Summary of carbon footprint calculation methods and emission reduction measures for coal exploitation and utilization

Climate change is a global problem facing mankind. Controlling carbon emissions from coal exploitation and utilization is a key to achieve carbon neutrality in China. Coal is a main fossil energy source in China. The pollution of human living environment caused by coal development and utilization cannot be ignored,and reducing carbon emission is an inevitable trend. A clear carbon footprint and its analysis and calculation method is a prerequisite for reducing emissions. Based on the analysis of carbon footprint calculation methods,this paper summarizes the current popular carbon footprint calculation methods,the advantages and disadvantages of the calculation methods and the applicability to the coal development and utilization in detail,and lists the emission reduction measures of China's coal development and utilization in the emergence stage. The conclusions are as follows:① The input-output method based on input-output table is more suitable for carbon emission calculation at national,provincial and other macro levels. Process analysis method and emission factor method are applicable to micro level of industry and single production process. The mass balance method can be used at macro and micro levels. ② The carbon emission of coal development and utilization industry is mainly distributed in the production process,and the selection of production process and fuel type has a great influence on the calculation result of carbon emission. Although indirect emission methods such as transportation link account for a small proportion,they cannot be ignored. The determination of accounting boundary is lack of unified standards,subjective factors may lead to differences in results. ③ Based on the current situation of China,while vigorously developing clean coal and CCUS technologies,promoting the development of emission reduction measures such as efficient clean combustion and utilization of coal and coal-bed methane extraction and utilization is the key to realizing the low-carbon vision of China's coal development and utilization industry. ④ It is necessary to face up to the advantages and disadvantages of current emission reduction measures of coal development and utilization,and find some corresponding emission reduction measures from the policy perspective of industrial structure and production process and other technical perspectives,and further improve and implement them.