Integrated Ammonia Abatement - Modelling of Emission Control Potentials and Costs in GAINS

Klimont, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2630-198X & Winiwarter, W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7131-1496 (2011). Integrated Ammonia Abatement - Modelling of Emission Control Potentials and Costs in GAINS. IIASA Interim Report. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: IR-11-027

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Abstract

With progressing reduction of the emissions of other air pollutants, control of ammonia emissions, particularly from agricultural sources, moves into the center stage of air pollution control in Europe. Over the recent years, more countries have implemented practical emission control measures, so that practical experience with such measures has substantially grown compared to a decade ago.

This report describes how the new information on potentials and costs for the reduction of ammonia emissions that has been presented by national experts at a recent workshop has been incorporated into the GAINS (Greenhouse gas - Air pollution Interactions and Synergies) model developed by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). The former GAINS methodology has been modified to align better with the new focus of the UNECE Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen on large installations and to avoid calling for emission reductions on small (hobby) farms. As such a distinction will exclude measures with excessive costs (at small farms), the new cost estimates that address large farms only are lower than earlier calculations that applied to all sources.

A comparison of unit cost estimates (costs per amount of ammonia reduced) reveals significant variations across countries, explained by local circumstances that have impacts on costs. Still, the most important patterns remain constant between countries. Animal feeding with low nitrogen diets and manure application techniques that minimize ammonia release are most cost effective, along with efficient application and/or substitution of urea fertilizer.

Finally, the report provides also updates to the cost method used to estimate ammonia control costs in GAINS.

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