U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion in 1999 were 1 percent higher than in 1998, despite a relatively mild winter and higher-than-normal electricity generation from nuclear and hydroelectric sources, according to preliminary estimates prepared by the Energy Information Administration. If emissions of all greenhouse gases are expressed in terms of their carbon equivalents, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions accounted for 81 percent of U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions in 1998.
Total carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion rose from 1,495 million metric tons of carbon in 1998 to 1,511 million metric tons of carbon in 1999. Among economic sectors, the greatest increase (3 percent) occurred in transportation. Emissions also rose in the residential and industrial sectors, but declined in the commercial sector, all by less than 1 percent (see table).
| Estimated U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil Energy Consumption by End-Use Sector (Million Metric Tons of Carbon) |
||||||||||
Energy Sector |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
| Residential | 254 |
259 |
259 |
274 |
272 |
273 |
290 |
289 |
289 |
290 |
| Commercial | 208 |
208 |
208 |
214 |
217 |
221 |
229 |
241 |
244 |
244 |
| Industrial | 455 |
444 |
462 |
461 |
471 |
469 |
484 |
490 |
480 |
481 |
| Transportation | 432 |
424 |
431 |
436 |
449 |
458 |
469 |
474 |
482 |
496 |
| Total Energy | 1,349 |
1,335 |
1,359 |
1,385 |
1,410 |
1,421 |
1,471 |
1,493 |
1,495 |
1,511 |
| Notes: Estimates for 1999 are based on data published in the June 2000 Monthly Energy Review and are preliminary.
To convert tons of carbon to tons of carbon dioxide gas, multiply by 3.667. Source: Energy Information Administration. |
||||||||||
By fuel, emissions from petroleum combustion rose about 2 percent in 1999, to 649 million metric tons of carbon. Emissions from combustion of natural gas also rose, to 312 million metric tons of carbon (an increase of less than 1 percent), while those from coal combustion fell slightly to 549 million metric tons of carbon.
Unusual weather and patterns in non-fossil generation helped mitigate carbon dioxide emissions in 1999. Cooling degree-days were about 4 percent above normal (reflecting an unusually warm summer); had normal conditions prevailed, emissions could have been 3.1 million metric tons of carbon lower. However, heating degree-days ran about 7 percent below normal for the year, and the mild winter more than offset the effect of the warm summer. Emissions were 14.7 million metric tons of carbon lower than they might normally have been. Likewise, generation of nuclear power and hydroelectric power were about 7 percent and 9 percent (respectively) above average levels (based on data from 1997 through 1999); had they remained at the 3-year average levels and the difference been made up with fossil-fueled generation, carbon dioxide emissions could have been nearly 17 million metric tons of carbon higher.
The preliminary carbon-dioxide emissions estimates published in this report will be finalized and included with data on other greenhouse gas emissions in EIA's Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1999, due for release later this fall.
U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy Sources: 1999 Flash Estimate is
available only on the Energy Information Administration Web site.
If you are having technical problems with this site, please contact the EIA Webmaster at webmaster@eia.doe.gov or call 202-586-8959. For general information about energy, contact the National Energy Information Center at 202-586-8800 or infoctr@eia.doe.gov.
URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/plugs/plco2_99.html
File last modified: September 26, 2000
