Getting Warmer: US CO2 Emissions from Power Plants Emissions Rise 5.6% in 2010

This Environmental Integrity Project paper argues that carbon dioxide emissions from power plants rose 5.56% in 2010 over the year before, the biggest annual increase since the Environmental Protection Agency began tracking emissions in 1995. Electricity generators released 2.423 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2010, compared to 2.295 billion tons in 2009, according to information available on EPA’s “Clean Air Markets” database. While the increase is worrisome, power plant emissions are still below the high water mark of 2.565 million tons set in 2007. Last year’s rise was driven in part by a 3.0% net increase in overall generation for the 12 months ending in November of 20102 Average global temperatures last year reached the 2005 level, the warmest year on record., due to the economic recovery and unusually warm weather in some parts of the country.