Greenhouse Gas Inventory

DEQ produces a statewide inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that represents North Carolina’s “carbon footprint.”  The inventory provides a high-level perspective of GHG emissions resulting from human activity and contains a detailed accounting of GHGs emitted or removed by key source categories from 1990 to 2018.  The inventory also projects North Carolina’s GHG emissions from 2019 to 2030 based on forecasted changes in fuel use, population, historical trends, and other factors.   

The 2022 update to the GHG Inventory focuses on four primary source categories:  Electricity Use; Transportation; Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Fuel Combustion; and Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) with significant changes in estimates for Transportation and LULUCF.  Significant revisions were made to the Transportation sector analysis due to newly available data and the use of an updated EPA-approved onroad vehicle emissions estimation model.  

The inventory can be used by environmental planners and energy policy makers in our State to understand past, current, and expected future GHG emissions in North Carolina.  It can also be used as a baseline to evaluate and develop GHG mitigation options for our State and predict their effect on reducing emissions in future years. 

Factsheet for Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2018

Download Full Report Here

NC Greenhouse Inventory - January 2022 Cover Art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Executive Summary

Fact Sheet

Additional Information

Tab/Accordion Items

The North Carolina GHG inventory estimates emissions of the six primary anthropogenic GHG pollutants listed below.

  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
  • Methane (CH4)
  • Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
  • Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
  • Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
  • Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6)

 Emission Activities by Sector

Emission Sector

Emission Activity 

Electricity Use

Fossil fuel combustion from coal, natural gas, and petroleum products, and imported electricity use

Residential (Home), Commercial, and Industrial Combustion

Stationary sources which combust coal, natural gas, petroleum products, and wood

Transportation

Emissions from gasoline highway, non-highway, diesel highway, and alternative fuel vehicles

Agriculture

Emissions from enteric fermentation, manure management, agricultural residue burning, and agricultural soils management

Waste Management

Emissions from municipal solid waste and wastewater operations

Industrial Processes

Emissions from industrial operations including:

  • Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) substitutes
  • Phosphoric acid production
  • Iron and steel production
  • Electric power transmission and distribution
  • Semiconductor manufacturing
  • Soda ash
  • Limestone and dolomite use
  • Urea consumption
  • Aluminum production
Natural Gas and Oil Systems

Fugitive emissions from natural gas transmission and distribution

Net Carbon Sinks
  • Sequestration of CO2 through carbon flux from forest management, agricultural soils, landfilled yard trimmings, and food waste
  • Emissions from liming, urea fertilization, forest fires, and settlement soils

For more information, please contact:
Andy Bollman
Division of Air Quality