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Environment > U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy Sources 2007 Flash Estimate
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U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy Sources 2007 Flash Estimate
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This flash estimate is based on data published in the April 2008 Monthly Energy Review (MER). All 2007 data are preliminary. (The most recent estimates for other gases (2006))
Note: These emission estimates are denominated in millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMTCO2). To convert to carbon equivalent emissions, multiply by 12/44.
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Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions Grew by 1.6 Percent in 2007 |
Factors that influenced growth include:
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Economic growth
- 2.2 percent increase in GDP |
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Weather
- Heating degree-days were up by 6.7 percent over 2006
- Cooling degree-days were up by 2.6 percent over 2006
- More energy was needed for both heating and cooling compared to 2006
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Power Sector electricity generation was up by 2.5 percent
- Emissions were up by 3.0 percent indicating a higher carbon intensity of generation in 2007 compared to 2006 |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007.
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| Emissions from Natural Gas and Coal Increased in 2007 |
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U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions increased 97 million metric tons (MMTCO2) –from 5,888 MMTCO2 in 2006 to 5,984 MMTCO2 in 2007 |
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Natural gas emissions increased by 77 MMTCO2 (6.6 percent) and coal emissions increased by 23 MMTCO2 (1.1 percent) |
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Petroleum emissions were down 3 MMTCO2 (-0.1 percent) |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
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| The Electric Power Sector is the Largest Emissions Source in Terms of Primary Energy Consumption |
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When electric power sector emissions are considered as a whole rather than being attributed to the sectors that use electricity, they represent the largest source of energy-related CO2 |
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Transportation emissions have grown at about the same rate as electric power emissions since 1990 |
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Direct-use emissions in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, which do not include the emissions associated with the generation of electric power used by those sectors, have remained relatively flat since 1990 |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007.
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| Growing Electricity Demand and Changes in the Generation fuel Mix Led to Increased Emissions |
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Emissions from the electric power sector increased by 70.8 MMTCO2 (3.0 percent) in 2007 |
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Generation was up by 2.5 percent. |
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The resulting increase in carbon intensity of 0.5 percent was driven by a decrease in non-carbon generation:
- Natural gas-related emissions increased 35.6 MMTCO2 (10.5 %), they were matched by a coal increase of 35.3 MMTCO2 (1.8 %)
- Emissions from petroleum decreased by 0.4 MMTCO2 (0.7%)
- Non-carbon generation decreased by 15 billion kWh, as hydropower fell by 40 billion kWh offsetting wind and nuclear power increases of 6 and 19 billion kWh respectively |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007.
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| Transportation is the Largest Emitter Among End-use Sectors, but its Emissions Growth Has Flattened |
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Transportation sector emissions of energy-related CO2, which surpassed emissions from the industrial sector in 1999, have grown by 1.4 percent per year since 1990 |
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Industrial emissions have declined on average -0.1 percent per year since 1990 |
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Residential sector emissions have grown 1.5 % per year |
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Commercial emissions have averaged the highest growth (1.9 % per year), although they remain the smallest sector for CO2 emissions |
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Emissions from both residential and commercial sectors are dominated by emissions associated with the production of the electricity they use |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007. Electric Power sector emissions are distributed across the end-use sectors.
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| Residential Sector Emissions Grew the Most in 2007 |
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In 2007, residential CO2 emissions rose 52 MMTCO2 (4.4 percent) |
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Heating degree-days were up 6.7 percent, cooling degree-days also increased by 2.6 percent – this increased heating fuel demand as well as air-conditioning requirements and the sector’s electricity-related emissions increased by 3.9 percent |
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Between 1990 and 2007, residential sector CO2 emissions grew by 29.4 percent (1.5% per year) |
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As indicated in the graph, since 1990 emissions growth has been driven more by electricity-related CO2 than direct fuel use |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007.
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| Commercial Sector Emissions Have Grown the Most Since 1990 |
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In 2007, commercial CO2 emissions increased 44 MMTCO2(4.3 percent) over 2006 levels |
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Electricity accounts for 78 percent of CO2 emissions from the commercial sector |
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Electricity emissions rose 4.2 percent from 2006 to 2007 |
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Between 1990 and 2007, commercial sector CO2 emissions grew by 37.4 percent (1.9 percent per year) |
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As in the residential sector, this growth was from electricity-related CO2 rather than direct fuel use |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007.
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| Industrial Sector Emissions Have Continued to Decline Since 2004 |
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In 2007, energy-related industrial CO2 emissions declined slightly (-0.1 percent) |
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Between 1990 and 2007, energy-related industrial sector CO2 emissions declined 30 MMTCO2 from 1,685 to 1,655 MMTCO2 |
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Increases in petroleum and electricity emissions from 1990 to 2007 were more than offset by reductions from natural gas and especially coal emissions (-30 percent) |
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Based on early estimates, total industrial output increased 1.7 percent in 2007* |
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The food and chemical industries each had growth of 3.2 percent, while the paper industry grew by 1.5 percent |
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Output from energy-intensive industries, such as primary metals, non-metallic minerals, and petroleum refiners decreased 1.8, 1.5, and 0.1 percent, respectively in 2007 |
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Since 1990 the output of energy-intensive industries such as pig iron for steel and aluminum have declined and have been replaced with less energy-intensive, higher-value industries such as computers and electronic products |
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Between 1990 and 2007 the index of total industrial output grew by 60 percent or 2.8 percent per year |
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Primary metals grew by 14 percent or 0.8 percent per year on average |
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Computers and semiconductors grew by 3,385 percent or 23 percent per year on average |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007.
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*Source: http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/G17/ipdisk/ip_sa.txt
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| Carbon Dioxide Intensity Continues to Improve |
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In 2007, energy CO2 intensity (carbon dioxide emissions per unit of economic output) fell by about 0.5 percent |
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Energy CO2 rose by 1.6 percent and the economy grew by 2.2 |
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Between 1990 and 2007, energy CO2 per unit of GDP declined by 26.6 percent
(-1.8% per year) |
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Between 1990 and 2006, total greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP declined by 27.7 percent (-2.0% per year) |
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Source: Energy Information Administration, preliminary estimate for 2007. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
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