More Coal Equals More CO2

clv101 · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:04 am Post subject: More Coal Equals More CO2

As the indigenous extraction rate of natural gas has declined, tipping the UK from net exporter to net importer, prices have unsurprisingly risen. This gas price rise, coupled with the lower than expected cost of carbon emission under the EU carbon trading scheme, caused a dramatic shift away from gas and towards coal for electricity generation last winter.

Winter 2005/06 Coal generated 89.62TWh (+15.1%)
Winter 2005/06 Gas generated 64.60 TWh (-14.7%)

Representing 7.7% increased CO2 emissions or an additional 7.3 million tonnes.

More Coal Equals More CO2
_________________
"Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen." The Emperor (Return of the Jedi)
The Oil Drum: Europe

EnergyUnlimited · Fusion Joined: May 15, 2006 Posts: 3312

Slowpoke · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 24, 2005 Posts: 67

clv101 · Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:18 am Post subject: Re: More Coal Equals More CO2

The point isn't so much that more coal = more CO2 but rather at this time of heightened CO2 awareness (the UK media is full of it), there was a significant increase in coal burn with the associated CO2 emissions. This fact went unreported in the media.
_________________
"Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen." The Emperor (Return of the Jedi)
The Oil Drum: Europe

Slowpoke · Tar Sands Joined: Oct 24, 2005 Posts: 67

Well, I've always considered LNG to be an unreliable energy source. Especially when a good deal of it is in the hands of people we would rather not be friends with.