Quantification of CO2 Emissions from Three Power Plants in China Using OCO-3 Satellite Measurements

Coal-fired power plants are a major carbon source in China. In order to assess the evaluation of China's carbon reduction progress with the promise made on the Paris Agreement, it is crucial to monitor the carbon flux intensity from coal-fired power plants. Previous studies have calculated CO2 emissions from point sources based on Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 and -3 (OCO-2 and OCO-3) satellite measurements, but the factors affecting CO2 flux estimations are uncertain. In this study, we employ a Gaussian Plume Model to estimate CO2 emissions from three power plants in China based on OCO-3 XCO2 measurements. Moreover, flux uncertainties resulting from wind information, background values, satellite CO2 measurements, and atmospheric stability are discussed. This study highlights the CO2 flux uncertainty derived from the satellite measurements. Finally, satellite-based CO2 emission estimates are compared to bottom-up inventories. The satellite-based CO2 emission estimates at the Tuoketuo and Nongliushi power plants are similar to 30 and similar to 10 kt d(-1) smaller than the Open-Data Inventory for Anthropogenic Carbon dioxide (ODIAC) respectively, but similar to 10 kt d(-1) larger than the ODIAC at Baotou.