Glossary:
Energy-Related Carbon Emissions
For
additional terms, refer to:
 the Glossary
of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1998 for
additional greenhouse gas related terms,
the Glossary
of Manufacturing Consumption of Energy 1994 for additional manufacturing
terms, and
Appendix
F of Manufacturing Consumption of Energy 1994 for descriptions
of the major industry groups.
- British
Thermal Unit:
- The amount
of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree
Fahrenheit. One quadrillion Btu is 1015 Btu, or 1.055 exajoules.
- Btu:
- See British
Thermal Unit.
- Carbon
Dioxide:
- A colorless,
odorless, non-poisonous gas that is a normal part of Earth's atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide is a product of fossil-fuel combustion as well as other
processes. It is considered a greenhouse gas as it traps heat radiated
into the atmosphere and thereby contributes to the potential for global
warming.
- Carbon
Intensity:
- The amount
of carbon by weight emitted per unit of energy consumed. A common measure
of carbon intensity is the weight of carbon per British thermal unit
(Btu) of energy. When there is only one fossil fuel under consideration,
the carbon intensity and the emissions coefficient are the same. When
there are several fuels, carbon intensity is an energy-consumption weighted
average of the emissions coefficients. See Emissions
Coefficient.
- Carbon
Output Rate:
- The amount
of carbon by weight per kilowatthour of electricity produced.
- Carbon
Sequestration:
- The fixation
of atmospheric carbon dioxide in a carbon sink through biological or
physical processes.
- Carbon
Sink:
- A reservoir
that absorbs or takes up released carbon from another part of the carbon
cycle.
- Coal:
- A readily
combustible black or brownish-black rock whose composition, including
inherent moisture, consists of more than 50 percent by weight and more
than 70 percent by volume of carbonaceous material.
- Electricity:
- See Net
Electricity.
- Emissions:
- Releases
of gases to the atmosphere due to human activity. In the context of
global climate change, emissions consist of radiatively important greenhouse
gases (e.g., the release of carbon dioxide during fuel combustion).
- Emissions
Coefficient:
- A unique
value for scaling emissions to activity data in terms of a standard
rate of emissions per unit of activity (e.g., weight of carbon emitted
per Btu of fossil fuel consumed).
- Feedstock
Use of Energy:
- The use
of an energy source as a raw material.
- First
Use of Energy:
- All energy
used in the manufacturing sector, either for fuel use (heat, power,
and electricity generation) or for nonfuel (feedstock) use. Excluded
are energy sources produced on site from other energy sources.
- Greenhouse
Gases:
- Those
gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane,
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride,
that are transparent to solar (short-wave) radiation but opaque to long-wave
radiation, thus preventing long-wave radiant energy from leaving the
atmosphere. The net effect is a trapping of absorbed radiation and a
tendency to warm the planet's surface.
- Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):
- A panel
established jointly in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization
and the United Nations Environment Program to assess the scientific
information relating to climate change and to formulate realistic response
strategies.
- Metric
Ton:
- A quantity
of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms, or 2,204.6 pounds.
- Natural
Gas:
- A mixture
of hydrocarbon compounds and small quantities of various nonhydrocarbons
existing in the gaseous phase or in solution with crude oil in natural
underground reservoirs at reservoir conditions.
- Net
Electricity:
- Net electricity
is the sum of purchased electricity, transfers in, and generation from
noncombustible renewable resources minus the quantities of electricity
sold and transferred offsite. Thus net electricity excludes the quantities
of electricity generated or cogenerated onsite from combustible energy
sources.
- Petroleum:
- A generic
term applied to oil and oil products in all forms, such as crude oil,
lease condensate, unfinished oils, petroleum products, natural gas plant
liquids, and nonhydrocarbon compounds blended into finished petroleum
products. For petroleum refining only, the Manufacturing Energy Consumption
Survey excludes those inputs and feedstocks that were converted to other
energy products.
- Sequestration:
- See Carbon
Sequestration.
- Shipments:
- Shipments
from an establishment of energy sources produced or transformed onsite
from the nonfuel use of other energy sources.
- SIC
Code:
- See Standard
Industrial Classification Code
- Standard
Industrial Classification Code:
- A hierarchical
classification system that groups establishments according to their
primary economic activities. Beginning with the 1998 Manufacturing Energy
Consumption Survey, the North American Industry Classification System
(NAICS) replaces the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes.
See Good-Bye,
SIC - Hello, NAICS for an explanation of the changes.
- Total
Inputs of Energy:
- Use of
energy in the production of heat, steam, power, or the generation of
electricity.
[Energy-Related
Carbon Emissions in Manufacturing]
- Contact:
- Stephanie
Battles
- Stephanie.Battles@eia.doe.gov
- (Phone:
(202) 586-7237)
- FAX:
202-586-0018
Contact Us
URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/efficiency/carbon_emissions/glossary.html
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Last Modified: May 31, 2000
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