In 2014, the total US electricity production was about 4,093 Billion kWh/year, w

Question

In 2014, the total US electricity production was about 4,093 Billion kWh/year, with 39% from coal and 27% from natural gas. We can assume that the remaining 34% electricity was from carbon-free sources (with zero carbon footprint). Take the carbon foot print of coal-fire and natural gas plants to be 2.5 and 1.818 kg/kwH, respectively.

a. What is the average carbon footprint of US electricity in (kg CO2/kWh)?

b. How much carbon (in Gigatons of Carbon/GtC) was emitted from US electricity production in 2014?

Explanation / Answer

Total electricity production: 4093 Billion kWh/year.

Electricity from coal = 4093 * 0.39 = 1575.21 Billion kWh/year.

Electricity from natural gas = 4093 * 0.27 = 1105.11 Billion kWh/year.

Carbon generated from coal = 2.5 kg/kwH * 1575.21 Billion kWh/year. = 3938.025 Billion kg/year

Carbon generated from natural gas = 1.818 kg/kwH * 1105.11 Billion kWh/year. = 2009.08 Billion kg/year

Total carbon generated = 3938.025 Billion kg/year + 2009.08 Billion kg/year = 5947.105 Billion kg/year

a)

So avarage carbon foot print in (kg CO2/kWh) = (5947.105 Billion kg/year) / (4,093 Billion kWh/year) = 1.46 kg CO2/kWh

b)

Total carbon footprint in year = 5947.105 * 109 kg = 5947.105 GtC

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