Q818. How did reporting of emissions for Fluorinated Gas Producers change in 2015?

A818. In 2015, fluorinated gas producers began

• Reporting most emissions of fluorinated GHGs by individual compound at the facility level;
• Reporting emissions of fluorinated GHGs from individual processes by fluorinated GHG group (each fluorinated GHG group is composed of fluorinated GHGs with similar chemical structures and atmospheric impacts.); and
• Applying new chemical-specific and default global warming potentials (GWPs) to many fluorinated GHGs.

The 2015 reports covered emissions from four years: 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Emissions from all four years were reported at the level of detail and using the GWPs described above.

Under temporary reporting provisions that had been in effect before 2015, emissions reported for 2011 through 2013 had previously been reported only in tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent at the facility level, with no identification of the compounds or fluorinated GHG groups emitted. Where a fluorinated GHG did not have a chemical-specific GWP listed on Table A-1 (the GHGRP’s compendium of GWPs), fluorinated gas producers were required to apply their best-estimate GWP or one of two default GWPs.

These temporary reporting provisions had been put into place while EPA evaluated concerns that had been raised by fluorinated gas producers regarding the level of detail with which they were required to report their emissions under the original subpart L rule. On December 11, 2014, the EPA finalized amendments to subpart L that addressed those concerns (79 FR 73750). In addition to revising reporting requirements, the amendments established new, more precise chemical-specific and default GWPs for fluorinated GHGs that had not previously had GWPs listed on Table A-1. For more information on the amendments, please visit http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/subpart-l-fluorinated-gas-production