Carbon Emissions Mix

Energy emissions account for about 83% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with carbon dioxide (CO2) being the largest contributor. In 2011, carbon CO2 emissions from the energy sector was estimated at 31,342 million tonnes with coal accounting for 44%, oil for 35.3% and natural gas for 20.2%. Carbon emissions from energy is projected to increase by 1.2% per annum growing to 26% by 2030. Different fuels emit different amounts of carbon emissions relative to the energy they produce. This depends on the carbon content of the fuel. Natural gas is almost entirely methane (CH4) and has a relatively high energy content and low CO2 emission compared to other fuels. The presence of water and other elements such as sulphur tend to reduce heat content and increase CO2 emitted. A comparison of the mass of CO2 emitted per MMBtu (million British Thermal Unit)of energy for various fuels shows that CO2 emitted from natural gas is about half that of coal, with 117 pounds of CO2 emissions per MMBtu.

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