PARENT SESSION
TP6b Acceptability of risk: parameters determined by Science and Society
4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, Tuesday, 08 May 2001
Session Chair: J. Costa-David
Room 6

(265) Dynamic Mass Flow Optimisation as Decision Support for Environmental Policy.

Avci, Nurten¹, Peters, Niels¹, Geldermann, Jutta¹, Rentz, Otto¹, ¹

ABSTRACT- Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are main contributors to environmental issues and therefore subject for several international environmental regulations, as the Gothenburg Protocol, the proposed NEC-directive, the EU-solvent directive (13/99/EC) and the IPPC-Directive (61/96/EEC). The 'best available techniques' (BAT) play an essential role in the actual realisation of the current regulations. Hence, techniques and possible abatement options have to be characterised on process level with regard to environmental benefits, technical practicability and especially economic feasibility. The assessment of the consequences of the introduction of the BAT for different branches in a region is essential as decision support for environmental policy makers. For this purpose, the techno-economic dynamic optimisation model ARGUS has been developed and implemented for Germany and France and used for the elaboration of cost functions for various scenarios.ARGUS is based on a detailed representation of all relevant emission processes and applicable emission reduction options, including structural measures. The data sheets developed by the UN/ECE-Task Force on the Assessment of Abatement Options/Techniques for VOC combined with country specific data on the structure of emission sources are taken as a basis. Scenarios are designed that provide the "cost optimal" mid- and long-term evolution of the production system in a region or country which allows for the achievement of emission reduction targets. ARGUS determines national cost functions by taking into account full sets of emission reduction options including structural options related to changes in sectoral activities and production technologies. Cost-discounting effects and the temporal pathway of the implementation of emission reduction options within a given planning horizon (up to 2020) are considered. The results can be used to analyse the cost-effectiveness of environmental legislation and for emission projections and inventories.

Key words: Best Available Techniques (BAT), national cost functions, emission projections, volatile organic compounds (VOC)