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Climate Change: Greenhouse Gases

Volume 687: debated on Thursday 30 November 2006

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much methane has been lost by leakage from gas transmission and distribution systems in the United Kingdom in each of the past four years; and what measures are in place to reduce the loss. [HL218]

The following information has been taken from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2006.

GWh

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Metering differences 1

1,798

1,821

-874

137

2,880

Leakage assessment 2

4.436

5,283

4,452

5,414

5,260

Own use gas 3

436

427

439

437

425

Theft 4

2.190

2,134

2,197

2,186

2,124

Total Losses

8,862

9,665

6,214

8,174

10,689

1 Measurement of gas flows, in volume and energy terms, occurs at several points along the supply chain. As such, differences are seen between the actual recorded flow through any one point and estimates calculated for the flow of gas at that point.

2 This is a National Grid assessment of leakage through the local distribution system based on the National Leakage Reduction Monitoring Model.

3 Equivalent to about 0.06 per cent of the local distribution zones (LDZ) throughput. This is an assessment of the energy used to counter the effects of gas cooling on pressure reduction.

4 Calculated by National Grid as 0.3 per cent of LDZ throughput, this is theft before the gas reaches customer meters.

National Grid and the Independent Gas Network operators have plans to replace iron gas mains with polyurethane pipes, which will progressively reduce the loss from leakage and benefit the environment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much nitrous oxide is emitted by the agricultural sector in the United Kingdom; and what policies are in place to reduce those emissions. [HL219]

Nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture between 1990 and 2004 are shown in the table below. These data are presented in million tonnes of carbon equivalent.

Gas

1990

1995

2000

2004

Nitrous oxide

8.9

8.5

8.0

7.4

Total greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture

17.3

16.5

15.5

14.5

2004 is the latest year for which figures are available.

The use of inorganic nitrogen as a fertiliser is a major source of nitrous oxide emissions, which can also arise from manures during storage. A number of effective practical actions and technologies can be taken up by farmers to reduce the level of emissions. For example, these can help to: optimise the efficient use of fertilisers, reduce inorganic nitrogen use, and maximise the benefit of organic nitrogen. More efficient usage could also help to reduce farmers' costs.

The UK Climate Change Programme 2006 provides further information about greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector and our policies for tackling them. This is available at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/uk ccp/index.htm.