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GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES,
VOL. 15, NO. 1,
PAGES 169–181,
2001
Calculation of Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Review of Emission Factors and a New Approach Taking Fuel Quality into
Consideration
Michael Hiete
Institute for Geoecology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Ulrich Berner
Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Otto Richter
Institute for Geoecology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Abstract
Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions resulting from fossil fuel consumption play a major role in the current debate
on climate change. Carbon dioxide emissions are calculated on the basis of a carbon dioxide emission factor (CEF)
for each type of fuel. Published CEFs are reviewed in this paper. It was found that for nearly all CEFs, fuel quality
is not adequately taken into account. This is especially true in the case of the CEFs for coal. Published CEFs are
often based on generalized assumptions and inexact conversions. In particular, conversions from gross calorific value
to net calorific value were examined. A new method for determining CEFs as a function of calorific value (for coal,
peat, and natural gas) and specific gravity (for crude oil) is presented that permits CEFs to be calculated for specific
fuel qualities. A review of proportions of fossil fuels that remain unoxidized owing to incomplete combustion or inclusion
in petrochemical products, etc., (stored carbon) shows that these figures need to be updated and checked for their
applicability on a global scale, since they are mostly based on U.S. data.
Received 17
January
2000;
accepted 17
July
2000.
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Citation: Hiete, M., U. Berner, and O. Richter
(2001),
Calculation of Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Review of Emission Factors and a New Approach Taking Fuel Quality into
Consideration,
Global Biogeochem. Cycles,
15(1),
169–181.
Copyright 2001 by the American Geophysical Union.
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