Impact Assessment of Pollutant Emissions in the Atmosphere from a Power Plant over a Complex Terrain and under Unsteady Winds

A proposed natural gas-fired power plant in the mountainous Republic of San Marino, near the Adriatic Sea, demonstrates spatially confined environmental impact despite high NOx emissions. Simulations using advanced atmospheric models (SPRAY, SWIFT, SURFPRO) under varying meteorological conditions revealed that pollutant dispersion is largely limited to a single peak where the plume interacts with Mount Titano's hillside, 5 km from the plant. This finding suggests minimal widespread environmental impact, even under worst-case scenarios, due to the complex terrain and land-sea breeze dynamics. The study adheres to Italian and European regulatory frameworks, providing critical insights for sustainable energy development in small, topographically challenging regions.

Ghermandi, G., Fabbi, S., Arvani, B., Veratti, G., Bigi, A., & Teggi, S. (2017). Impact Assessment of Pollutant Emissions in the Atmosphere from a Power Plant over a Complex Terrain and under Unsteady Winds. Sustainability, 9(11), 2076. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9112076