Energy Plug: Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 2000

Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 2000

The Energy Policy Act of 1992, among other provisions, created a voluntary program whereby U.S. companies and other organizations may report the results of their efforts to reduce, avoid, or sequester emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and several engineered gases. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is mandated to gather and publish data on such efforts since 1994 and has just released the latest available data in Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 2000.
In 2000, 222 U.S. companies and other organizations (hereafter "reporters") reported that they undertook 1,882 projects to reduce or sequester greenhouse gases. These efforts produced reported results that are grouped in four general categories:

Direct reductions (emissions reductions from any sources owned wholly or in part, or leased, by the reporting company), which produced reported reductions of 187 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2E) (see table);

Indirect reductions, which are from sources not owned or leased by the reporter but which occur wholly or in part because of the reporter's activities (61 MMTCO2E);

Sequestration, the fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide in a carbon sink through biological or physical processes such as photosynthesis (9 MMTCO2E); and

Unspecified reductions, reported reductions not categorized as either direct or indirect (12 MMTCO2E).

Direct and indirect reductions can be further broken down according to which of two baselines was used to calculate them, either emission levels in a particular prior year or hypothetical projected emission levels in the absence of reduction efforts. In 2000 over 80 percent of the 187 MMTCO2E total direct reductions, and 92 percent of the indirect reductions, were reported using the latter baseline.

Indicators for the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program, 1994-2000

Indicator

1994^R

1995^R

1996

1997

1998^R

1999^R

2000

Entities Reporting
108

142

150

162

207

207

222

Projects Reported
634

960

1,040

1,288

1,549

1,721

1,882

Entity-Level (Organization-Wide) Reports Received
40

51

56

60

76

83

100

Project-Level Reductions Reported
(Million Metric Tons CO2 Equivalent)

Direct^a
63

88

90

95

148

155

187

Indirect^b
5

52

53

38

43

57

61

Sequestration^c
1

1

9

10

12

10

9

Unspecified^d
4

6

6

9

19

13

12

^aReductions in releases of greenhouse gases from any source owned (wholly or in part) or leased by the reporting entity.
^bReductions from sources not owned or leased by the reporting entity but that occur, wholly or in part, as a result of the entity's activities.
^cThe fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide in a carbon sink through biological or physical processes.
^dReductions reported but not specified as either direct or indirect.
R=Revised.
Note: 1999 data have been revised upward to include 1999 reports that were filed after the deadline; 2000 data will be similarly revised in next year's report.
Source: Energy Information Administration.

Electric power sector reporters accounted for 1,287 (68 percent) of the reported projects in 2000; 462 of the projects (nearly all originating in the electric power sector) were related to the generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity while another 424 were related to energy end use. Industrial reporters accounted for 206 projects, agricultural and forestry organizations for 174, and alternative energy providers for 203.
Electric power sector projects accounted for 133 MMTCO2E in direct reductions. Energy end-use projects totaled about 20 MMTCO2E in direct reductions. Carbon sequestration projects accounted for 9 MMTCO2E, and methane abatement projects 29 MMTCO2E, of direct reductions. EIA no longer calculates the total of direct and indirect reductions because of the potential for double-reporting.

Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 2000, DOE/EIA-0608(2000); 210 pages, 37 tables, 15 figures. The full report is available only on EIA's website.

If you are having technical problems with this website, please contact the EIA Webmaster at wmaster@eia.doe.gov or call 202-586-8959. For information on printed summaries of the report, or for general information about energy, contact the National Energy Information Center at 202-586-8800 or infoctr@eia.doe.gov.

Questions about the report's content should be directed to the Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting to either:

Paul McArdle or Stephen Calopedis

paul.mcardle@eia.doe.gov stephen.calopedis@eia.doe.gov

Phone: (202) 586-4445 Phone: (202) 586-1156

URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/plugs/plgg00.html
File last modified: February 26, 2002

Indicators for the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program, 1994-2000
Indicator	1994^R	1995^R	1996	1997	1998^R	1999^R	2000

Entities Reporting	108	142	150	162	207	207	222
Projects Reported	634	960	1,040	1,288	1,549	1,721	1,882
Entity-Level (Organization-Wide) Reports Received	40	51	56	60	76	83	100
Project-Level Reductions Reported (Million Metric Tons CO2 Equivalent)
Direct^a	63	88	90	95	148	155	187
Indirect^b	5	52	53	38	43	57	61
Sequestration^c	1	1	9	10	12	10	9
Unspecified^d	4	6	6	9	19	13	12
^aReductions in releases of greenhouse gases from any source owned (wholly or in part) or leased by the reporting entity. ^bReductions from sources not owned or leased by the reporting entity but that occur, wholly or in part, as a result of the entity's activities. ^cThe fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide in a carbon sink through biological or physical processes. ^dReductions reported but not specified as either direct or indirect. R=Revised. Note: 1999 data have been revised upward to include 1999 reports that were filed after the deadline; 2000 data will be similarly revised in next year's report. Source: Energy Information Administration.

Paul McArdle	or	Stephen Calopedis
paul.mcardle@eia.doe.gov		stephen.calopedis@eia.doe.gov
Phone: (202) 586-4445		Phone: (202) 586-1156