Analysis of GHG Abatement Opportunities under America’s Climate Security Act of 2007

AbstractOver the past few years, several pieces of legislation have been introduced in Congress aimed at reducing US greenhouse (GHG) emissions by setting emission targets by specified years. One of the latest bills, America’s Climate Security Act of 2007 (S.2191) was introduced in October 2007 and sets a US GHG emissions target for 2050 that is 85% below the governments business-as-usual forecast. DOE/NETL has employed a multi-sector emissions accounting tool, CarBen, that identifies emission abatement options and their contribution, via a wedge analysis, to the total GHG emissions reduction needed to meet the 2050 emissions target laid out in S.2191.This paper begins with a review of expected greenhouse (GHG) emissions in the United States through 2050. Historical and projected trends in U.S. energy use per GDP and GHG emission per unit of energy delivered are assessed. The paper then explores “technical possibilities” that exist for the U.S. to mitigate its GHG emissions in line with S.2191. Within the power sector, these options include nuclear power, renewable power generation, refurbishing existing coal power plants, retrofitting existing coal power plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS) and deploying new coal and natural gas power plants with CCS Outside of the power sector abatement options cover non-CO2 GHG emissions abatement, terrestrial offsets, international credits, improved vehicle efficiency and electrification of the transportation sector through hybrid electric vehicles. The methodology for calculating the wedges and allocating emissions reduction among the different options is described