Air Quality Modeling of Future Paradigm Shifts in the Energy and Transportation Sectors

Marc Carreras-Sospedra, Ph.D.

Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP)
Computational Environmental Sciences Laboratory (CESLab)
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of California at Irvine

April 21, 2010

Anthropogenic emissions are known to cause an increase in the concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere that could produce a change in climate that would have irreversible effects on the Earth ecosystems. In addition, anthropogenic emissions contribute significantly to regional air pollution that impacts directly the health of the public. Power generation and transportation sectors are the main contributors to air pollution and GHG emissions. Future strategies to mitigate air pollutant and GHG emissions need to rely on modeling tools that can accurately evaluate the efficiency of air pollutant control measures, and understand the interaction between reduction of GHG and criteria pollutant emissions. In addition, future climate change and industrial development needs to be accounted for in order to include the effects of global and transboundary transport of air pollution. New modeling capabilities are being developed to evaluate new technologies in the energy and transportation sectors that will help reduce the impact of human activity on climate and air quality.