Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Plan

Our team aimed to compile a greenhouse gas inventory for the St. Louis region. Partnered with OneSTL, Ameren, and the USGBC, we determined that St. Louis has a goal to reduce emissions 50% by 2030 from 2005 levels, and become carbon neutral in 2050. After analyzing the Ameren’s Integrated Resource Plan and factors such as the cost and scope of emissions, we researched funding sources to improve energy efficiency and increase renewables in the region. Our top funding sources are the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). From the IRA, we found the following credits most effective:1. Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction2. Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund3. IRA Extended Production Tax Credits4. Clean Energy Production Tax Credits5. Alternative Fuel Refueling Property CreditFrom the BIL, we found the following programs most effective:1. Civil Nuclear Credit Program2. Energizing Rural Communities Prize3. Energy Efficiency Rotating Loan Fund Capitalization4. Industrial Research and Assessment Centers ActOur next step was modeling emissions from now to 2050. Our emissions model has shown that for us to achieve the 2030 goal we must reduce electricity use by 20%, in order to achieve an EnergyStar rating of ES 75. Possible future steps for this project are updating the GHG emissions inventory for the region, implementing ICLEI modeling, and expanding our modeling for industrial buildings