Greenhouse Gas Inventory

UCAR recognizes that an important step toward sustainability is to understand how our operations impact greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. In March 2008, UCAR/NCAR/UCP voluntarily convened an interdisciplinary team to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, based on nationally recognized protocols developed by the EPA Climate Leaders program.  We will evaluate emissions produced due to building energy use; transportation; refrigeration and air conditioning; and waste disposal.

The results are in from UCAR's baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory.  Read all about it in Staff Notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between carbon footprint and a greenhouse gas inventory?
Is UCAR using an accepted protocol to complete its greenhouse gas inventory?
What gases are included in the inventory?
What types of GHG emissions are counted?
How does UCAR decide which emissions sources to include in the inventory? 
What unit of measure is used for greenhouse gas emissions?
How accurate is a greenhouse gas inventory?
Has UCAR set an emissions reduction goal?
Where can I get more information about Climate Leaders and UCAR’s GHG inventory methodology?

What’s the difference between carbon footprint and a greenhouse gas inventory?
“Carbon footprint” is a popular term that refers the potential climate impact of the greenhouse gases that are emitted directly or indirectly due to an individual or business’s activities.  For example, the combustion of fuel used to drive a car, heat a home, or fly a jet produces greenhouse gas emissions that could be calculated as part of an individual’s carbon footprint.  A “greenhouse gas inventory” is a calculation of the greenhouse gases emitted due to an individual or business’s activities.

Is UCAR using an accepted protocol to complete its greenhouse gas inventory?
UCAR is a member of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Leaders program.  As a member, we follow well accepted protocols to calculate our emissions, while receiving the benefit of consulting help from experts to ensure that we complete our inventory as thoroughly and accurately as we can with the available data.

What gases are included in the inventory?
Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, HFCs, PFCs.  

What types of GHG emissions are counted?
GHG emissions fall into three categories: Core Direct, Core Indirect, and Optional (also known as Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 in some emissions counting protocols). Core Direct emissions are those that are released at our locations, by our activities. For example, emission from the tailpipe of a UCAR-operated shuttle van are Core Direct emissions. For a company operating a power generation plant, emissions from the plant would count as Core Direct. Core Indirect emissions include those activities that are “core” to our operation, but that do not take place on our property – for example, cooling our buildings is a core need. The emissions from the production of electricity used to cool the buildings are not generated on our property, but without that electricity we would not be able to operate effectively. Optional emissions are those that we have indirect responsibility for producing, and that would be considered “core” to another business’s operation. For example, emissions from flights taken for business travel are considered optional: we take responsibility for the emissions produced to meet our need (business travel), while – if the airline is inventorying its emissions – the same emission would be considered a “core” need for the operation of the airline. Optional emissions tend to be more challenging to calculate than core emissions.

UCAR is counting the following emissions categories:

• Energy use for building heating and cooling, and for “plug load” – electricity use by electronics and appliances
• Transportation in UCAR-operated vehicles
• Escaped coolants from refrigeration
• Research plane fuel use
• Business travel
• Employee commute
• Waste disposal

How does UCAR decide which emissions sources to include in the inventory? 
Emissions are being calculated for all UCAR operational and staff activities that occur at, or in conjunction with, a UCAR-operated facility.  In a nutshell, that means that the operation of the Mesa Lab, Foothills Lab, Center Green Campus buildings, Marshall, Research Aviation Facility, and Washington D.C. office  - along with UCAR staff activities that occur within those buildings, or by staff housed in those buildings – are included in the inventory.  Because UCAR does not have operational control of the facilities of other agencies that house off-site staff, we do not include office-related emissions of staff housed in non-UCAR facilities. 

What unit of measure is used for greenhouse gas emissions?
Most inventories, including the one UCAR will complete, calculate emissions in terms of “carbon equivalent” units. Measuring carbon equivalent units makes it possible to compare the potency of emissions from sources that emit different proportions of the six measured greenhouse gases.  For example, according to the published Climate Leaders protocols, methane is considered to have a potency that is 21 times that of carbon dioxide. Thus, 1 unit of methane equals 21 carbon equivalent units.  While the scientific literature offers multiple estimates of the potency of GHGs relative to carbon dioxide, UCAR chooses to follow the guidelines published by Climate Leaders, which are based on findings from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

How accurate is a greenhouse gas inventory?
Inventories range from very rough approximations to detailed, reliable estimates.  While it’s impossible to calculate an organization’s greenhouse gas emissions with 100% accuracy, a rigorous assessment can give an organization a good picture of their emissions.  Currently, there is no single standard for calculating emissions. Therefore, it is challenging to compare the calculated emissions of different businesses. 

Has UCAR set an emissions reduction goal?
UCAR is completing our first GHG inventory in 2008-2009.  Before we consider setting an emissions reduction goal, we need to understand what our current emissions picture looks like.

Where can I get more information about Climate Leaders and UCAR’s GHG inventory methodology?
EPA offers a wealth of information on Climate Leaders and GHG inventory protocols at: http://www.epa.gov/stateply/