Carbon Emissions Research Paper
CARBON EMISSIONS OVER A YEAR AND PRATICAL REDUCTION METHODS
Michael Pratt, Brandon Brown
1School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA 30332
ABSTRACT
The average American citizen consumes energy over the course of a year which contributes to mankind’s total carbon emissions. Given current studies on the effects of Global Warming and carbon emissions, it is beneficial to analyze ways to reduce energy usage, and thus carbon emissions. The experimenters are assumed to be average American citizens aged 18 – 25 in terms of yearly carbon emissions. Their yearly energy usage was approximated, and local power plant emission data was used, when necessary, to calculate the total carbon emissions over a year. Practical methods to reduce these emissions were then evaluated.
1. Introduction: The Greenhouse Gas Effect
As more countries begin to go through their own industrial revolutions, American needs to worry more and more about being a paragon for emissions reduction. Globally the US accounted for 18% of total CO2 emissions [3]. The three major carbon-based greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). All are byproducts of the burning of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil).
Figure 1. Global greenhouse emissions by gas. [2] These gases trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere through a process called the Greenhouse Gas Effect. They can remain in the atmosphere from a few years to a few thousand years and subsequently raise the average temperature of the planet, as has happened on Venus over the course of its lifetime. Subsequently, the effects of greenhouse gases may not be experienced in full effect for many years after they are emitted. As seen in Figure 2, the US hasn’t reduced its emissions very much over the past 20 years, but has increased by 8.7% in total. Figure 2. US Greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 3
2. Sources of Energy
According to the EPA,
Michael Pratt, Brandon Brown
1School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA 30332
ABSTRACT
The average American citizen consumes energy over the course of a year which contributes to mankind’s total carbon emissions. Given current studies on the effects of Global Warming and carbon emissions, it is beneficial to analyze ways to reduce energy usage, and thus carbon emissions. The experimenters are assumed to be average American citizens aged 18 – 25 in terms of yearly carbon emissions. Their yearly energy usage was approximated, and local power plant emission data was used, when necessary, to calculate the total carbon emissions over a year. Practical methods to reduce these emissions were then evaluated.
1. Introduction: The Greenhouse Gas Effect
As more countries begin to go through their own industrial revolutions, American needs to worry more and more about being a paragon for emissions reduction. Globally the US accounted for 18% of total CO2 emissions [3]. The three major carbon-based greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). All are byproducts of the burning of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil).
Figure 1. Global greenhouse emissions by gas. [2] These gases trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere through a process called the Greenhouse Gas Effect. They can remain in the atmosphere from a few years to a few thousand years and subsequently raise the average temperature of the planet, as has happened on Venus over the course of its lifetime. Subsequently, the effects of greenhouse gases may not be experienced in full effect for many years after they are emitted. As seen in Figure 2, the US hasn’t reduced its emissions very much over the past 20 years, but has increased by 8.7% in total. Figure 2. US Greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 3
2. Sources of Energy
According to the EPA,
References: [7] “Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle,” Office of Transportation and Air Quality, EPA-420-F-11-041, 2011 http://www.epa.gov/oms/climate/documents/420f11041.pdf http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/29/business/energy-environment/obama-unveils-tighter-fuel-efficiency-standards.html [15] John Voelcker (2012-12-07) http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1080960_tesla-model-s-60-kwh-version-epa-range-rated-at-208-miles [16] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "Cimate Change 2001: Synthesis Report," Geneva 2, Switzerland, 2001 http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/technical-papers/ccw/chapter7.pdf [20] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "Technical Paper IV: Implications of Proposed CO2 Emissions Limitations," Geneva, Switzerland, 1997