28-Energy-Use-Analysis

Using existing data sources, the University of Colorado Denver program in Sustainable Urban Infrastructure conducted an energy use analysis to provide a greenhouse gas inventory and report using advanced methodologies that have already been applied by the university to other communities consistent with World Resources Institute and Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders Program.

The greenhouse gas inventory puts Chaffee County emissions for 2007 at 453,139 metric tons (999 million pounds) carbon dioxide equivalent. The pie chart below illustrates the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions attributable to each sector.

The information will be used as a benchmark for future comparisons, and efforts should be made to improve energy use and emissions data to enhance the accuracy of future greenhouse gas inventories.

For example, propane usage is under-represented in the existing inventory due to lack of consumption data. Performing traffic counts at county boundaries could improve future inventories by providing data to distinguish between local and non-local traffic. Also, information on locally produced food would lower the calculated emissions from food distribution.