The Stichting Natuur en Milieu (Nature and Environment Foundation) asked TNO to investigate the contribution of three large English power plants on PM2.5 concentrations and the deposition of nitrogen and acid in the Netherlands set against the joint contribution of the eleven main Dutch power plants.

Significant contribution

While this study is based on data from 2005 that do not incorporate new emission reduction measures, it does provide a good indication of the relative contribution of these foreign sources. Though these contributions appear to be modest, they are, in fact, substantial. In Dutch rural areas the joint contribution of these three English power plants is equivalent to or even larger than the joint contribution of the eleven Dutch power plants. This implies that emission reduction measures in England, through the introduction of Best Available Technology, will have a significant effect on the air quality and deposition in the Netherlands.

 

Author(s):Astrid Manders, Hugo Denier van der Gon, Gerbrand Boersen, Antoon Visschedijk, Peter Builtjes