Emissionsfrequenz

Emissionsfrequenz, or emission frequency, is a metric used to quantify how often emission events occur within a defined time period. An emission event is typically defined as a release that exceeds a predefined threshold in rate or duration, or a marked deviation from baseline emissions. The emissionsfrequenz is commonly expressed as events per hour, day, or year, depending on the regulatory context and monitoring capability.

Calculation relies on data from continuous emissions monitoring systems, operating logs, incident reports, and, where available, remote sensing or satellite observations. The choice of threshold, minimum event duration, and inclusion criteria (such as whether fugitive leaks count) strongly influence the resulting frequency. Examples might define an event as any release above a specified mass flow for at least several minutes.

Applications include risk assessment, process optimization, and regulatory compliance. By revealing the temporal dynamics of emissions, EF can complement total emission rate and emission intensity metrics to describe not only how much is emitted, but how often events occur, which is relevant for exposure and mitigation planning. It is not yet a universally standardized metric and is used primarily in research contexts, internal corporate reporting, or specific regulatory programs.

Limitations include dependence on detection capabilities and reporting quality, potential undercounting of small leaks, and sensitivity to threshold definitions. In practice, emissionsfrequenz is used alongside other metrics to provide a more complete picture of an organization's emissions profile.