 Projections
and Mitigation Costs
EPA has developed emissions, projections and conducted economic
analyses of the costs of reducing emissions of nitrous oxide
(N2O). Figure 1 shows the historical and projected
emissions of N2O in the U.S. from human-related
sources, with a specific breakdown for the two largest N2O
sources, agricultural activities and mobile source combustion.
At this time there are no formal EPA voluntary programs to
promote N2O reductions in specific industries. However,
the historical and projected emissions shown in Figure 1 account
for activities that some industries have undertaken independently
to address N2O emissions.
Figure 1
Source: US
Emissions Inventory 2002: Inventory Of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Sinks:
1990 - 2000; Climate Action Report (2002)
Future Emission Projections and Mitigation Costs
To date, EPA has conducted economic analyses on two N2O
sources: adipic and nitric acid production. EPA issued a report
in 2001 that discusses N2O emissions from adipic
and nitric acid production and the technological options for
reducing these emissions:
U.S. Adipic Acid and
Nitric Acid N2O Emissions 1990-2020: Inventories,
Projections and Opportunities for Reductions, December 2001. (PDF,
15pp., 52 KB, About
PDF) This paper presents the historic and projected emissions
of N2O in the U.S. from adipic acid and nitric
acid production. The paper also presents the options for
further reducing N2O from these sources and costs
associated with each option.
EPA is currently in the process of estimating emission projections
and costs of reducing N2O emissions from agricultural
soils. A full report will be posted when available. For mitigation
estimates world wide, see International
Analyses.
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