According to the Climate Change Action Plan, the United States consumed nearly 85 quadrillion Btus of energy in 1990 which produced 1,367 million metric tons of carbon. Fossil fuel consumption accounts for over 85 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Primary energy consumption in the residential sector nationwide accounted for approximately 17 quadrillion Btus of energy or about 20 percent of the total. Louisiana's Energy Efficient Mortgage program goals include a reduction in energy consumption and associated environmental emissions. The amount of emission reduction is in direct proportion to the expected energy savings.
Greenhouse emissions occur when fossil fuel is oxidized.
Non-fossil energy sources such as nuclear, solar and hydrologic do not release emissions into the atmosphere. The rate of emissions vary by fossil fuel. Inputs into this procedure were obtained from findings presented in Chapter I on the amount of energy consumed in the residential sector by fuel source and on the expected level of energy savings associated with the various market share and energy savings scenarios. Carbon equivalent emission rates by fuel source were obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy. The emission reductions associated with the Energy Efficient Mortgage program range from a low of 2,110 metric tons to a high of 6,735 metric tons per year.