If I install PV does power company actually make less pollution?

 I know that its more theoretical then anything else.  But my question is do
most power companies actually produce pollution based on load?   Or do they
always produce the same amount and dump some additional power if its not
needed?

thanks,

mike

  I think the coal plants are the 'base load' and they run 90%. When
everyone comes home after work and turns on the tv, the stove and the
ac, the peaking gas turbines turn on. So I'd say exhaust and emissions
are proportional to load.

 Original author not cited.


Yes..   see below..


Only in the short term..  They may vary the line voltages(5%)..
(Higher line voltages generally increases demand, so they've got some
wiggle room.)

Or they can activate a bypass value just before steam turbines  and
dump the HP steam into a condenser.  They then reduce fuel feed to
boilers to match the new load conditions.

Otherwise the answer is generally no..



It depends on your location..

   Nuclear power plants and renewables (hydro, wind, geo) will be used
for base loads first. (IE. low/no cost fuel sources used first.)
(During low water conditions, hydro capacity maybe reserved for daytime
peaking.)

   High efficiency fossil units will make up the remainder of base
load.  Lower efficiency fossil fuel peaking units will provide power
during peak usage intervals..

   Another item, during peak usage intervals, the efficiency of the
grid distribution drops significantly.. (I^2R) losses jump from a few
percent to 20 percent or more..  (US power grid averages an 11% loss).

In summary, the answer is yes..
    The higher the demand the more CO2 is dumped into atmosphere per
kWh delivered to the customer.

Answer to threat title.. Yes..  Electricity produced by PV and consumed
locally will reduce Power Co CO2 emissions significantly.

 

 
Yes.  While it may not be linear to load (if different plants come on
line to handle peaks), it's proportional to load.