids and CTL, contributes significantly to the growth in total U.S. petroleum and other liquids production, particularly after 2020, adding about 0.6 and 0.3 million barrels per day of production, respectively, from 2010 to 2035.

U.S. Consumption of cellulosic biofuels exceeds renewable fuels standard in 2035

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Although biofuel production increases substantially in the AEO2012 Reference case, it does not meet the mandated RFS of 36 billion gallons in 2022 (Figure 115). Financial and technological hurdles delay the start of many advanced biofuel projects, particularly cellulosic biofuel projects. Three consecutive years of substantial reductions in the cellulosic biofuels mandate [133, 134, 135] have significantly reduced the possibility that the original RFS levels mandated in EISA2007 will be reached by 2022.

Between 2012 and 2022, it is expected that the EPA will evaluate the status of biofuel capacity annually and revise the production mandates for the following year, according to provisions in the RFS [136]. In 2011, after the EPA reduced the cellulosic biofuel mandate for both 2010 and 2011 from 100 million and 250 million gallons, respectively, to approximately 6 million gallons in both years, it also reduced the 2012 mandate from 500 million gallons to about 8 million gallons. Taking into account those modifications and anticipated future changes, only 22.1 billion of RFS credits are generated in 2022 in the Reference case, with 15 billion gallons of credits coming from domestic production of corn-based ethanol.

In the Reference case, the remainder of the biofuel supply consists of imported ethanol, biodiesel, cellulosic ethanol, and smaller volumes of next-generation biofuels. U.S. consumption of cellulosic ethanol grows from 0.6 billion gallons in 2022 to 7.2 billion gallons in 2035, when imports of ethanol and biodiesel total 2.2 billion gallons and 0.2 billion gallons, respectively.

Infrastructure hurdles limit near-term growth in consumption of E15 and E85 fuels

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A number of factors have recently limited the amount of ethanol that can be consumed domestically. Currently, given the limited availability of E85, the primary use of ethanol is as a blendstock for gasoline. With rapid growth in ethanol capacity and production in recent years, ethanol consumption in 2010 approached the legal gasoline blending limit of 10 percent (E10). As of January 2011, the EPA increased the blending limit to 15 percent for vehicles built in 2001 and later [137]. Once the final requirements are put in place, blenders will no longer be prohibited from blending beyond 10 percent for the general stock; however, a number of issues are expected to limit the rate at which terminals and retail outlets choose to take advantage of the option.

Liability from potential misfueling and infrastructure problems is one of the top concerns expected to slow the widespread adoption of E15. Retailers are hesitant to sell E15, even with the EPA's warning label, if they are not relieved of responsibility for damage to consumers' vehicles that may result from misfueling with the higher ethanol blend or from malfunctions of storage equipment or infrastructure. Consumer acceptance of the new fuel blend will also play a part, and warning labels may deter customers from risking potential damage from the use of E15, which potentially could void vehicle warranties.

In light of those potential issues, ethanol blending in gasoline increases slowly in the Reference case, from 13.2 billion gallons in 2010 (about 9 percent of the gasoline pool) to 15.0 billion gallons in 2020 (about 11 percent) and 15.8 billion gallons in 2035 (12.5 percent). Given the blending limitations, the remaining growth in ethanol use is in E85, which grows from about 0.6 billion gallons in 2018 to 9.5 billion gallons in 2035 (Figure 116).

Shifts in fuel consumption guide future investment decisions for refiners

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Tighter vehicle efficiency standards for LDVs require new LDVs to average 35 mpg by 2020, and newly issued regulations require increased use of ethanol. The Reference case does not include the proposed fuel economy standards covering MYs 2017 through 2025 that would raise vehicle efficiency standards even higher. Demand for motor gasoline declines in the Reference case. In combination with a tighter market for diesel fuel, the decrease in gasoline consumption leads to a shift in refinery outputs and investments. As some smaller and less integrated refineries begin to idle capacity as a result of higher costs, new refinery projects are focused on shifting production from gasoline to distillate fuels. The restructuring results in a net reduction in refinery capacity of 2.4 million barrels per day over the projection period.

In the Reference case, new capacity that was planned before the economic downturn of 2008-2009 comes on line early in the projection period, adding approximately 400,000 barrels per day of new refining distillation capacity from 2010 to 2015. As a result of refinery economics and concerns about the potential for enactment of legislation that could constrain carbon emissions, raise refiners' costs, and limit the growth in demand for petroleum and other liquids, no additional refinery capacity is built after 2015 until around 2030. Total refining capacity in the United States declines gradually after 2015 as additional capacity is idled.

Motor gasoline consumption and diesel fuel consumption (either including or excluding biofuels) trend in opposite directions in the Reference case (Figure 117). Consumption of diesel fuel increases by approximately 0.8 million barrels per day from 2010 to 2035, while motor gasoline consumption falls by 0.9 million barrels per day.

Renewables from Issues in Focus

8. Changing environment for fuel use in electricity generation

Introduction

The AEO2012 Reference case shows considerable change in the mix of generating technologies over the next 25 years. Coal remains the dominant source of electricity generation in the Reference case, with a 38-percent share of total generation in 2035, but that is down from shares of 45 percent in 2010 and nearly 50 percent in 2005. The decrease in coal's share of total generation is offset primarily by increases in the shares of natural gas and renewables. Key factors contributing to the shift away from coal are sustained low natural gas prices, higher coal prices, slow growth in electricity demand, and the implementation of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) [69] and Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) [70]. These factors influence how existing plants are used, which plants are retired, and what types of new plants are built.

Fuel prices and dispatch of power plants

The price of fuel is a major component of a power plant's variable operating costs [71]. The fuel-related variable cost of generating electricity is a function of the fuel price and the efficiency of the plant's conversion of the fuel into electricity, also referred to as the heat rate. Although natural gas prices declined dramatically in the second half of 2011 and the first half of 2012, coal-fired power plants have generally had the advantage of lower fuel prices and the disadvantage of higher heat rates in comparison to combined-cycle plants fueled by natural gas.

Power plants are dispatched primarily on the basis of their variable costs of operation. Plants with the lowest operating costs generally operate continuously. Plants with higher variable costs are brought on line sequentially as demand for generation increases. Because fuel prices influence variable costs, changes in fuel prices can affect the choice of plants dispatched. For instance, if the price of natural gas decreases, the variable costs for combined-cycle plants may fall below those for competing coal-fired plants, and, as a result, the combined-cycle plant may be dispatched before the coal-fired plant. Coal and natural gas plants can vary their outputs on the basis of fuel prices, but there are some cases in which plants may cycle off completely until they can be operated economically. In order to examine the overall impacts of changes in projected fuel price trends on the electric power sector, AEO2012 includes alternative cases that assume higher and lower prices for natural gas and coal.

Demand for electricity

Electricity demand determines how much generating capacity is needed. When demand increases, plants with higher operating costs are brought into service, increasing average operating costs and, as a result, average electricity prices. Higher prices, in turn, provide economic incentives for the construction of new capacity. Conversely, when demand declines, plants with higher operating costs are taken off line or run at lower intensities, and the economic incentives for new plant construction are reduced. If a plant is not profitable, the owner may decide to retire it.

Mercury and Air Toxics Standards and Cross-State Air Pollution Rule

Both MATS and CSAPR are included in the AEO2012 Reference case [72]. Both rules have significant implications for the U.S. generating fleet, especially coal-fired power plants. MATS requires all U.S. coal- and oil-fired power plants with capacities greater than 25 megawatts to meet emission limits consistent with the average performance of the top 12 percent of existing units—known as the maximum achievable control technology. MATS applies to three pollutants: mercury, hydrogen chloride (HCl), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). HCl and PM2.5 are intended to serve as surrogate pollutants for acid gases and nonmercury metals, respectively. CSAPR is a cap-and-trade program that sets caps on sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions from all fossil-fueled plants greater than 25 megawatts in 28 States in most of the eastern half of the United States. CSAPR is scheduled to begin in 2012, although implementation was delayed by a court-issued stay at the time this article was completed [73]. See also "Cross-State Air Pollution Rule" in the "Legislation and regulations" section of this report.

Although the two rules differ in their makeup and the pollutants covered, the technologies that can be used to meet their requirements are not mutually exclusive. For instance, in order to meet the MATS acid gas standard, it is assumed that coal-fired plants without appropriate existing controls will need to install either flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) or dry sorbent injection (DSI) systems, which also reduce SO₂ emissions. Therefore, by complying with the MATS standards for acid gases, plants will lower overall SO₂ emissions, facilitating compliance with CSAPR.

AEO2012 assumes that all coal-fired power plants will be required to reduce mercury emissions to 90 percent below their precontrol levels in order to comply with MATS. The AEO2012 NEMS explicitly models mercury emissions from power plants. Reductions in mercury emissions can be achieved with a combination of FGDs and selective catalytic reduction, which is primarily used to reduce SO₂ and NO_x emissions, or by installing activated carbon injection (ACI) systems. FGD systems may be effective in reducing mercury emissions from bituminous coal (due to its chemical makeup), but ACI systems may be necessary to remove mercury emissions from plants burning subbituminous and lignite coal.

NEMS does not explicitly model emissions of acid gases or toxic metals other than mercury. In order to represent the MATS limits for those emissions, AEO2012 assumes that plants must install either FGD or DSI systems to meet the acid gas standard and, in the absence of a scrubber, a full fabric filter to meet the MATS standard for nonmercury metals. AEO2012 assumes that the appropriate control technologies will be installed by 2015 in order to meet the MATS requirements.

DSI and wet and dry FGD systems are technologies that will allow plants to meet the MATS standards for acid gases. As of 2010, 43 percent of U.S. generating capacity already had FGDs installed [74]. For a number of the remaining, uncontrolled plants, operators will need to assess the effectiveness of installing FGD or DSI systems to comply with MATS. There are economic and engineering tradeoffs between the two technologies. FGD systems require significant upfront investment but have relatively low operating costs. DSI systems generally do not require significant capital expenses but may use significant quantities of sorbent to operate effectively, which increases their operating costs. Waste disposal for DSI also may be a significant variable cost, whereas the waste products from FGD systems can be sold as feedstock for industrial processes.

The EPA set an April 2015 compliance deadline for MATS, but the rule allows State environmental permitting agencies to extend the deadline by a year. Beyond 2016, the EPA stated that it will handle noncompliant units that need to operate for reliability purposes on a case-by-case basis [75]. AEO2012 assumes that all plants will comply with MATS by the beginning of 2015.

Economics of plant retirements

The decision to retire a power plant is an economic one. Plant owners must determine whether a plant's future operations will be profitable. Environmental regulations, low natural gas prices, higher coal prices, and future demand for electricity all are key factors in the decision. Coal plants without FGD systems and with high heat rates, high delivered coal costs, and strong competition from neighboring natural gas plants in regions with slow growth in electricity demand may be especially prone to retirement.

Greenhouse gas policy in AEO2012

Uncertainty about possible future regulation of GHG emissions will continue to influence investment decisions in the power sector. Despite a lack of Congressional action, many utilities include simulations with a future CO₂ emissions price when evaluating long-term investment decisions. A carbon price would increase the cost of generation for all fossil fuel plants, but the largest impact would be on coal-fired plants. Thus, plant owners could be reluctant to retrofit existing coal plants to control for non-GHG pollutants, given the possibility that GHG regulations might be enacted in the near future. This uncertainty may influence the assumptions plant owners make about the economic lives of particular facilities.

In the Reference case, the costs of environmental retrofits are assumed to be recovered over a 20-year period. Two alternative cases assume that the costs would be recovered over 5 years, reflecting concern that future laws or regulations aimed at limiting GHG emissions will have significant negative effects on the economics of investing in existing coal plants.

AEO2012 also includes two alternative cases that assume enactment of an explicit GHG control policy. In each case, a CO₂ price is applied across all sectors starting in 2013 and increased at a 5-percent annual real rate through 2035. The price starts at $25 per metric ton in the GHG25 case and $15 per metric ton in the GHG15 case. The CO₂ price is applied across sectors and has a significant impact on the cost of generating electricity from fossil fuels, particularly coal.

Alternative cases

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In order to illustrate the impacts of the various influences on the electric power sector, AEO2012 includes several alternative cases that include varying assumptions about fuel prices, electricity demand, and the cost recovery period for environmental control equipment investments:

• The Reference 05 case assumes that the cost recovery period for investments in new environmental controls is reduced from 20 years to 5 years.
• The Low Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR) case assumes that the EUR per tight oil or shale gas well is 50 percent lower than in the Reference case, increasing the per-unit cost of developing the resource and, ultimately, the price of natural gas used at power plants (Figure 45).
• The High EUR case assumes that the EUR per tight oil or shale gas well is 50 percent higher than in the Reference case, decreasing the per-unit cost of developing the resource and the price of natural gas for power plants.
• The Low Gas Price 05 case combines the more optimistic assumptions about future volumes of shale gas production from the High EUR case with a 5-year recovery period for investments in new environmental controls.
• The High Coal Cost case assumes lower mining productivity and higher costs for labor, mine equipment, and coal transportation, which ultimately result in higher coal prices for electric power plants.
• The Low Coal Cost case assumes higher mining productivity and lower costs for labor, mine equipment, and coal transportation, which ultimately result in lower coal prices for electric power plants.
• The Low Economic Growth case assumes lower growth rates for population and labor productivity, higher interest rates, and lower growth in industrial output, which ultimately reduce demand for electricity (Figure 46), which is reflected in electricity sales, relative to the Reference case.


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• The High Economic Growth case assumes higher growth rates for population and labor productivity. With higher productivity gains and employment growth, inflation and interest rates are lower than in the Reference case, and, consequently, economic output grows at a higher rate, ultimately increasing demand for electricity, which is reflected in electricity sales, relative to the Reference case.
• In the GHG15 case, the CO₂ price is set at $15 per metric ton in 2013 and increases at a real annual rate of 5 percent per year over the projection period. Price is set to target the same reduction in CO2 emissions as in the AEO2011 GHG Price Economywide case.
• In the GHG25 case, the CO₂ price is set at $25 per metric ton in 2013 and increases at a real annual rate of 5 percent per year over the projection period. Price is set to target the same dollar amount as in the AEO2011 GHG Price Economywide case.

Analysis results

Coal-fired plant retirements

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Significant amounts of coal-fired generating capacity are retired in all the alternative cases considered (Figure 47). (For a map of the electricity regions projected, see Appendix F.) In the Reference 05 case, 63 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity is retired through 2035, 28 percent higher than in the Reference case. In the High EUR case, 55 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity is retired, as lower wholesale electricity prices and competition from natural gas combined-cycle units makes the operation of some coal plants uneconomical. In the Low Economic Growth case, 69 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity is retired, because lower demand for electricity reduces the need for new capacity and makes investments in older plants unattractive.

The High Economic Growth case results in fewer retirements, as existing coal-fired capacity is needed to meet growing electricity demand, and higher economic growth pushes up natural gas prices. In the Low Coal Cost case, the lower relative coal prices increase the profit margins for coal-fired power plants, making it more likely that investments in retrofit equipment will be recouped over the life of the plants.

Coal-fired capacity retirements are concentrated in two North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) regions: the SERC Reliability Corporation (SERC) region, which covers the Southeast region, and the Reliability First Corporation (RFC), which includes most of the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley region [76]. Many coal-fired plants in those regions are sensitive to the factors that influence retirement decisions, as discussed above. In the SERC and RFC regions, which in 2010 accounted for 65 percent of U.S. coal-fired generating capacity, 43 percent of the coal-fired plants do not have FGD units installed. Coal plants in the RFC and SERC regions are fueled primarily by bituminous coal, generally the coal with the highest cost. Projected demand for electricity in the early years of the Reference case is low nationwide and, especially, in the RFC region, where demand in 2015 is slightly lower than in 2010. In both the GHG15 and GHG25 cases, even larger amounts of coal-fired capacity are retired by 2035 than in the non-GHG policy cases.

Generation by fuel

Coal

In all cases, generation from coal is lower in 2020 than in 2010. Higher coal prices, relatively low natural gas prices, retirements of coal-fired capacity, and slow growth in electricity demand are responsible for the decrease. Generation from coal is lower than in the Reference case in the Reference 05, High EUR, Low Gas Price 05, High Coal Cost, and Low Economic Growth cases as a result of additional retirements of coal-fired capacity, lower natural gas prices, higher coal prices, or lower electricity demand. In cases where the opposite assumptions are incorporated, coal-fired generation is higher.

Generation from coal begins to recover after 2020, as electricity demand and natural gas prices start to rise. The strongest increases in coal-fired electricity generation occur in the Low EUR, Low Coal Cost, and High Economic Growth cases. When lower natural gas prices, lower economic growth, and/or higher coal prices are assumed, coal-fired generation still increases after 2020 but at a slower rate. In all cases, utilization of existing coal-fired power plants increases, because there is no significant growth in new coal-fired capacity. In the most optimistic case, the High Economic Growth case, only 3.3 gigawatts of new coal-fired capacity is added from 2017 to 2035 [77].

Despite a declining share of the generation mix, coal still has the highest share of total electricity generation in 2035 in all non-GHG or High TRR cases. However, it never again reaches the 2010 share of 45 percent, even in the Low EUR case (where it reaches 40 percent in 2035). Conversely, the coal share of total generation in 2035 is 34 percent in the Low Gas Price 05 case. The lower coal share is offset by increased generation from natural gas, which grows significantly in all the cases. The natural gas share of total generation almost equals that of coal in the Low Gas Price 05 case. In the GHG15 and GHG25 cases, coal-fired generation drops to 16 percent and 4 percent, respectively, of the total generation mix in 2035, and in both cases generation from coal declines significantly as the explicit price on CO₂ emissions increases costs. In the GHG15 and GHG25 cases, decreases in coal-fired generation are offset by a mix of natural gas, nuclear, and renewable generation.

Natural gas

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In the AEO2012 Reference case, electricity generation from natural gas in 2020 is 13 percent above the 2010 level, despite an increase of only 5 percent in overall electricity generation. Low natural gas prices result in greater utilization of existing combinedcycle plants as well as the addition of 16 gigawatts of natural gas combined-cycle capacity from 2010 to 2020. The same trends are amplifed in cases with lower natural gas prices and more coal-fired capacity retirements and muted in cases with higher natural gas prices and fewer coal-fired capacity retirements. Generation from combustion turbines does not change significantly across the cases, demonstrating that changes in the relative economics of coal and natural gas affect primarily the dispatch of combined-cycle plants to meet base and intermediate load requirements, not combustion turbines to meet peak load requirements.

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In the Reference case, 58 gigawatts of natural gas combinedcycle capacity is added from 2020 to 2035, causing an increase in generation from natural gas during the period (Figures 48 and 49). In the Low EUR and Low Coal Cost cases, growth in natural gas combined-cycle capacity is slower. Although generation from natural gas increases overall with the addition of new capacity, utilization of existing combined cycle plants drops slightly as higher natural gas prices reduce the frequency at which combined-cycle plants are dispatched.

In the GHG15 and GHG25 cases, electricity generation from natural gas exceeds generation from coal in 2020. Natural gas has one-half the CO₂ emissions of coal, and at relatively low CO₂ prices, natural gas generation is seen as an attractive alternative to coal. However, as CO₂ prices rise over the projection period, the increasing cost of generating electricity with natural gas causes the growth in natural gas generation to slow. In the GHG25 case, natural gas combined-cycle plants with CCS play a role in CO₂ mitigation, with 34 gigawatts of natural gas combined-cycle capacity added between 2022 and 2035.

Nuclear

Generation from nuclear power plants does not change significantly from Reference case levels in any of the non-GHG cases, due to the high cost of new nuclear plant construction relative to natural gas and renewables. In the GHG15 and GHG25 cases, nuclear power plants become more competitive with fossil plants, because they do not emit CO₂ and are needed to replace coal-fired capacity that is retired due to the cost of CO₂ emissions. In the GHG15 and GHG25 cases, generation from nuclear power is 57 percent and 121 percent higher, respectively, in 2035 than in 2010.

Renewables

Generation from renewable energy sources grows by 77 percent from 2010 to 2035 in the Reference case. Most of the growth in renewable electricity generation is a result of State RPS requirements, Federal tax credits, and—in the case of biomass—the availability of low-cost feedstocks. The change in renewable generation over the 2010-2035 period varies from a 102-percent increase in the High Economic Growth case to a 62-percent increase in the Low Economic Growth case. The largest growth in renewable generation is projected in the GHG15 and GHG25 cases, where renewable generation increases by about 150 percent from 2010 and 2035 in both cases. A price on CO₂ emissions makes generation from renewables more competitive with fossil plants without CCS.

Installations of retrofit equipment

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As discussed above, it is assumed that all coal-fired plants must have either FGD or DSI systems installed by 2015 to comply with environmental regulations. Because retirement is the only other option, cases with more retirements have fewer retrofits and vice versa (Figure 50). In the Reference 05 and Low Gas Price 05 cases, the relative cost of FGD units is higher because of the short payback period, making DSI a relatively more attractive option.

Emissions

SO₂ emissions are significantly below 2010 levels in 2015 in all cases, as a result of coal-fired capacity retirements and the installation of pollution control equipment to comply with MATS. AEO2012 assumes that a DSI system, combined with a fabric filter, will remove 70 percent of a coal plant's SO₂ emissions, and an FGD unit 95 percent. As a result of the requirement for FGD or DSI systems, all coal plants larger than 25 megawatts that did not have FGD units installed in 2010 significantly reduce their SO₂ emissions after 2015 by installing control equipment. In all cases, coal-fired generation is down overall, which also contributes to the decline in emissions. SO₂ emissions increase after 2020 in all non-GHG cases, as coal-fired generation increases with rising natural gas prices. Because DSI and FGD retrofits do not remove all the SO₂ from coal-fired power plant emissions, increases in coal-fired generation result in higher SO₂ emissions, although they are still much lower than comparable 2010 levels. Also, the level of SO₂ reduction is proportional to the amount of coal-fired generation, and therefore the cases with the highest projected levels of coal-fired generation also project the highest levels of SO₂ emissions.

The projections for mercury emissions are similar. After a sharp drop in 2015, mercury emissions begin to rise slowly as coal-fired generation increases in all non-GHG cases. However, mercury emissions in 2035 still are significantly below 2010 levels, as the requirement for a 90-percent reduction in uncontrolled emissions of mercury remains binding throughout the projection.

NO_x emissions are not directly affected by MATS, but both annual and seasonal cap-and-trade programs are included in CSAPR. Emissions reductions relative to 2010 levels are small throughout the projection period in most cases, mainly because compliance with CSAPR NO_x regulations is required in only 26 States, and 2010 emissions levels already were close to the cap.

CO₂ emissions from the electric power sector fall slightly in cases that project declines in coal use, but the largest reductions occur in the GHG15 and GHG25 cases. In the GHG15 case, CO₂ emissions from the electric power sector are 46 percent below 2010 levels in 2035, and in the GHG25 case they are 76 percent below 2010 levels.

Electricity prices

Real electricity prices in 2035 are 3 percent above the 2010 level in the Reference case. The increase is relatively modest because natural gas prices increase slowly, and several alternatives for complying with the environmental regulations are available. When lower natural gas prices are assumed, real electricity prices decline relative to the Reference case. Both the GHG15 and GHG25 cases assume that costs for CO₂ emission allowances are passed through directly to customers. Therefore, average electricity prices in the GHG15 and GHG25 cases in 2035 are 25 percent and 33 percent higher, respectively, than in the Reference case. The GHG15 and GHG25 cases do not include any of the rebates to electricity consumers included in some other GHG policy proposals, which would reduce the impact on electricity prices.

9. Nuclear power in AEO2012

In the AEO2012 Reference case, electricity generation from nuclear power in 2035 is 10 percent above the 2010 total. The nuclear share of overall generation, however, declines from 20 percent in 2010 to 18 percent in 2035, reflecting increased shares for natural gas and renewables.

In the Reference case, 15.8 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity is added from 2010 through 2035, including both new builds (a total of 8.5 gigawatts) and power uprates at operating nuclear power plants (7.3 gigawatts). A total of 6.1 gigawatts of nuclear capacity is retired in the Reference case, with most of the retirements coming after 2030. However, given the current uncertainty about likely lifetimes of nuclear plants now in operation and the potential for new builds, AEO2012 includes several alternative cases to examine the impacts of different assumptions about future nuclear power plant uprates and operating lifetimes.

Uprates

Power plant uprates involve projects that are intended to increase the licensed capacity of existing nuclear power plants and permit those plants to generate more electricity. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) must approve all uprate projects before they are undertaken and verify that the reactors will be able to operate safely at higher levels of output. Power plant uprates can increase plant capacity by 1 to 20 percent, depending on the size and type of the uprate project. Capital expenditures may be small (e.g., installing a more accurate sensor) or significant (e.g., replacing key plant components, such as turbines).

In developing projections for nuclear power, EIA relies on both reported data and estimates. Reported data come from Form EIA-860 [78], which requires all nuclear power plant owners to report any plans for building new plants or making major modifications to existing plants (such as uprates) over the next 10 years. In 2010, operators reported that they intended to complete uprate projects sometime during the next 10 years, which together would add a total of 0.8 gigawatts of new capacity. In addition to the reported plans for capacity uprates, EIA assumed that additional power uprates over the period from 2011 to 2035 would add another 6.5 gigawatts of capacity, based on interactions with EIA stakeholders with significant experience in implementing power plant uprates.

New builds

Building a new nuclear power plant is a tremendously complex project that can take many years to complete. Specialized highwage workers, expensive materials and components, and engineering and construction expertise are required, and only a select group of firms worldwide can provide them. In the current economic environment of low natural gas prices and flat demand for electricity, the overall market conditions for new nuclear power plants are challenging.

Nuclear power plants are among the most expensive options for new generating capacity available today [79]. In the AEO2012 Reference case, the overnight capital costs associated with building a nuclear power plant planned in 2012 are assumed to be $5,335 per kilowatt of capacity, which translates to $11.7 billion for a dual-unit 2,200-megawatt power plant. The overnight costs do not include additional costs such as financing, interest carried forward, and peripheral infrastructure updates [80]. Despite the cost, however, deployment of new nuclear capacity supports the long-term resource plans of many utilities, by allowing fuel diversification and providing a hedge in the future against potential GHG emissions regulations or natural gas prices that are higher than expected.

Incentive programs exist to encourage the construction of new reactors in the United States. At the Federal level, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT05) established a loan guarantee program for new nuclear plants completed and in operation by 2020 [81]. A total of $18.5 billion is available, of which $8.3 billion has been conditionally committed to the construction of Southern Company's Vogtle Units 3 and 4 [82]. EPACT05 also provides a PTC of $18 per megawatthour for electricity produced during the first 8 years of operation for a new nuclear plant [83]. New nuclear plants must be operational by 2021 to be eligible for the PTC, and the credit is limited to the first 6 gigawatts of new nuclear plant capacity. In addition to Federal incentives, several States provide favorable regulatory environments for new nuclear plants by allowing plant owners to recover their investments through retail electricity rates.

Several utilities are moving forward with plans to deploy new nuclear power plants in the United States. The Reference case reflects those plans by including 6.8 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity over the projection period. As reported on Form EIA-860, 5.5 gigawatts of new capacity (Vogtle Units 3 and 4, Summer Units 2 and 3, and Watts Bar Unit 2) are expected to be operational by 2020 [84]. The Reference case also includes 1.3 gigawatts associated with the construction of Bellefonte Unit 1, which the Tennessee Valley Authority reflects in its Integrated Resource Plan [85].

In addition to reported plans for new nuclear power plants, 1.8 gigawatts of unplanned capacity is built in the later years of the Reference case. Higher natural gas prices, recovering demand for electricity, and the need to make up for the loss of a limited amount of nuclear capacity all play a role in the additional builds.

Long-term operation of the existing nuclear power fleet

The NRC has the authority to issue initial operating licenses for commercial nuclear power plants for a period of 40 years. As of December 31, 2011, there were 7 reactors that received their initial full power operating licenses over 40 years ago. Among this set of reactors, Oyster Creek Unit 1 was the first reactor to operate for over 40 years, after receiving its initial full power operating license in August 1969. Oyster Creek Unit 1 was followed by Dresden Units 2 and 3, H.B. Robinson Unit 2, Monticello, Point Beach 1, and R.E. Ginna. The decision to apply for an operating license renewal is made by nuclear power plant owners, typically based on economics and the ability to meet NRC requirements. As of January 2012, the NRC had granted license renewals to 71 of the 104 operating reactors in the United States, allowing them to operate for a total of 60 years [86]. Currently, the NRC is reviewing license renewal applications for 15 reactors and expects to receive applications from another 14 reactors between 2012 and 2016 [87].

NRC regulations do not limit the number of license renewals a nuclear power plant may be granted. The nuclear power industry is preparing applications for license renewals that would allow continued operation beyond 60 years. The first application seeking approval to operate for 80 years is tentatively scheduled to be submitted by 2013. Some aging nuclear plants may, however, pose a variety of issues that could lead to decisions not to apply for a second license renewal, such as high operation and maintenance costs or the need for large capital expenditures to meet NRC requirements. Industry research on long-term reactor operations and aging management is focused on identifying challenges that aging facilities might encounter and formulating potential approaches to meet those challenges [88]. Typical challenges involve materials degradation, safety margins, and assessing the integrity of concrete structures. In the Reference case, 6.1 gigawatts of nuclear power plant capacity is retired by 2035, based on uncertainty related to issues associated with long-term operations and aging management [89].

It should be noted that although the Oyster Creek Generating Station in Lacey Township, New Jersey, received a license renewal and could operate until 2029, the plant's owner has reported to EIA that it will be retired in 2019, after 50 years of operation. The AEO2012 Reference case includes this reported early retirement. Also, given the evolving nature of the NRC's regulatory response to the accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011, the Reference case does not include retirements directly related to the accident (for example, retirements prompted by potential new NRC regulatory requirements for safety retrofits).

Sensitivity cases

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The AEO2012 Low Nuclear case assumes that only the planned nuclear plant uprates already reported to EIA will be completed. Uprates that are currently under review or expected to be submitted to the NRC are not included. The Low Nuclear case also assumes that all nuclear power plants will be retired after 60 years of operation, resulting in a 30.9-gigawatt reduction in U.S. nuclear power capacity from 2010 to 2035. Figure 51 shows nuclear capacity retirements in the Low Nuclear case by NERC region. It should be noted that after the retirement of Oyster Creek in 2019, the next nuclear plant retirement occurs in 2029 in the Low Nuclear case. No new nuclear plants are built in the Low Nuclear case beyond the 6.8 gigawatts already planned.

In the High Nuclear case, in addition to plants already under construction, plants with active license applications at the NRC are constructed, provided that they have a tentatively scheduled mandatory hearing before the NRC or Atomic Safety and Licensing Board and deploy a currently certified design for the nuclear steam supply system, such as the AP1000. With this assumption, an additional 6.2 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity is added relative to the Reference case. The High Nuclear case also assumes that all existing nuclear power plants will receive their second license renewals and will operate through 2035. Uprates in the High Nuclear case are consistent with those in the Reference case. The only retirement included in the High Nuclear case is the announced early retirement of Oyster Creek in 2019.

Results

In the Reference case, 8.5 gigawatts of new nuclear power plant capacity is added from 2010 to 2035, including the 6.8 gigawatts reported to EIA (referred to as "planned") and 1.8 gigawatts built endogenously in NEMS (referred to as "unplanned"). Unplanned capacity is added starting in 2030 in response to rising natural gas prices, which make new nuclear power plants a more competitive option for new electric capacity. In the High Nuclear case, planned capacity additions are almost double those in the Reference case, but unplanned additions are lower. The price of natural gas delivered to the power sector in the High Nuclear case is lower than in the Reference case, making the economics of nuclear power plants slightly less attractive. The additional planned capacity in the High Nuclear case also reduces the need for new unplanned capacity. No unplanned capacity is added in the Low Nuclear case.

Nuclear power generation in 2035 reflects the differences in capacity that occur in the nuclear cases. In the High Nuclear case, nuclear generation in 2035 is 10 percent higher than in the Reference case, and the nuclear share of total generation is 20 percent, as compared with 18 percent in the Reference case. The increase in nuclear capacity in the High Nuclear case contributes to an increase in total electricity generation, in spite of lower levels of generation from natural gas (4 percent lower than in the Reference case in 2035) and coal and renewables (less than 1 percent lower for each fuel).

In the Low Nuclear case, generation from nuclear power in 2035 is 30 percent lower than in the Reference case, due to the loss of 30.9 gigawatts of nuclear capacity that is retired after 60 years of operation. As a result, the nuclear share of total generation is reduced to 13 percent. The loss of generation is made up primarily by increased generation from natural gas (12 percent higher than in the Reference case in 2035), coal (1 percent higher), and renewables (3 percent higher).

Real average electricity prices in 2035 are 1 percent lower in the High Nuclear case than in the Reference case, as slightly less natural gas capacity is dispatched, lowering the marginal price of electricity. In the Low Nuclear case, average electricity prices in 2035 are 5 percent higher than in the Reference case as a result of the retirement of a significant amount of nuclear capacity, which has relatively low operating costs, and its replacement with natural gas capacity, which has higher fuel costs that are passed through to consumers in retail electricity prices. With all nuclear power plants being retired after 60 years of operation in the Low Nuclear case, an additional 12 gigawatts of nuclear capacity would be shut down between 2035 and 2040.

The impacts of nuclear plant retirements on retail electricity prices in the Low Nuclear case are more apparent in regions with relatively large amounts of nuclear capacity. For example, electricity prices in the Low Nuclear case are 7 percent higher than in the Reference case for the NERC MRO Region, and 6 percent higher in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions. Even in regions where no nuclear capacity is retired, there are small increases in electricity prices relative to the Reference case, because higher demand for natural gas in regions with nuclear plant retirements affect prices nationwide.

The Reference case projections for CO₂ emissions also are affected by changes in assumptions about nuclear plant lifetimes. In the Low Nuclear case, CO₂ emissions from the electric power sector in 2035 are 3 percent higher than in the Reference case as a result of switching from nuclear generation to natural gas and coal, both which produce more CO₂ emissions. In the High Nuclear case, CO₂ emissions from the power sector are slightly (1 percent) lower than in the Reference case. Table 12 summarizes key results from the AEO2012 Reference, High Nuclear, and Low Nuclear cases.

Renewables from Legislation and Regulations

Introduction

The Annual Energy Outlook 2012 (AEO2012) generally represents current Federal and State legislation and final implementation regulations available as of the end of December 2011. The AEO2012 Reference case assumes that current laws and regulations affecting the energy sector are largely unchanged throughout the projection period (including the implication that laws that include sunset dates do, in fact, become ineffective at the time of those sunset dates) [5]. The potential impacts of proposed legislation, regulations, or standards-or of sections of legislation that have been enacted but require funds or implementing regulations that have not been provided or specified—are not reflected in the AEO2012 Reference case, but some are considered in alternative cases. This section summarizes Federal and State legislation and regulations newly incorporated or updated in AEO2012 since the completion of the Annual Energy Outlook 2011.

Examples of recently enacted Federal and State legislation and regulations incorporated in the AEO2012 Reference case include:

• New greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fuel consumption standards for medium- and heavy-duty engines and vehicles, published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) in September 2011 [6]
• The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), as finalized by the EPA in July 2011 [7]
• Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, issued by the EPA in December 2011 [8].

There are many other pieces of legislation and regulation that appear to have some probability of being enacted in the not-toodistant future, and some laws include sunset provisions that may be extended. However, it is difficult to discern the exact forms that the final provisions of pending legislation or regulations will take, and sunset provisions may or may not be extended. Even in situations where existing legislation contains provisions to allow revision of implementing regulations, those provisions may not be exercised consistently. Many pending provisions are examined in alternative cases included in AEO2012 or in other analyses completed by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In addition, at the request of the Administration and Congress, EIA has regularly examined the potential implications of proposed legislation in Service Reports. Those reports can be found on the EIA website at www.eia.gov/oiaf/service_rpts.htm.