Carbon Emissions
Mar 31, 2015
Carbon Emissions
Lesson ObjectivesGHGs and Global WarmingFamiliarize with carbon emissionsRecognize sources of carbon emissionsWhat regulatory action has been done?How can we reduce emissions from MSW
sources?How can reducing carbon emissions be
worth millions of $$$?What about the Future?
Greenhouse GasesComponents of the atmosphere that
contribute to the greenhouse effect and necessary to life on Earth but also responsible for “Global Warming”
Including:- Water vapor, 36~70% - Carbon dioxide (CO2), 9~26%- Methane (CH4), 4~9%- Ozone (O3), 3~7%- Other (N2O, SF6, …)
Greenhouse GasesNot all greenhouse gases are a threat to
the environment
The most important greenhouse gases for environmental researchers:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2), and,- Methane (CH4)
CO2 and CH4 form a large portion of the greenhouse gases
Global WarmingAn increase in the Earths temperature
has been observed during the past decades, believed to be due to increase of GHGs
Global WarmingWhat happens:
Catastrophe
•Severe weather conditions,•Sea level increase,•Health effect, •Change in agricultural pattern,•…
Global WarmingCan cause a 7.5 ft raise in sea level in
the next centuryThis can take about one third of the
present Florida’s dry land under sea water
Global Warming Potential (GWP)GWP is a measure of how much a given
mass of greenhouse gas is estimated to contribute to global warming
GWP is a relative scale comparing the gas in question to that of the same mass of CO2
GWP of CH4 is 21
Carbon ConcentrationThe atmospheric concentration of
carbon dioxide remained between 260 and 280 ppm for the 10,000 years between the end of the last glacial maximum and the start of the industrial era
Carbon ConcentrationThe present atmospheric carbon
concentration is believed to have reached approximately 380 ppm
The maximum possible atmospheric carbon concentration threatening natural condition on Earth is believed to be in the order of 550 to 600 ppm
Carbon Concentration
Carbon Emission SourcesBiogenic or Natural Sources:
- Natural activities of the environment
Anthropogenic Sources:
- Sources from human activities - CO2 and CH4 have major
anthropogenic sources
Natural SourcesNatural sources: More than 20 times
greater concentration than human sources
Natural sources are closely balanced by natural sinks (Carbon Sequestration)
Anthropogenic Sources Major anthropogenic carbon sources:
- Electricity generations plants, 21%
- Industrial processes, 17%
- Transportation, 14%
- Agricultural byproducts, 13%
- Fossil fuel processing, 11%
- Residential and commercial, 10%
- Biomass burning, 10%
- Waste disposal, 4%
Carbon Footprint A measure of the impact human activities
on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced
Units: Equivalent carbon dioxide – eCO2
Everyday activities: - Driving to school, - Drinking a bottle of water, - Eating daily food, - Turning on a light, …
Regulatory Actions1992 United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); developed nations agreed to non-binding 1990 GHG levels by 2000
1997 Kyoto Conference - The “Kyoto Protocol”; some participants made binding commitment to 1990 GHG levels (US has not ratified)
Regulatory Actions 2007 Bali Conference; US agrees to “Agree”
July 2008 G8 Conference; G8 Nations agree to cut 50% of emissions by 2050
Statewide regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions include:
- California AB-32, - Florida Executive Order 07-127, - Regional GHG Initiative (RGGI),- Western Climate Initiative (WGI)
Regulatory Actions
Waste ManagementWaste management solutions to reduce
carbon footprint, 3 R’s:- Reduce- Reuse- Recycle
Waste disposal (Refuse):- Incineration - Landfill
Waste Management IPCC Estimate of Worldwide Landfill
Methane Emissions (BAU)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1980 2000 2020 2040 2060
Year
GH
G, M
t C
O2
Waste Management Waste to Energy:
• Incineration: Directly producing thermal energy
• Landfill Gas: o Generated from the physical, chemical and biological
processes occurring in the disposed waste, o Main components: methane 50-60%, carbon dioxide
40-50% and other trace gases,o Using methane as a source of energy
Market Solutions:• Taxation• Cap & Trade
Waste Management
Carbon Balance
LFG to Energy Landfill gas (LFG) has a fuel value of 18-
22 MJ/m3, due to methane content
As of December 2007 there were 435 landfills capturing about 7.1 billion m3 of LFG in the US producing some 10.5 billion kWh, equivalent to powering 810,000 homes and heating 547,000
LFG to EnergyNet GHG Emissions from Landfilling –
US EPA Default Values
00.020.040.060.08
0.10.120.140.160.18
0.2
Landfill without LFGRecovery
Landfills with LFGRecovery and Flaring
Landfills with LFGRecovery and Electric
Generation
MTC
E/W
et T
on
The Carbon MarketAn official and regulated market in EU
countries, but still a voluntary market in the US
US voluntary market: – Companies paying voluntarily for carbon
emission reduction and carbon credits usually because of investment for future, commercial interest, personal interest, …
The Carbon Market
The Carbon MarketCarbon market options:
- Carbon Offset Credit- Fuel Production- Renewable Energy Credits
(RECs)- Renewable Energy Production
Tax Credits (PTCs)
LFG Carbon Market
LFG Carbon Market Orange County's, FL, LFGE system:
- More than 10,000 m3/hr LFG for 20 year,- Can generate electricity for 13,000 homes,- Takes advantage of $4 million in federal funding and tax incentives
City of Albany Landfill, NY, potential C values:- Estimated 33,638 MWh/yr electricity from LFG- Carbon Credit value $ 1,617,919- REC value $ 1,514,000 per year (@ $45/MWh)- PTC value $ 336,384 per year (@ $10/MWh)
FutureThe US voluntary carbon market trading
value has tripled from 2006 to 2007, this trend is foreseen to be continuing
Both Obama and McCain support starting a regulated carbon emissions Cap-&-Trade program
We won’t be getting any greener if we do nothing, so at least we can try by doing something …
maybe we can do some good for our future generations
Example A landfill in some county is receiving 50,000 tons of MSW
annually and is operating a LFG to energy plant with recovery rate of 500 ft3 LFG per ton MSW (50% methane content). Estimate the carbon value for this LFGE project counting in each possible option and assuming the landfill is not regulated yet to offset carbon emissions and the methane destroy efficiency is 100%.– Carbon offset value, at $ 1 per ft3 CH4
– Electricity value, at 1x10-3 MWh electricity per ft3 methane gas and electricity price is $100 per MWh
– RECs value, at $20 per MWh– PTCs value, at $10 per MWh
Solution
Step 1:Calculate the generated methane …
50,000 x 500 x 0.50 = 12.5x106 ft3 CH4
Solution
Step 2:Calculate the electricity produced from methane
…
(12.5x106) x (1x10-3) = 12,500 MWh
Solution
Step 3:Calculate each value …
Carbon offset value:(12.5x106) x 1 = $ 12,500,000 /yr
Electricity value:12,500 x 100 = $ 1,250,000 /yr
Solution
RECs:12,500 x 20 = $ 250,000 /yr
PTCs:12,500 x 10 = $ 125,000 /yr