Renew On Line (UK) 29

Extracts from the Nov-Dec 2000 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

UK Energy : Renewables up 9.5%

The 2000 Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics ("DUKES"), published by the Department of Trade and Industry, indicate that primary fuel production in the United Kingdom in 1999, at 298 million tonnes of oil equivalent, was 4 % higher than in 1998.

The good news is that part of this increase was due to a 9.5% increase in power from renewable energy projects. Generation from wind increased by 2 .5%; generation from hydro sources by 2% and generation from biofuels by 23%. Renewables provided 2.8% of the electricity generated in the United Kingdom in 1999, up from 2.6% in 1998 and 1.8% six years ago in 1993. Renewables funded by the Non Fossil Fuels Obligations (including those whose NFFO contracts have now come to an end) accounted for 1% of UK electricity generation in 1999.

In addition, the installed electrical capacity of combined heat and power (CHP) plants in the UK has continued to grow steadily, with an increase of 9% in 1999 to 4,239 MWe. Just under 6% of all electricity generated in 1999 was from CHP.

The bad news was that crude oil production increased by 4% compared to 1998, reaching a new record, and the production of natural gas rose by 10% to reach record levels for the tenth year in succession. Gas demand was higher because of the continuing increase in demand for gas for electricity generation (an increase of 18% between 1999 and 1998); and also because of increased exports of gas (1999 gas exports were almost three times greater than those in 1998 and in 1999 7% of UK production of gas was exported).

On the other hand, production by the coal companies in 1999 was 10% lower than in 1998 and production of nuclear electricity in 1999 was 4 per cent lower than in 1998. Interestingly, subsequently, in the three months to June 2000, production of nuclear electricity continued to fall by 15.7%- because of breakdowns and repairs at stations owned by BNFL Magnox and because of statutory and refueling outages at British Energy stations.

Energy consumption

Consumption of primary fuels for energy use in the United Kingdom fell by 0.5% in 1999 compared to 1998. However, energy consumption by final users (i.e. after conversion to secondary fuels with all the associated efficiency losses) at 170 million tonnes of oil equivalent, was 1% higher than in 1998. There were increases in consumption in the industrial and transport sectors, with the largest increase being in the industrial sector, an increase of 4% on 1998. The use of aviation fuel - mostly still untaxed- increased by a staggering 10% in 1999. But, there were decreases in the domestic, public administration, commercial and agriculture sectors, which is good news especially since prices of domestic electricity and gas in 1999 were down by 4% and 3.5% respectively in real terms.

So what’s the bottom line? Well, basically, its gas all the way, taking over from nuclear and coal, but with renewables and CHP edging up slowly. Thus the amount of electricity supplied from gas increased by 20% in 1999 and gas now produces 39% of all electricity supplied. This is above both coal's and nuclear's shares of 28% and 25% respectively. .And the end result is that, on the basis of provisional figures, CO2 emissions fell by 0.5% in 1999- with emissions from power stations having reduced by 22% between 1970 and 1999.

The Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2000 is available from the Stationery Office at a cost of £34.95 (ISBN 0-11-5154973) (Tel: 0800 600 5522, email book.standing orders@theso.co.uk) or (free) via the Internet at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/epa

Included with this year's Digest is a copy of ‘UK Energy in Brief’, summarising the latest energy figures, and a leaflet on DTI publications on the Internet. Copies of these are available from Gillian Purkis, Energy Information and Statistics Directorate, DTI, on 020 7215 2697.

If you need to get your head around these various statistics and their implications, you may find NATTA’s new 25 page publication ‘Energy: A Beginners Guides’ useful: its £3 from NATTA. See our back page.