A cement manufacturing plant is preparing a greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventory to assess its carbon footprint. The plant uses various energy sources and materials in its operations. The following data has been provided:
Data on consumption & production:
The plant consumes 15,000,000 kWh of electricity annually.
The plant uses 5,200,000 m³ of natural gas per year.
The plant produces 15,000 tons of clinker per annum.
Relevant factors for calculation:
For electricity; EFCO2e: 0.459 kg CO2e/kWh
For natural gas; NCV: 34.54 TJ/106 m3, EFCO2: 53.67 t/TJ, EFCH4: 5 kg/TJ, EFN2O: 0.1 kg/TJ
For clinker; EFCO2e: 0.526 tons CO2e/ton of clinker
100-year GWP values: CH4: 28, N2O: 265
Based on this information, provide answers for the following questions:
1. Calculate the greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption: How many tons of CO2e does the plant emit from its annual electricity consumption?
2. Calculate the greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas consumption: What is the total GHG emissions in tons of CO2e due to annual natural gas consumption?
3. Calculate the greenhouse gas emissions from clinker production: Compute the total process emissions resulting from clinker production in tons of CO2e.
4. Calculate the total greenhouse gas emissions for the plant: What is the total annual GHG emission in tons of CO2e for the entire plant, considering all the data provided?
5. Suggest a mitigation measure: Based on the data, suggest one mitigation measure to reduce the plant's greenhouse gas emissions and evaluate its impact.