Estimation of Greenhouse Gases Emitted from Energy Industry (Oil Refining and Electricity Generation) in Iraq Using IPCC Methodology

Bassim Mohammed Hashim,Maitham Abdullah Sultan,Ali Al Maliki,Nadhir Al-Ansari

doi:10.3390/atmos11060662

Abstract

The energy sector is integral to the wellbeing of the entire Iraqi economy and will remain so well into the future. In the current study, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology was used to estimate CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions from oil refining and electricity generation in Iraq for a period exceeding 25 years. From 1990, Iraq experienced two wars and an economic siege, then faced political, social, and security instability, which affected its energy production. The results showed that the CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions from the oil refining and electricity generation in Iraq experienced a sharp decline in the years 1991, 2003, and 2007 due to a decrease in the production of oil derivatives in refineries, according to political and security conditions. The total CO2 emissions from the types of fuel used in electricity generation in Iraq was approximately 14,000 Gg and 58,000 Gg in 1990 and 2017, respectively. The increase in CO2 emissions was greater than 300% between 1990 and 2017. The continued use of poor types of fuel, such as fuel oil and crude oil, will lead to an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from these sources, and higher levels of environmental pollution.

Highlights

Climate change is related to human activity, represented by burning fossil fuels for various industrial purposes, leading to the emission of large quantities of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ), and nitrous oxide (N2 O), and the occurrence of global warming [1].Several pollutants are emitted from the energy industry, the most important of which are carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SOX ), nitrogen oxides (NOX ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and methane (CH4 ) [2]
This study presents the application of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology to the estimation of greenhouse gas (GHG)
This study presents the application of the IPCC methodology to the estimation of GHGs produced by the energy industry in Iraq for a period of more than twenty-five years

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is related to human activity, represented by burning fossil fuels for various industrial purposes, leading to the emission of large quantities of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ), and nitrous oxide (N2 O), and the occurrence of global warming [1]. Several pollutants are emitted from the energy industry, the most important of which are carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SOX ), nitrogen oxides (NOX ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and methane (CH4 ) [2]. Electrical power production is one of the world’s largest contributors, and an important source of many pollutants, including greenhouse gases (GHGs), emitted as a result of burning several types of fuel to generate electricity [5]. Iraq relies heavily on the use of fossil fuels for electricity production, which has Atmosphere 2020, 11, 662; doi:10.3390/atmos11060662 www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere

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Conclusion