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Basic UK energy and greenhouse gas statistics


The total UK greenhouse gas emissions per person per year are:
Tonnes CO2 or tonnes CO2 equivalentSource (year)
Total CO29.84see below
Methane 0.81[1] (2005)
Nitrous oxide 0.66 [1] (2005)
Hydrofluocarbons (HFCs) 0.15[1] (2005)
Perfluocarbons (PFCs)0.01[1] (2005)
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)0.02[1] (2005)
Net imports (carbon trade balance)0.71[2]
Water transport 5.8MtC0.35[2]
Aviation (with RF allowance)0.86see aviation sources
Grand total13.41


The total CO2 emissions in the UK are 9.84 tonnes per person per year, of which the components are:
Primary demand (million toe) [3]Per person (MWh)MWh to tonnes CO2CO2 (tonnes)
Natural gas92.717.790.1853.29
Petroleum (excl non-energy use)78.114.990.2453.67
Coal46.58.920.3222.87
Total9.84


Electricity generation from fossil fuels is from:
Fuel used (million toe) [3]Per person (MWh)MWh to tonnes CO2CO2 (tonnes)
Coal 35.96.890.3222.22
Gas26.65.100.1850.94
Total3.16


Fossil fuel use is:
Fuel used (million toe) [3]Per person (MWh)MWh to tonnes CO2CO2 (tonnes)
Natural gas66.112.690.1852.35
Petroleum78.114.990.2453.67
Coal10.62.030.3220.66
Electricity3.16
Total9.84


The UK population mid-2006 was 60.6 million [4]

The average household size in 2003-4 was 2.4 people [5].


Abbreviations and conversions

KWh: Kilowatt hour
Mt: million tonnnes
MWh: Megawatt hour = 1000 KWh
toe: tonnes oil equivalent

Carbon to CO2: multiply by 3.67 (via atomic weights of 12 and 16)

Net versus Gross Calorific Value:
The Act On CO2 calculator uses Net CV factors rather than Gross [6]


References

[1]Bridging Table IPCC vs. Environmental Account www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8248.xls (downloaded 10.2.08)
[2]Carbon Trust (2006) The carbon emissions generated in all that we consume www.carbontrust.co.uk or www.carbonindependent.org/files/ctc603.pdf
[3]BERR Energy Trends December 2007 www.berr.gov.uk/files/file43304.pdf or www.carbonindependent.org/files/file43304.pdf
[4]National Statistics www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=6 (viewed 9.2.08)
[5]National Statistics TABLE 15A (Appendix 1): Household characteristics of quintile groups of ALL households, 2003-04 www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8231.xls
[6]DEFRA (2007) Act on CO2 Calculator: Public Trial Version Data, Methodology and Assumptions Paper www.defra.gov.uk or www.carbonindependent.org/files/actonco2-calc-methodology.pdf



First published: 2008
Last updated: 4 Aug 2021