Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find emission factors for greenhouse gases and air pollutants?
EIA publishes emission factors (or coefficients) for three major greenhouse gases: Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N20), and for the criteria air pollutants; Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), which are released when fuels are burned and when electricity is generated and used as follows:
For combustion of fossil fuels:
- CO2 for common fuels
- CO2 for fuels used for electricity generation (PDF) (XLS)
For electricity — as generated:
- CO2, SO2, and NOx for electricity generated in each state for a specific year, in pounds per megawatthour, in Table 1 of State Electricity Profiles and averages for the United States.
- CO2, CH4, and N20 for electricity generated in each state and U.S. Census Region.
For electricity — as consumed:
- CO2 , CH4, and N20 for electricity consumed in U.S. electricity market regions and in other countries. These factors were used by participants in EIA's Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions program.
A source of emission factors for other substances and fuels is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Last updated: May 16, 2012
Other FAQs about Environment
- Does EIA report water vapor emissions data?
- How do I convert between short tons and metric tons?
- How does the hole in the ozone layer affect global warming?
- How much carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced per kilowatt-hour when generating electricity with fossil fuels?
- How much carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced when different fuels are burned?
- How much carbon dioxide is produced by burning gasoline and diesel fuel?
- How much of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions are associated with electricity generation?
- What are greenhouse gases and how do they affect the climate?
- What are the energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by source and sector for the United States?
- What are the sources of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions by type of fuel for the U.S. and the world?
- Where can I find emission factors for greenhouse gases and air pollutants?
- Why do carbon dioxide emissions weigh more than the original fuel?