# Nitrogen gas: Emissions

Almost all of its footprint is electricity

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/emissions/

What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 0.08 t CO2e per t range about 0.01-0.4 · about 150 kWh per t at a world average grid of 0.45-0.5 kg CO2 per kWh; liquid 3-4 times higher; near zero on renewable power

Per t of gaseous nitrogen, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: indicative (basis: energy use x grid intensity). Global total: not published.

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Production / process 90% Movement 10%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | zero (air) | 0% | none | air is free | not applicable |
| **Production / process** | about 0.07 t CO2e per t | 90% | electricity for compression | on India's grid about 0.1 t per t (indicative) | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.01 t CO2e per t | 10% | liquefaction and trucking | near zero for pipeline and on-site | indicative |
| **Use** | not applicable | – | inert; returns to air | nitrogen gas is not a greenhouse gas (unlike nitrous oxide) | not applicable |
| **End of life** | not applicable | – | vented to air | not applicable | not applicable |

#### Other environmental impacts

None material beyond power use. Asphyxiation is the main safety hazard.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Renewable power for ASUs and PSA units
- Flexible ASU operation with liquid storage
- Recover surplus vented nitrogen from oxygen-led ASUs
- Efficient compressors

#### India

Footprint is set by India's coal-heavy grid; no national data on nitrogen emissions are published.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **On-site PSA or ASU on renewable power** | near zero | little or none where renewable power is cheap | common practice for gas majors signing PPAs (indicative) | indicative |

 For a climate investor Nitrogen is not a decarbonisation target on its own. The investable angle is the supply chain for new Indian semiconductor fabs and green ammonia plants, which both need large ASU or PSA nitrogen, and flexible air separation as a load that can follow solar output.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nitrogen_gas/links/index.md)