Electricity use in the city contributed 45 percent to 2012 citywide emissions, due in part to DTE Energy’s fuel mix, which consists of 76 percent coal.

“Energy use in buildings accounts for nearly two-thirds of the greenhouse gas emissions generated in Detroit, while exhaust from cars, trucks and buses is responsible for about 30 percent of the total, according to a new citywide inventory compiled by University of Michigan student researchers.

About 41 percent of the emissions from stationary sources—which include residential and commercial buildings, industrial processes, solid waste incineration and wastewater treatment—are produced within four ZIP codes located in the city’s southwest, midtown and downtown areas.

The report also shows that:

• Electricity use in the city contributed 45 percent to 2012 citywide emissions, due in part to DTE Energy’s fuel mix, which consists of 76 percent coal.
• In 2012, four city of Detroit departments—Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, Detroit Public Lighting Department, Detroit Department of Public Works and the Greater Detroit Resource Recovery Authority—were responsible for 93 percent of city government emissions.
• Trees cover about 23.5 percent of the city and are estimated to sequester 70,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, an amount equivalent to taking 15,000 cars off the road for one year.”

Read more on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Project at U of M