Non-CO2 Gas Offsets
(Methane and fluorinated gases):
EPA’s voluntary program experiences
Paul M. Gunning
US EPA Climate Change Division
May 12, 2009
Resources for the Future
Workshop: Modeling the Costs and Volumes of GHG Offsets
What Are the “Other Gases”?
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
• Ozone Depleting Substances (CFC, HCFC)
– phased out by the Montreal Protocol
• High Global Warming Potential (GWP) Gases (HFC,
PFC, SF6, NF3)
– including industrial gases and substitutes for
Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)
• Aerosols (sulfate, black carbon)
• Ozone and its precursors (CO, NMVOC, NOx)
2
Characteristics of Non-CO2 Gases
Greenhouse Gas
Atmospheric
Lifetime
(years)
100-Year
GWP
12
25
Landfills, coal mines, natural gas and oil systems, enteric
fermentation, livestock waste management, rice
cultivation, wastewater treatment
1.3 – 1,700
77 – 14,400
Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS), being phased out by
Montreal Protocol and Clean Air Act
1.4 – 240
124 – 9,810
Substitutes for ODS in refrigeration, air conditioning, foam
blowing, fire extinguishing, aerosol propellants, solvents
270
14,800
2,600 – 50,000
7,390-12,200
Primary aluminum smelting, electronics manufacturing, minor
use as ODS substitutes
SF6
3,200
23,900
Magnesium production and casting, electric utility switchgear,
electronics manufacturing
NF3
740
10,970
Electronics manufacturing
Methane
CFCs and HCFCs
HFCs
HFC-23
PFCs
Key Sources
Also a byproduct of HCFC-22 production
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Non-CO2 Gases play important roles
Anthropogenic Emissions of Non-CO2 Gases have been important
contributors to an enhanced Greenhouse Effect Since PreIndustrial Times
Methane
0.7 W/m2
Nitrous
Oxide
5%
24%
Carbon
Dioxide
1.4 W/m2
Nitrous Oxide
0.15 W/m2
12% CFCs, HFCs,
10%
Total = 2.9 Watts/m2
HFCs
2%
Methane
8%
5%
49%
Total global forcing
PFCs,
SF6, HFC23
1%
PFCs, SF6
0.35 W/m2
Tropospheric O3
0.3 W/m2
CO2
84%
US Emissions:
Total 7,260 Tg CO2 Eq.
4
Non-CO2 Reductions Offer Important
Climate and Economic Benefits
• Near-term climate benefits
• Mitigation costs are lower than for energy-related
CO2
0.6
0.4
Degrees C
0.2
Non - CO2
GHGs
CO2
CH4
0
-0.2
Sox
NonGHGs
2100
2050
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
Impact of a 50% reduction from BAU in 2050,
maintained to 2100
5
Methane
•
•
•
•
Emitted by many sources in energy, agriculture & waste sectors
Principal component of natural gas
Emissions can be reduced but not eliminated
Mitigation efforts deliver many co-benefits
–
–
–
–
–
–
Climate Change
Energy
Air Quality
Mine/Industrial Safety
Water Quality
Odor Control
Global Anthropogenic Methane Emissions
by Source (2005)
Rice
Cultivation
10%
Other
Agriculture
7%
Oil and Gas
18%
Landfills
12%
Coal Mining
6%
Enteric
Fermentation
30%
Biomass
Combustion
3%
Fuel
(stationary
and mobile)
1%
Wastew ater
Manure
9%
Management
4%
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Methane Mitigation Opportunities
Source
Key Technologies
Landfills
Methane recovery and combustion (i.e., power
generation, industrial uses, flaring)
Coal Mines
Methane recovery and combustion, flaring,
ventilation air use
Gas/Oil
Systems
Use of low-bleed equipment, and better
management practices
Livestock Waste Methane collection from anaerobic digestors
and combustion (power, flaring)
Ruminant
Livestock
Improved production efficiency through better
nutrition and management
Rice Production Water management, organic supplements
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Trends - Methane
600
Other
500
TgCO2Eq
400
Livestock
300
Oil and Gas
200
Coal
100
Landfills
0
1990
•
•
2000
2005
2010
2015
As of 2005, the CH4 partnership programs have successfully reduced US
emissions 11% below 1990 levels
With continued efforts, emissions are expected to remain below 1990 level in
spite of economic growth through 2020
8
F-GHG Background
• Intentionally manufactured and by-product emission sources
–
–
–
–
HFCs, PFCs, SF6, NF3, HFEs
HFCs generally ODS substitutes
PFCs, SF6, NF3, HFEs generally used in other industrial applications
Small number of by-product sources
• All potent GHGs
– HFCs, HFEs short-lived
– PFCs, SF6, NF3 long-lived
• Small part of current [and future] US and global GHG inventory
~ 2%
• Used in socially valued applications
– ODS substitutes: essential to HCFC phase-out
– Other industrial uses: critical inputs to climate protection technologies
• No substitutes for some uses
– HFCs in residential A/C
– SF6 in High voltage T&D equipment
• Nevertheless, significant reduction opportunities exist
– Avoid growth
9
9
How Are F-GHGs Emitted?
F Gases Gases
Fluorinated
Other Industrial Sources
Substitutes for
Ozone-Depleting Substances
Emitted
Duringduring
Use & use
Disposal
Emitted
Produced as Byproduct
Emitted
Use
Emitted During
during use
Primary
Aluminum
Production
Magnesium
Magnesium
Production
&
Production and
Casting
Casting
Refrigeration &
Air Conditioning
Foam-Blowing
Agents
Manufacturing
HCFC-22 (ODS)
Electronics
Manufacturing
Fire
Suppression
Cleaning
Solvents
Aerosols
Metered-Dose
Inhalers
Electric
T&D
Equipment
Other Uses
Fumigants
Nonessential
Uses10
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High GWP Gas Mitigation Opportunities
Source
Key Technology
Aluminum
Reduce frequency and duration of anode
effects
Magnesium
Improved process management,
Alternative chemicals
Electric Power
Improved gas handling, recycling, new
equipment
Semiconductors
Improved process management, thermal
destruction, alternative chemicals
HFC-23
Improved process management, thermal
destruction
ODS Substitutes
Improved gas management, alternative
chemicals and processes, ban
nonessential uses – approaches and costs
are highly dependent on end-use
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Trends – HFCs, PFCs and SF6 Emissions
350
300
Tg CO2-eq
250
Historical
Projected
200
ODS Substitutes
(mainly HFCs)
150
100
Magnesium Prod. (SF6)
Electric Transmission (SF6)
50
Semiconductor Prod. (mainly PFCs)
Aluminum Prod. (PFCs)
HCFC-22 Production (HFC-23)
0
1990
1995
2000
2005
•
•
2010
2015
2020
Emissions from ODS substitutes have risen from nearly zero in 1990 to 123
MtCO2-eq today; rise will continue through 2030 as ODS phaseout continues.
Emissions of HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 from “industrial sources” have fallen by
55% since 1990, primarily due to EPA-industry partnership programs.
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Current Policies and Measures to Reduce
Emissions of Non-CO2 Gases in the US
Public-private partnership programs target major sources
•
•
•
•
•
Landfill Methane Outreach Program
Coal Mine Methane Outreach Program
Natural Gas STAR
AgSTAR
Voluntary Aluminum Industry
Partnership (VAIP)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Semiconductor Partnership
Utility SF6 Partnership
Magnesium Partnership
HFC-23 Reduction Partnership
HFCs in Mobile Air Conditioning
ODS partnerships (GreenChill, RAD)
Avoid High GWP Gas emissions by stratospheric ozone regulation
•
•
Refrigerants (no venting, mandatory recovery and recycling, leak-repair if
exceed emission limits)
ODS Substitutes “SNAP” Program (Ban or limit use where more
environmentally friendly substitutes exist)
Reduce methane emissions as a co-benefit of air quality regulation
•
CAA New Source Performance Standards - Landfills and Oil and Gas
Sector – HAPs, VOCs
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Offsets – Performance Standard Approach
• EPA has applied a performance standard approach (Climate Leaders)
– The performance standard approach reduces complexity, cost and subjectivity
• Proposed projects are required to demonstrate that they are additional by
achieving a level of performance that, with respect to emission reductions or
removals, or technologies or practices, is significantly better than businessas usual
• Project developers are aware of the accounting “rules” in advance
– Methodologies prepared for specific set of project types
– Equations needed for estimating and calculating emissions and
reductions/removals are provided
• Reduces the complexity, cost and subjectivity of constructing individual
project-specific arguments and subsequent review
• In general, consistent with WRI/WBCSD GHG Project Protocol, CCAR,
RGGI
• Can be used for a variety of project types (sectors and geographic areas)
• Minimizes risk of accepting a project that is not additional or rejecting a
project that is additional
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Methane Offsets
Measurable
Additional
Permanent
Verifiable
Ag - ruminants
L
M/H
M/H
L
Ag – manure mgmt
H
M
H
H
H
H
M
H
M
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
Landfill
H
M
H
H
Oil & Gas
M
L/M
L/M
M
Coal mines
-VAM
-Drained gas
-Abandoned
(H=high; M=medium; L=low)
15
F-GHG Offsets
Measurable
Additional
Permanent
Verifiable
Al
H
M
M
H
Elect
M
M
M
M
Mg
H
H
H
H
HCFC-22
H
M
H/M
H
EPS
M
M
M
L
(H=high; M=medium; L=low)
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Non-CO2 gas projects can be attractive offsets
• Many discrete types of non-CO2 reduction projects are wellsuited as offset project types and have critical co-benefits.
• Mitigation technologies and mitigation practices exist form many
source categories
• Certain project types can be demonstrated to be clearly
“additional” – above and beyond business as usual. For
example,
– Ventilation air methane emitted from coal mine shafts
– Landfill gas to energy projects below a certain size
– Agriculture – biogas recovery
• Real emissions reductions can be achieved at low cost
• Some sources are easily verifiable
– Established measuring and monitoring procedures
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Thank you!
For more information, please contact
Paul Gunning
Gunning.paul@epa.gov
Pamela Franklin
Franklin.pamela@epa.gov
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