Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories

IPCC Emission Factor Database

(EFDB)
Regional workshop for the kick-off of the Capacity Building Project
for Sustainable National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Management
Systems in Eastern and Southern Africa
7 - 9 March 2011
Mauritius
Nalin SRIVASTAVA
Technical Support Unit, IPCC TFI
Outline

• Why EFDB?
• Data in EFDB
• Criteria for inclusion of data into EFDB
• How to access the data in EFDB
• How you can contribute
• Conclusion
Why is the EFDB needed?
CO2 from combustion of crude oil
CO2 Emissions (Gg/yr) = CEF • AD • 44/12 • 10-3
CEF = carbon emission factor for crude oil (t-C/TJ)
AD = Crude oil consumption expressed in energy unit (TJ)
From national
N2O from adipic acid production statistics, etc…
N2O Emissions (Gg/yr) = EF • AD • 10-6
EF = emission factor for adipic acid production (kg / tonnes of adipic acid
produced)
AD = amount of adipic acid produced (t)

CH4 from enteric fermentation of dairy cattle

CH4 Emissions (Gg/yr) = EF • AD • 10-6
EF = emission factor for dairy cattle (kg/head/year)
AD = population of dairy cattle in the country (head)

Measurements, Experiments, …, or…?

Why is the EFDB needed?
 Desirably, emission factors that reflect national
circumstances should be used in inventory compilation.
 However, development of such emission factors is difficult
- it is costly, time consuming, requires much expertise.
EF for CH4 from EF for CH4 from
rice cultivation? industrial wastewater?

EF for N2O from

EF for CO2 from utility boilers?
metal production?
Why is the EFDB needed?
 By sharing data/information, emission factors that
take into account local conditions (national
circumstances) can be obtained cost-effectively.

EF for CH4 from EF for CH4 from

EF for CH4 from industrial wastewater?
rice cultivation?
rice cultivation

Similar practices and

similar climate
Using similar
EF for CO2 from EFEFfor
forNCH
2O 4from
EF
EFfor
forCO
CO from
from
22 from boilers?
industrial
reducing agent
metal production EF for CO 2 from utility
utility
utilityboilers
boilers wastewater
in metal metal production?
production
Why is the EFDB needed?
 An easily accessible database on emission
factors and other relevant parameters will
facilitate sharing data/information by inventory
compilers, experts, scientists worldwide.

Emission Factor
Database (EFDB)
EFDB is expected to serve as...
 Library of well documented emission factors and
other parameters which
– Evolves dynamically through contributions of new
data from researchers, scientists, industry...
– Provides a wide variety of emission factors and other
parameters with background documentation or
technical references so that users can select and use
appropriate data on their own responsibility.
 Communication platform for distribution and
commenting on new research and measurement
data
Data contained in EFDB
 At present, EFDB contains the IPCC default data
(from 1996 Guidelines, Good Practice Guidance
reports and 2006 Guidelines).
 Additional data from the global scientific and
inventory society are also contained.
 New data will be evaluated for acceptance by EFDB
Editorial Board according to the following criteria.
– EFDB should assist countries in producing inventories
that are neither over- nor underestimates so far as can be
judged and in which uncertainties are reduced as far as
practicable.
– To this end, the data to be included should be…
Criteria for Inclusion of New Data
 Robust
– Within the accepted uncertainty, the value is unlikely to
change if there was repetition of the original
measurement programme or modelling activity.
 Applicable
– An emission factor can only be applicable if the source
and its mix of technology, operating and environmental
conditions and abatement and control technologies
under which the emission factor was measured or
modeled are clear and allow the user to see how it can
be applied.
“Properties”
 Documented
– Access information to the original technical reference
must be provided to evaluate the robustness and
applicability as described above.
Robustness
• Specific issues concerning robustness are, e.g.:
– Are the measurement techniques including raw data
validated and/or verified?
– Are the modelling techniques including supporting data
validated and/or verified?
– Is the conversion (if any) from model assumptions or
measurement conditions to annual or other forms of
emission factors or other parameters sufficiently
explained and justified?
– Is an uncertainty assessment on the emission factor or
other parameter presented?
• Sufficient documentation (provision of access to
technical references) will help.
Robustness
Emission Factor Report (ID: 213625)
Administrative information
Data Provider: GIO/CGER/NIES
Data Provider Country: Japan
Data Provider Contact: [email protected]
Date calculated: 2005/6/25
Date submitted to EFDB by Data
2006-03-27 20:05:57
Provider:
Date posted to EFDB by IPCC: Unknown

Technical information
Gas: NITROUS OXIDE

… …

Usage/Review information
Type of parameter: Measured
Measurement technique/standard: The N2O decomposition ratio (same meaning as "destruction
Online infrared gas analyzers and flow meters were used to
continuously measure the concentrations and the flow rates of
N2O entering and exiting the decomposition equipment. The
Periodicity of measurement: instantaneous value of a measurement was recorded every few
seconds. The instaneous values recorded data were used for
N2O emission calculations.

The independent auditing organization certified in August, 2005

External quality control performed: that emission estimates were conducted properly and the data
obtained and verified from the investigation were valid and
Date of measurement: 2004-4-1 to 2005-4-1
As 0.03% of the generated N2O gas escapes through the online
infrared gas analyzer and during the first crystallization process,
Comments from the data provider: the remaining 99.97% is fed into decomposition equipment. In
addition, 99.97% of the N2O fed is destroyed. Therefore, the
overall destruction factor is 99.94% (= 0.9997 * 0.9997).
Comments from others:
Source: IPCC Emission Factor Database (http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/EFDB/)
Link:
Applicability – “properties” are crucial

• “Properties” define what EFDB users might

see as important information in order to judge
whether the data are suitable for their
inventories.
• Five types of “properties”
– Technologies/Practices
– Parameters/Conditions
– Region/Regional Conditions
– Abatement/Control Technologies
– Others
Applicability – “properties” are crucial
Emission Factor Report (ID: 513626)
Administrative information
Data Provider: Xiaoquan Zhang
Data Provider Country: China
Data Provider Contact: [email protected]
Date calculated: 2006-06-28
Date submitted to EFDB by Data
2006-07-11 19:33:14
Provider:
Date posted to EFDB by IPCC: 2006-09-08 16:02:18

Technical information
Gas: CARBON DIOXIDE
Land-Use Change & Forestry (5) -> Changes in Forest and Other Woody Biomass Stocks
IPCC 1996 Source/Sink Category:
(5A) -> Tropical Forests (5A1) -> Plantations (5A1g)
IPCC 2006 Source/Sink Category: Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (3) -> Land (3.B)
Properties
The rotation is around 25 years. Thinning is usually done. Other management activities include
Technologies/Practices:
fertilizer application.
Abatement/Control Technologies: Other activities include pest and disease control, and fire control
Parameters/Conditions: Tree species: Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata); age ranges from 3 to 60 year-old.

Country: China; Region: Southern China; Climate zone: subtropical, very moist climate; Mean
Region/Regional Conditions:
annual temperature is 17°C; Mean annual precipitation is 1500mm.
Others: tree height ranges from 2 to 28.1 meter, DBH from 2 to 48.1 cm
Biomass Expansion Factor (BEF2) converting volumes of extracted rounwood to total
Description:
aboveground biomass (overbark) for Chinese fir
Value: 1.66 (1.21 - 2.97)
Unit: dimensionless (dimensionless)
Value in common units:
Common unit:
Equations 3.2.3, 3.2.7, and 3.2.8 in IPCC Good Practice Guidance for Land Use, Land-Use
Equation:
Change and Forestry
IPCC Worksheet: Worksheet FL-1a of IPCC GPG-LULUCF
compiled from Science literature (calculated from 121 studies from 39 published articles in
Source of data:
Chinese Journals
Source: IPCC Emission Factor Database (http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/EFDB/)
Applicability – “properties” are crucial

Source: Annex to the EFDB User Manual (Version A-1.10) (IPCC, 2005)
Documentation

• Sufficient information on technical references

– scientific or technical publication in an internationally
available journal
– report or book with an ISBN number

• URL where the technical references are

available will be quite helpful.
Documentation
Emission Factor Report (ID: 513034)
Administrative information
Data Provider: IPCC
Data Provider Country: (Not applicable)
Data Provider Contact: [email protected]
… …
Technical information
Gas: CARBON DIOXIDE

… …

IPCC Worksheet: Worksheet FL-1a of GPG-LULUCF

IPCC Good Practice Guidance for LULUCF, Table
Source of data: 3A.1.10 (Default Values of Biomass Expansion Factors
(BEFS)), page 3.178.
Isaev et al., 1993; Brown, 1997; Brown and Schroeder,
1999; Schoene, 1999; ECE/FAO TBFRA, 2000; Lowe et
Technical Reference:
al., 2000; Refer to FRA Working Paper 68 and 69 for
average values for developing countries (
Reference language: English

… …

Usage/Review information
Type of parameter: 1996 IPCC default
Data applicable to Forest Land Remaining Forest Land (5-
Comments from the data provider:
FL-1) and to Land Converted to Forest Land (5-FL-2)
Comments from others:
Link: http://w w w .fao.org/forestry/index.jsp

Source: IPCC Emission Factor Database (http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/EFDB/)

How to Access the EFDB
 Two different applications are available.
– Web application
• For all users to carry out on-line search
• For data providers to submit new emission factors
or other parameters
– CD-ROM application
• For all users, in particular for those who have
difficulty with Internet connection, to carry out off-
line search
 The web application is the core of this system.
New data will be made available in the Web
application first.
EFDB Web application

http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/EFDB/
EFDB Local CD-ROM application
 Can be operated locally (on a stand-alone PC).
 For detailed guidance, see
the User Guide for Local
CD-ROM application.
 For supplementary
information, see also:
• Appendices A-D of
the “User Manual for
Web application”
• Annex to the “User Manual for Web application”
EFDB Local CDROM application
 EFDB Local CD-ROM application works with
MS Access MDB file, which contains the copy
of the on-line web database.

 The latest MDB file will be made available

• Through the Internet: At the "Downloads" section
of the web application; and/or
• In the form of CD-ROM: Will be distributed
annually or biannually, possibly on the occasion of
sessions of SBSTA or COP.
Your participation is welcome!!
 Success – depending on input from the global
scientific and inventory society
– EFDB is open to any relevant data proposals.
– If you have your own data on emission factors,
please contact the Technical Support Unit (TSU)
by e-mail <[email protected]>.
 Continuous improvement on the content and
functionality – Users’ feedback will be quite
important
 Your participation is highly appreciated!!
Conclusion
• EFDB is an easily accessible database on
emission factors and other relevant
parameters to facilitate inventory compilation
and sharing data/information by inventory
compilers, experts, scientists worldwide
• Data to be included in EFDB should be
robust, applicable and well-documented
• EFDB available on web and CD-ROM
• Contribution from inventory and research
community critical to the success of EFDB
Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories

Thank you!

Guidelines in all the UN languages can be

downloaded from the IPCC website:
www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp