Impact of Coal Power Plants on Agriculture
Coal power plants emit nitrogen oxides (NO2), which are harmful to plant health by disrupting their cellular functions.
NO2 contributes to the formation of ozone, which exacerbates crop damage and reduces photosynthesis efficiency.
Particulate matter from coal plants blocks sunlight, further hindering plant growth and crop yields.
This pollution results in up to 10% yield loss in rice and wheat crops in areas near coal power plants in several states of India.
Study Method and Findings
Researchers used satellite data, specifically NO2 measurements from the TROPOMI satellite, to assess pollution levels across India.
They applied a vegetation index (NIRv) to measure crop health by analyzing the near-infrared reflectance of plants.
NO2 levels were correlated with decreases in NIRv, allowing the researchers to estimate the drop in crop yield due to pollution.
The study calculated the impact of NO2 exposure on crops, focusing on monsoon rice and winter wheat with region-specific coefficients.
Economic and Regional Impact
Coal-fired power plants cause significant economic losses, with wheat and rice yield losses translating to up to $17,370/GWh for wheat and $13,420/GWh for rice.
20% of coal-generated electricity during the monsoon season is responsible for half of rice yield losses, while 12% of winter season generation accounts for 50% of wheat losses.
A small subset of highly polluting power stations can still significantly improve agricultural productivity if targeted for pollution control.
The yield of 5.7% of cropland in West Bengal could increase by 5-10%, while 1.66% could see gains of more than 10%.
In Madhya Pradesh, 5.9% of cropland could see a 5-10% yield increase, while 11.9% could gain over 10% yield improvement.
A potential gain of $420 million annually for rice and $400 million for wheat could be realized, totaling ₹7,000 crore in economic benefits.
Policy Recommendations and Future Research
Policymakers should focus on the most polluting power plants to maximize improvements in agricultural productivity by reducing emissions.
The research suggests that optimizing pollution control at these plants could significantly benefit agriculture, particularly in regions with high exposure to coal emissions.
Further research will investigate the effects of other pollutants from coal power plants on agricultural productivity in India.
Incorporating the impact of coal power emissions on agriculture into policy-making can help prioritize where pollution control measures should be implemented for maximum benefit.
COMMENTS