Hidden Image
Back to Energy Analysis Reports and Studies

Health Analysis Studies and Tools

 

Exposure to air pollution from fuel combustion is harmful to human health and can increase risks of cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms and diseases including heart attacks, asthma exacerbation, and premature mortality. New York State’s economy-wide energy policies that increase energy efficiency and shift vehicles, buildings, electricity generation, and other sources to clean energy are lowering air pollutant emissions—and will continue to do so. NYSERDA’s health analysis work estimates how recent, ongoing, and future State energy policies could impact air pollutant concentrations and public health outcomes in communities throughout New York State.

Health Analysis Tools

The following tools estimate the air quality and public health impacts of New York State energy policies. The PHIEA calculator is a simple, spreadsheet-based tool that estimates benefits of policies or programs based on user inputs and NY-CHAPPA is a more detailed, sub-county-scale modeling framework to analyze benefits from economywide changes in the State’s energy system.

New York State Public Health Impacts of Energy Action (PHIEA) Calculator

The PHIEA calculator estimates the monetary value of the public health impacts of changes in energy consumption associated with existing or potential future energy policies or programs in New York State. This is a simple, fast and flexible tool for users to explore a range of health impacts from policies in different energy end-use sectors and regions in the state.

New York Community-Scale Health and Air Pollution Policy Analysis (NY-CHAPPA) Modeling Framework

The NY-CHAPPA modeling framework analyzes public health outcomes from changes in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations based on detailed source emissions inputs. NY-CHAPPA estimates benefits at a sub-county scale, which enables evaluation of potential health benefits by community type, allowing for evaluation of health impacts within disadvantaged community areas.

Completed Health Analysis Studies

These studies apply NYSERDA’s health analysis tools to specific State energy policies and programs. The most recent is the 2025 State Energy Plan Health Impacts Analysis, which estimates statewide public health benefits from implementing the plan.

2025 State Energy Plan Health Impacts Analysis

The NY-CHAPPA modeling framework Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. was most recently used to estimate public health benefits of the 2025 State Energy Plan Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page.. Implementing New York’s State Energy Plan is projected to improve air quality, resulting in public health benefits for all communities throughout the State, with the greatest benefits realized in disadvantaged communities.

Other Studies

In addition to NYSERDA's primary health analysis tools and studies, the following research provides further insight into the air quality and public health implications of New York's energy transition.

Co-Pollutant Impacts of Low-Carbon Fuels and Technologies

This memorandum summarizes the conclusions from existing studies on the impact of using certain low-carbon alternative fuels and carbon capture technologies on the emission of criteria air pollutants (including nitrogen oxides [NOx], sulfur dioxide [SO2], PM2.5, volatile organic compounds [VOCs], and ammonia [NH3]), relative to the use of corresponding fossil fuels .

Evaluating Public Health Co-benefits of New York State’s 2022 Scoping Plan

This study models the potential public health co-benefits of the clean energy transition under New York's Climate Act as envisioned in the 2022 Scoping Plan Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page.. It estimates how reduced fuel combustion under Plan scenarios lowers emissions of PM2.5 and its precursors and uses EPA’s COBRA model to translate those air quality gains into statewide public health benefits.