Josh Silverman - 2011 GreenGov Symposium

2011 GreenGov Symposium 

Oct. 31 -‐ Nov. 2, 2011 

Washington Hilton Washington, DC 

Controlling Fugitive Emissions to 

Achieve GHG Reduction Goals 

Josh Silverman 

Chair, DOE Fugi.ve Emissions Working Group 

Director, Office of Sustainability Support 

Office of Health, Safety and Security 

Department of Energy 

Climate Risk & Resilience – Session 4 

Comprehensive Climate Metrics 

Controlling FugiKve Emissions 

November 1, 2011

Tracking Fugitives 

Fugitive, 1964 

Fugitive, 1993 





What are Fugitive GHG Emissions? 

GHG emissions resul.ng from produc.on, processing, 

storage, transmission, and use of fluorinated gases 

• Sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) 

• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) 

• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) 

• Nitrogen Triflouride (NF 3 ) 

Releases may be inten.onal or uninten.onal 

Considered Scope 1 GHG (direct emissions), along with 

on-‐site fuel combus.on 





High Impact Gases 

Greenhouse Gas 

Global Warming Potential 

(100 year time span) 

SF6 23,900 

HFC 12 – 11,700 

PFC 0 – 17,340 

NF 3 17,200 

Global Warming Poten0al: the ability of a greenhouse gas to trap heat in the 

atmosphere, rela0ve to the same unit of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). 





If this represents 

the global 

warming potential 

a unit of CO 2 … 

This represents the global warming 

potential of the same unit of SF 6 





DOE 2008 Scope 1 and 2 GHG 

Emissions Baseline (by Source) 

Fossil Fuel 

21% 

Electricity 

62% 

Fugitive 

Emissions 

14% 

Transportation 

2% 

Total: 4.6 million mTCO 2 e 

Other

DOE 2008 Fugitive Emissions 

Baseline (by Type) 

HFC 

5% 

PFC 

2% NF3 

< 1% 

Other 

0.02% 

SF6 

92% 





Implementation Plan to Reduce 

Fugitive Emissions 

Establish Fugi.ve Emissions Working Group to guide 

Departmental approach and share informa.on 

Reduce SF 6 releases from maintenance ac.ons 

• Install and use capture and storage equipment 

Strengthen leak detec.on and repair programs 

• Focus on SF 6 systems 

Conduct opportunity assessments to iden.fy reduc.on 

opportuni.es for use/release of high-‐GWP GHGs 

• Focus on facili.es using large quan..es of SF 6 





Fugitive Emissions Reductions: 

42% drop from FY08 to FY10 

70 

1000 mTCO 2 e 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

2008 

2010 

10 

0 

Fugitive 

Emissions (x10) 

SF6 (x10) HFC PFC NF3 Other: CO2, 

CH4, N2O 





Challenges—and 

Opportunities 

SF 6 is mission-‐cri.cal at several sites 

• No subs.tutes for DOE’s highest-‐volume applica.ons 

• Price vola.lity and increased regulatory pressure likely 

Business case for reducing fugi.ve emissions 

• Regulatory and price vola.lity require 

greater aUen.on to SF 6 management 

• DOE has found low-‐cost emissions abatement 

opportuni.es at most sites 

• Fugi.ve reduc.ons will contribute substan.ally to the 

Department’s overall reduc.on goal for Scope 1 and 2 GHGs 





What We’ve Learned 

Precision and certainty are not required to take ac.on 

• Taking steps to reduce emissions was more important 

than resolving data discrepancies 

Line responsibility is essen.al to successful implementa.on 

It’s a team sport—success is defined by the 

strength of our rela.onships 

• Problem was quickly defined because HQ and field had 

longstanding, effec.ve working rela.onships 

• Site success stories typically cross organiza.onal boundaries 

• Fugi.ve Emissions Working Group was recognized 

last week with a Secretarial Achievement Award 





Contact Information 

Josh Silverman 

Chair, Fugi.ve Emissions Working Group 

Director, Office of Sustainability Support 

Office of Health, Safety and Security 

U.S. Department of Energy 

202-‐586-‐6535 

Josh.Silverman@hq.doe.gov

Josh Silverman - 2011 GreenGov Symposium

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