CSU Campus or Other Affiliation
Other Affiliation
Non-CSU Affliation
Engenie
Abstract
The implementation of renewable energy is widely recognized for its positive impact on human health and well-being. We propose methods to quantify these benefits by estimating each renewable energy plant’s impact on human mortality and climate-induced displacement. Utilizing established models (DICE, Mortality Cost of Carbon, and methods from Lenton and Xu), we calculate the avoided heat-related mortalities and loss of human climate niche attributable to avoided CO₂ emissions from renewable energy. Applying this methodology to three California clean energy projects—Morro Bay Wind Energy Area (WEA), Morro Bay Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and American Energy Services (AES) Bellefield Solar Farm—demonstrates the significant potential of renewable energy to improve human well-being. The Morro Bay WEA is estimated to prevent over 18,000 global deaths and alleviate the need to relocate over 400,000 people due to extreme heat. Our calculations underscore the critical role of renewable energy in mitigating climate change impacts.
APA Citation
McNevin, J. D., & Miers, J. W. (2024). Quantifying human population benefits from renewable energy plants.
DICE-EMR Additional Human Mortalities vs Temperature Rise from “The mortality cost of carbon”.
quantifying human population benefits from renewable energy plants_fig2.jpg (84 kB)
Extrapolated Human Mortality vs Temperature curve with formula R2=1
quantifying human population benefits from renewable energy plants_fig3.jpg (69 kB)
Population Increase Exposed to Unprecedented Heat per °C vs Baseline Population and extrapolated curve equation with formula R2=1
quantifying human population benefits from renewable energy plants_fig4.jpg (200 kB)
Demonstration of temperature in a given year anticipated by each of the five SSPs