CO2eq CONTRIBUTION OF NEAR TERM CLIMATE FORCERS EMITTED BY SMALL WOODY BIOMASS APPLIANCES

CO2eq emissions of near term climate forcers (NTCF) from residential heating appliances burning wood and pellet are evaluated using emission factors from a recent experimental campaign and Global Warming Potentials proposed in literature for a time horizon of 20 years (GWP20) and 100 years (GWP100). The results show that the warming potential in terms of CO2eq is positive for every appliance, although very different in absolute terms and with different contribution of the various pollutants. For all the appliances, organic carbon (OC) emissions (that have a negative GWP, thus a cooling effect for the atmosphere) compensate a part of the warming effect given mainly by black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide. The total CO2eq emission factors are similar for all the appliances burning log wood (open fireplace, traditional stove, closed fireplace and innovative wood stove) because most efficient appliances (i.e., advanced stove) have not only lower emissions of warming agents such as BC and CO but lower OC as well. Only the pellet stove has a significantly lower total CO2eq emission factor. The CO2eq associated to NTCF emissions from RWC is 0.7% of the total CO2eq emissions in Lombardy region using GWP20, 0.3% using GWP100