2012 US energy emissions total 5.3 billion tons
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) US energy emissions totaled 5.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2012.
Energy emissions were down from 5.5 billion tonnes of CO2 in 2011.
This decrease is energy emissions can be attributed to two main causes.
First of all the low price of natural gas prompted many electric providers to shift away from coal-fired generation which significantly reduced national energy emissions.
Vast natural gas deposits have been found underground across the US, and improved mining technology has made the fossil fuel cost-competitive with coal.
As a result, many power plants transitioned to natural gas combustion, which produces about half as much CO2 energy emissions.
Secondly, since the US experienced a relatively mild winter, most homes did not require excessive heating.
The EIA report declared that 2012 energy emission levels were at their lowest levels since 1994.
(4/10/13)