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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the change in the level of greenhouse gas emissions from the European Union in 2001.

Asked by

Andrew Rosindell (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

21 October 2004

Reference

425 c836W; 191597

House

House of Commons

Treasury

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce fiscal incentives to encourage the use of energy from coalmine methane; and if he will make a statement. - Supplies of electricity generated from coal mine methane became exempt from the climate change levy from November 2003.

Asked by

Joan Walley (Labour)

Answering body

Treasury

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

18 October 2004

Reference

425 c545W; 190751

House

House of Commons

Dept of Trade and Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the implications of (a) converting coal mine methane to energy and (b) venting coal mine methane; and if she will make a statement on support for coal mine methane-related technology.

Asked by

Joan Walley (Labour)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

5 October 2004

For answer on

13 October 2004

Answered on

13 October 2004

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the implications of (a) converting coal mine methane to energy and (b) venting coal mine methane; and if she will make a statement on support for coal mine methane-related technology. [190236] Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government commissioned a study in 2003 to see if there are any possible mechanisms, consistent with the objectives of the Energy White Paper, which could be deployed to encourage the control of CMM emissions. This study was undertaken by independent consultants and was overseen by a Advisory Board of representatives from the industry, DTI, DEFRA, and the Coal Authority. The purpose of the exercise was to investigate means for controlling emissions to atmosphere from abandoned mines where the current practice of venting is clearly undesirable. The results of the study are available on the DTI's website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/coal/ cfft/coalminemethane.shtml. The study included an assessment of commercially exploiting CMM for power generation or for use as a burner tip fuel. The consultants found that the least cost option for dealing with these methane emissions was through flaring rather than putting them to commercial use. It was also concluded that the potential capacity for power generation, beyond that already exploited by the industry, was limited at less than 20 MW. There was therefore no significant security of supply arguments for specifically encouraging electricity generation from CMM. However, as a result of this study it was proposed that a scheme be established to control CMM emissions, which would be open to all technology options, including electricity generation, burner tip fuel use as well as flaring. Proposals from the private sector to control the emissions would be competitively considered by the Coal Authority and the most cost- effective solution awarded a contract leaving them to decide on the most cost-effective means of control. The Government recognise and value the benefits the coal mine methane technology industry provides by tapping the methane emissions from disused coal mines and putting them to good use for generation of electricity. We have already demonstrated this support through our securing exemption from the climate change levy for electricity generated from CMM which came into force in November 2003, and why the proposed grant-scheme will be open to this technology.

Date

13 October 2004

Reference

425 c317-8W; 190236

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much methane gas per year is produced by landfill sites in England; how much is put to use; and what plans she has to increase this latter figure. - Inc figures.

Asked by

Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

31 August 2004

For answer on

16 September 2004

Answered on

16 September 2004

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much methane gas per year is produced by landfill sites in England; how much is put to use; and what plans she has to increase this latter figure. [187548] Mr. Morley: In a report commissioned by Defra it is estimated that in 2000, approximately 660,000 tonnes of methane was emitted from UK landfills, accounting for 27 per cent. of the total methane released from the UK. The amount of methane that is used has significantly increased over the last five years and information held by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) indicates that there is currently 612,674 KW installed capacity at a total of 269 UK landfill gas power stations. This is out of a potential capacity that could be readily exploited for utilisation of approximately 800,000 KW. The proportion of methane in landfill gas that is used has increased in response to two main drivers and is expected to continue to increase. These drivers are: (i) The Landfill Regulations (England and Wales) 2002 These regulations require landfill operators to collect, treat and use landfill gas (e.g. electricity generation) to the extent possible. The requirements for improved landfill gas management form an important part of new landfill permits being permitted by the Environment Agency in accordance with the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) regulatory regime. (ii) The Renewables Obligation As part of its revised policy for renewable energy in the UK, the Government introduced the Renewables Obligation for England and Wales. This Obligation requires power suppliers to derive a specified proportion of the electricity they supply to their customers from renewable resources and includes strong financial incentives for suppliers. Landfill gas currently provides approximately one-quarter of the UK's installed generating capacity for renewable power.

Date

16 September 2004

Reference

424 c1673W;424 c1671W; 187548

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to announce emissions reductions targets for greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide; and if she will make a statement.

Asked by

Peter Ainsworth (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

16 June 2004

Reference

177952; 422 c952W

House

House of Commons

Energy Bill (HL) 2003/04

Energy Bill (HL). Lords Report stage fourth day.

Department

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Debates on bills

Date

29 March 2004

Reference

659 c1025-46,1073-99,1118-62

House

House of Lords

Energy Bill (HL) 2003/04

Energy Bill (HL). Lords Committee stage. Grand Committee off the floor of the House (Moses Room) tenth day. Clauses 144,145,146,147-149,150,151 agreed to. Schedule 22 agreed to as amended.

Department

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Committee of the Whole House (HL)

Type

Debates on bills; Committee proceedings

Date

1 March 2004

Reference

658 c149-202GC

House

House of Lords

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what further action she will take to reduce emissions of methane gas from disused mines.

Asked by

Greg Knight (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

12 February 2004

Reference

417 c1564-5W; 153250

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the environmental costs and benefits of landfill.

Asked by

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

23 January 2004

For answer on

4 February 2004

Answered on

4 February 2004

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the environmental costs and benefits of landfill. [151369] Mr. Morley: All waste disposal options have environmental impacts. Landfill has potentially adverse effects on air and water quality in addition to the local environmental impacts of noise and smell. The most important environmental impact reported in scientific research is the effect on global warming of emissions of greenhouse gases from the landfill of biodegradable waste. Methane (a greenhouse gas 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide) is generated at all landfill sites accepting biodegradable waste. The contribution of methane emitted from landfills to global warming contributes some 25 per cent. of methane emissions in the UK . Well operated and regulated landfills nevertheless have a role to play in waste disposal both now and in the future. The EU Landfill Directive (as implemented in England and Wales by the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002)) sets new standards for the management and engineering of landfill sites to reduce as far as possible the negative environmental impacts and any potential health risk. The Government are committed to reducing the UK's reliance on landfill, which, as well as its negative environmental impacts, makes little practical use of waste and is a missed opportunity to recover value from waste. For these reasons, Waste Strategy 2000 sets out a range of policies to promote the reduction, re-use, recycling and recovery of waste in order to divert it from landfill.

Date

4 February 2004

Reference

417 c905W; 151369

House

House of Commons

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