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 Projections and Mitigation Costs
EPA has conducted economic analyses of the costs of reducing emissions
from four key methane sources: landfills, natural gas and oil
systems, coal mining, and livestock manure management. Unlike
other greenhouse gases, methane can be used to produce energy
since it is the major component (95 percent) of natural gas.
Consequently, for many methane sources, opportunities exist
to reduce emissions cost-effectively or at low cost by capturing
the methane and using it as fuel. EPA’s
voluntary programs assist companies in identifying these cost-effective
reductions for specific sources. EPA also provides information
on cost-effective mitigation options for ruminant
livestock emissions.
Emission Estimates With and Without Voluntary Programs
Figure 1 shows the historical and projected emissions of methane in the
U.S. from human-related sources. The graph shows emissions with and without
the impact of voluntary programs designed to reduce emissions of methane
from these sources. For more information on EPA voluntary programs and
descriptions of cost-effective technologies and management practices for
methane, go to Methane Voluntary Programs.
Figure 1
MMTCO2E = Million Metric Tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
Source: US Emissions Inventory 2002: Inventory Of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Sinks: 1990 - 2000 (2002); Climate Action Report (2002)
Future Emission Projections and Mitigation Costs
The following report presents a cost analysis of mitigation technologies
and management practices to reduce future methane emissions. For analysis
of methane mitigation costs outside the U.S., see International
Analyses.
Report on U.S. Methane Emissions 1990-2020: Inventories, Projections, and Opportunities for Reductions (EPA 430-R-99-013) (September 1999). This report addresses the historical emissions of CH4 and presents EPA's forecast of emissions through 2020 for landfills, natural gas and oil systems, coal mines, manure management and enteric fermentation. This report also estimates the costs of reducing CH4 emissions from landfills, natural gas systems, coal mines and manure management.
Download (PDF) separate sections of the final report:
| You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader. |
- 2001 Update of the report with revised
emission and cost estimates for all sectors (PDF, 19 pp., 383KB)
- Cover, Executive Summary, and Introduction (PDF, 38 pp., 361KB)
- Landfills and Appendix
II (PDF, 24 pp., 130 KB)
- Natural Gas Systems
and Appendix III (PDF, 34 pp., 145 KB)
- Coal Mining and Appendix IV (PDF, 20 pp., 101 KB)
- Livestock Manure Management
and Appendix V (PDF, 26 pp., 130 KB)
- Enteric Fermentation and
Appendix VI (PDF, 18 pp., 80KB)
- Data files in Excel format:
2001 Updated emission and cost estimates (December 2001) (MS Excel, 739 KB)
[Clicking on this link will launch the spreadsheet. To download the data, right click the link and save the file to your computer. Please contact us at (202) 569-9147 if you do not have acess to Excel or are otherwise unable to open this document.]
Note: All documents have been reviewed
in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's and the
Office of Management and Budget's peer and administrative review policies
and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products
does not constitute endorsement or recommendation. To request a hard
copy of any of the reports call the Energy Star hotline at 1-888-STAR
YES. |
