WASHINGTON, March 8 (UPI) -- A database helping users understand health and environmental impacts of electricity generation has been updated, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said.
EPA's Emissions and Generation Integrated Resource Database and Power Profiler now includes data from 2007, an update from 2005, the agency said Tuesday in a release.
The eGRID is a comprehensive database of emissions from nearly all electric power generated in the United States, the EPA said. The data are used to indicate impacts of electricity generation, as well as the benefits from reduced electricity demand.
The database contains emissions information for nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which contribute to unhealthy air quality and acid rain, as well as emissions from carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, which are greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, the agency said.
The EPA said the user-friendly online application Power Profiler uses eGRID data to show air emissions information and the type of electricity generation in different regions of the country. By entering a ZIP code and selecting a utility, users can learn more about the source of their electricity and what impact it has on air quality and the environment.
