US CO2 emissions from energy, 2022

Investment Analysis Clubs Macro Economic Trends and Risks
1

The Energy Information Administration published the 2022 US carbon dioxide emissions from energy. Link here, with a summary of the last 5 years shown below…

     CO2, million metric tons
Year  Coal   Nat Gas    Oil   Total
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 
2018  1263     1627    2377    5278
2019  1078     1685    2374    5147         
2020   876     1650    2043    4580  
2021  1003     1655    2234    4903
2022   935     1746    2273    4964

2022 total CO2 from energy was higher by 1.2% over 2021.

Total CO2 emissions have increased since the pandemic and economic turmoil of 2020. Combustion of coal continues to decline long term. CO2 from natural gas combustion continues to increase, as it replaces coal. Petroleum products are the largest source of CO2, and are down slightly from pre-pandemic levels. Fuel consumption in some areas of the transportation sector have not completely recovered from before the pandemic, as shown here.

Eliminating coal is low-hanging fruit. Significantly reducing the other two big fossil fuels will be more difficult. Expect combustion of natural gas, and the CO2 emissions that come with it, to continue to increase. Meeting the 2030 greenhouse gas reduction goal is going to be very difficult without significant cuts in CO2 emissions from energy. Based on past trends and current efforts, I don’t see the goal being met.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Meanwhile…
China is burning more coal so they can charge up their EVs.

  • Pete
4 Likes
2

5278 to 4964 is a 6% reduction over four years. At that rate zero will take 67 years.

If we are serious about carbon reduction we need to do much better.

And your figures consider only electricity. No motor fuels included. They may have better potential but I would be surprised if those figures are any better given the pace of adoption.

1 Like
3

No, those numbers are for everything. Link below.

Petroleum is broken down into jet fuel, motor gasoline, av gas, etc. Only a small amount of electricity is generated from petroleum products in the US, but overall, petroleum is the largest emitter of CO2 compared to coal and natural gas.

But your other point is accurate. The US has rather high CO2 emissions per capita compared to most other industrialized countries. There are rumors that the EPA will be publishing some new rules, perhaps next week, which will require Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) on most fossil fuel power plants. We shall see what the EPA officially comes up with.

  • Pete
1 Like