How Effective is Renewable Energy in Reducing Carbon Footprint?

[devadattan]

would appreciate a simple formula for

how many kwh will eliminate so many pounds of CO2
how many cars does this take off the roadways
how many euivalent trees planted?
thanx

 

[berkeman]

would appreciate a simple formula for

how many kwh will eliminate so many pounds of CO2
how many cars does this take off the roadways
how many euivalent trees planted?
thanx

I googled CO2 calculator, and got LOTs of hits. Here's the hit list:

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS301US302&q=CO2+calculator

.

 

[xxChrisxx]

None of those questions can be answered, as there is no broad all sweeping direct link if you want a remotely accurate answer.

You can't say that removing x cars is equiviant to planting y trees. As the 'car' could be a 600cc Smart Car or a 7.3L Zonda, which in no may put out the same CO2. Wven cars of the same class produce widly varying amounts of CO2. Different trees will also use different amounts of CO2.

There is also no real way of saying how many kwh = unit of CO2. As if you generate your electricity by nuclear the answer would be zero, but if you burned coal/oil/gas you'd get a different answer for each.

So unless you put a standard (average?) value on car tree and mains generated kwh its all just pointless numbers.