Analysis of Time Dependent Valuation of Emission Factors from the Electricity Sector

Abstract

In recent years, energy consumption and associated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and their potential effects on the global climate change have been increasing. Climate change and global warming has been the subject of intensive investigation provincially, nationally, and internationally for a number of years. While the complexity of the global climate change remains difficult to predict, it is important to develop a system to measure the amount of GHG released into the environment. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate how several methods can accurately estimate the true GHG emission reduction potential from renewable technologies and help achieve the goals set out by the Kyoto Protocol reducing fuel consumption and related GHG emissions, promoting decentralization of electricity supply, and encouraging the use of renewable energy technologies. There are several methods in estimating emission factors from facilities: direct measurement, mass balance, and engineering estimates. Direct measurement involves continuous emission monitoring throughout a given period. Mass balance methods involve the application of conservation equations to a facility, process, or piece of equipment. Emissions are determined from input/output differences as well as from the accumulation and depletion of substances. The engineering method involves the use of engineering principles and knowledge of chemical and physical processes (EnvCan, 2006). In Guler (2008) the method used to estimate emission factors considers only the total amount of fuel and electricity produced from power plants. The previous methodology does not take into consideration the offset cyclical relationship, daily and yearly, between electricity generated by renewable technologies. It should be noted that none of the methods mentioned above include seasonal/daily adjustments to annual emission factors. Specifically, the proposed research would include analyzing existing methods in calculating emission factors and attempt to estimate new emission factors based on the hourly electricity demand for the Province of Ontario. In this Chapter, several GHG emission factor methodology was discussed and compared to newly developed monthly emission factors in order to realize the true CO2 reduction potential for small scale renewable energy technologies. The hourly greenhouse gas emission factors based on hour-by-hour demand of electricity in Ontario, and the average Greenhouse Gas Intensity Factor (GHGIFA) are estimated by creating a series of emission factors and their corresponding profiles that can be easily incorporated into simulation