Greenhouse gas management

What Is GHG management?

Greenhouse gas (GHG) management has become an integral part of industry operations, as climate change is the rallying issue in a new frontier of global warming laws and GHG emissions regulations for industry. Global warming is caused when radiant energy from the sun heats the earth’s surface and GHGs emitted into the atmosphere trap this heat, an effect similar to the glass panels of a greenhouse. The most common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, or CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide, all emitted by industry and prime targets for regulation.

Effect of greenhouse gas policy on industry

Industries are facing policies and regulations that will require them to reduce GHG emissions. Following is a general status of some of the global warming laws in the United States:

• On September 23, 2021, EPA issued a final rule that will phase down the U.S. production and consumption of HFCs by 85% over the next 15 years, as mandated by the AIM Act. A global phasedown of HFCs is expected to avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100.
• EPA is also responsible for implementing the Renewable Fuels Standard Program, a national policy that requires a certain volume of renewable fuel to replace petroleum-based transportation fuel.
• In January 2021, the D.C. Circuit vacated and remanded the previous administration’s repeal of the Clean Power Plan, which was issued in 2015, and stayed by the Supreme Court in February 2016. In its opinion vacating the repeal, the D.C. Circuit affirmed EPA’s obligation to set carbon dioxide standards for existing power plants.
• In 2015, EPA issued a final rule establishing emission standards for greenhouse gas emissions from new fossil fuel-fired utility boilers and natural gas-fired stationary combustion turbines.
• On July 25, 2016, EPA issued a final action under Section 231(a) of the Clean Air Act finding that emissions of the six well-mixed greenhouse gases from certain classes of engines used in aircraft also constitute a threat to public health and welfare and contribute to climate change.

Determine your greenhouse gas emissions rates

GHG emissions reporting and permitting requirements are here, and GHG reduction requirements for your facilities are coming. Your first step to prepare is to calculate and document your current GHG emissions rates at your facility. By doing so, you are able to comply with applicable reporting and permitting requirements, and you establish a baseline emission rate, making it possible to quantify the success of your GHG emissions reduction efforts and to receive credits for voluntary reductions that may be preserved for use under any future incentive-based or mandatory GHG reduction programs.

Any facility may report GHG emissions under the U.S. Department of Energy’s voluntary greenhouse gas reporting guidelines at 10 CFR 300. In addition, most states participate in the Climate Registry, which is a nationwide registry that supports voluntary and mandatory GHG emissions reporting from the participating states. Reporting to the registry ensures that consistent reporting and accounting methodologies are used despite the differences in the various climate change policies and programs from state to state.

After establishing your baseline emissions rate, take actions to reduce the carbon footprint of your facility, such as using renewable energy and renewable fuels and implementing measures to improve the energy efficiency of your operations.