U.S. EPAs Climate Change Activities

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U.S. EPAs Climate Change Activities

• Melissa Hulting
• EPA Region 5 Climate Change Coordinator
• Midwest State Legislators Workshop
• October 22, 2007

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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

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Role of EPA Programs in U.S. Climate Policy

• Contribute significantly to President Bushs goal
  of 18 reduction in GHG intensity by 2012
• Provide near-term solutions while long-term RD
  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
• EPAs updated Climate Change Web site
  www.epa.gov/climatechange

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EPAs Voluntary GHG Reduction Programs
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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

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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.

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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.

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Information/Contact

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

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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.

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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

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Anaerobic Digesters 2006
Energy values are in MWh
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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

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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.

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For more information

• www.epa.gov/agstar
• Chris Voell
• 202-343-9406
• voell.christopher_at_epa.gov

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