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U.S. EPA’s Climate Change Activities

U.S. EPA’s Climate Change Activities. Melissa Hulting EPA Region 5 Climate Change Coordinator Midwest State Legislators Workshop October 22, 2007. Climate Science. EPA cites scientific information contained in the consensus reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

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U.S. EPA’s Climate Change Activities

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  1. U.S. EPA’s Climate Change Activities Melissa Hulting EPA Region 5 Climate Change Coordinator Midwest State Legislators Workshop October 22, 2007

  2. Climate Science • EPA cites scientific information contained in the consensus reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): • Greenhouse gases and temperatures are rising; warming of climate system is considered “unequivocal” • Human activities have induced most of the warming over the past 50 years (over 90% certainty) • A range of stabilization levels can be achieved by deploying a portfolio of current and future technologies

  3. Role of EPA Programs in U.S. Climate Policy • Contribute significantly to President Bush’s goal of 18% reduction in GHG intensity by 2012 • Provide near-term solutions while long-term R&D is occurring: e.g., hydrogen and fuel cells • Voluntary Programs: • Businesses: reduce emissions through voluntary partnerships that increase energy efficiency and promote clean and renewable energy • Public: ENERGY STAR • 2007 State of the Union address: Reduce U.S. gasoline usage by 20% by 2017 • Respond to the April Supreme Court decision • EPA has authority under the CAA to regulate mobile sources for GHG emissions • EPA’s updated Climate Change Web site: www.epa.gov/climatechange

  4. EPA’s Voluntary GHG Reduction Programs

  5. The EPA CHP Partnership • Voluntary program - reduce the environmental impact of power generation by promoting the use of CHP. • Assist with CHP project development, regulatory barriers, market transformation. • Work with government and environmental community to evaluate environmental benefits of CHP • Through 2006, the CHPP has helped Partners put into operation more than 250 CHP projects representing over 3,500 MW of capacity, resulting in the cumulative emission reductions of over 10 million tons CO2

  6. Combined Heat and Power • CHP – or cogeneration – is the generation of heat and power from the same fuel source. • Heat that is usually wasted (often steam) is fed into another process onsite or used to generate more electricity • Electricity often used on-site, but may be sold back to grid. • CHP can work with numerous technologies and fuels.

  7. Advantages of CHP CHP is more efficient than separate generation of electricity and heat: • Higher efficiency translates to lower operating cost, but requires capital investment. • On-site electric generation reduces grid congestion and avoids distribution costs. • Higher efficiency reduces emissions of all pollutants. • Increased reliability and power quality can also add significant value.

  8. Information/Contact • Visit our Web site! www.epa.gov/chp • Call me at 202.343.9794 Tom Frankiewicz Program Manager CHP Partnership

  9. AgSTAR • Reduce methane emissions from livestock waste management operations by promoting the use of biogas recovery systems. • A biogas recovery system is an anaerobic digester with biogas capture and combustion to produce electricity, heat or hot water. • Anaerobic digesters are particularly effective in reducing methane emissions but also provide other air and water pollution control opportunities.

  10. AgSTAR provides: • Tools to assist producers in implementation of these systems, including: • Conducting farm digester extension events and conferences • Providing “How-To” project development tools and industry listings • Conducting performance characterizations for digesters and conventional waste management systems • Toll free hotline • Providing farm recognition for voluntary environmental initiatives • Collaborating with federal and state renewable energy, agricultural, and environmental programs

  11. Anaerobic Digesters 2006 Energy values are in MWh

  12. Funding Guide for Federal and State Resources • Summarizes federal and state animal waste digestion funding assistance • Grants, loans, energy production incentives • For each program type provides: • Program description • Eligibility requirements • Contacts

  13. Challenges • From recent California Energy Commission report (quotes from Biocycle article) • “Negotiating electricity sales and offsets was by far the greatest challenge for the 28 farmers whose AD projects were on hold.” • Interconnection, rates, contract length, upgrades • “The 27 farmers with operational AD systems or AD projects under construction identified working with the utility as, far and away, their greatest challenge.”

  14. For more information • www.epa.gov/agstar • Chris Voell • 202-343-9406 • voell.christopher@epa.gov

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