Last reviewed on 12-01-2023
Documentation of California's Greenhouse Gas Inventory
(2023 Edition - Last updated on 12-1-2023)
♦ Category: Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use
IPCC: |
3A2ai - Livestock - Manure Management - Cattle - Dairy Cows |
Sector: |
Agriculture & Forestry : Manure Management : Cattle : Pasture |
♦ Activity: Livestock population - Dairy cows
♦ Greenhouse gas: Methane ( CH4 )
► Year 2010 —
● Greenhouse gas emission estimate —
Amount: |
81.99 tonnes of CH4 Emitted (2,050 tonnes CO2 Eq.) |
Basis: |
Calculation |
Calculation: |
[Livestock population] * [Volatile solids production rate] * [Methane conversion factor] * [Maximum methane production capacity] * [Methane density] |
Reference: |
USEPA (2013). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Annex 3.11: Methodology for Estimating CH4 and N2O Emissions from Manure Management. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-12/documents/us-ghg-inventory-2013-annexes.pdf |
● Activity level used in calculations —
● Parameters and Constants used in calculations —
Parameter: |
Maximum methane production capacity = 0.24 m3 / kg |
Reference: |
USEPA (2013). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Annex 3.11: Methodology for Estimating CH4 and N2O Emissions from Manure Management. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-12/documents/us-ghg-inventory-2013-annexes.pdf |
Parameter: |
Methane conversion factor = 0.015 |
Reference: |
Wirth, T. (2015). Data request between CARB and Tom Wirth, US Environmental Protection Agency, December 2015. |
Parameter: |
Proportion in manure management system = 6.712E-03 |
Reference: |
Wirth, T. (2015). Data request between CARB and Tom Wirth, US Environmental Protection Agency, December 2015. |
Parameter: |
Total population = 1,830,308 head |
Reference: |
CARB (2016). Technical support document on GHG inventory methodologies for the 2000-2014 inventory. See discussion of emissions from manure management available at: https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/cc/inventory/pubs/reports/2000_2014/ghg_inventory_00-14_technical_support_document.pdf |
Parameter: |
Volatile solids production rate = 2,800 kg / year |
Reference: |
Wirth, T. (2015). Data request between CARB and Tom Wirth, US Environmental Protection Agency, December 2015. |
Constant: |
Average number of days per year = 365.2425 day |
Reference: |
USNO (2004). U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department, Leap Years. Accessed online at: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/astronomical-information-center/leap-years |
Constant: |
Methane density = 662 g / m3 |
Reference: |
USEPA (2013). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Annex 3.11: Methodology for Estimating CH4 and N2O Emissions from Manure Management. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-12/documents/us-ghg-inventory-2013-annexes.pdf |
Constant: |
Global warming potential of CH4 = 25 |
Reference: |
IPCC (2007). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Solomon S., Qin D., Manning M., Chen Z., Marquis M., Averyt K.B., Tignor M., and Miller H.L. (eds.). http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_synthesis_report.htm |
● Greenhouse gas emitted per unit activity (derived from values listed above) —
Amount: |
6,674 g (i.e. 6.67 kg) of CH4 per head of Dairy cows 166,839 g (i.e. 166.84 kg) of CO2eq. per head of Dairy cows |