Electrolysis Process (Hansard, 28 June 1999)

§ Dr. Kumar
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of people employed(a) directly and (b) indirectly in UK companies who use the electrolysis process; and if he will make a statement. [88197]

§ Mr. Battle
This information is not available from official statistics. One of the main industries which uses electrolysis is the chloralkali industry, and estimates from the Chemical Industries Association for employment in the chloralkali industry suggest that 4,000 people are directly employed in this industry.

§ Dr. Kumar
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the amount of energy used by UK companies in the electrolysis process within the chemical industry; and if he will make a statement. [88173]

§ Mr. Battle
ETSU, part of AEA Technology, estimate that 16 peta joules of energy were used in the manufacture of chlorine through the electrolysis process in the UK in 1990. This represented roughly 1 per cent. of the amount

Petroleum Gas Electricity Coal³ Total

Percentage change between 1990 and 1998 ¹

Industry⁴ -15.4 23.8 2.8 -26.6 0

Domestic 42.9 19.9 16.6 -46.8 13.5

Transport 9.8 — 46.6 — 10.1

Other users⁵ -25.6 39.6 21.4 -64.8 12.8

All final consumers 5.3 24.1 13.4 -35.7 8.8

Energy consumption by final users 1998¹ (thousand tonnes of oil equivalent)

Industry⁴ 6,973 16,734 8,898 6,044 38,648

Domestic 3,544 30,983 9,404 2,325 46,267

Transport 52,892 0 667 0 53,562

Other users⁵ 3,275 10,281 7,804 325 21,684

All final consumers⁶ 66,684 57,999 26,774 8,695 160,162

Energy consumption by final users 1990¹ (thousand tonnes of oil equivalent)

Industry⁴ 8,242 13,522 8,655 8,237 38,655

Domestic 2,480 25,835 8,066 4,368 40,758

Transport 48,179 0 455 2 48,635

Other users⁵ 4,402 7,364 6,426 922 19,217

All final consumers⁶ 63,302 46,720 23,601 13,529 147,265

¹Based on final consumption of energy as given in table. 1998 figures are provisional. 1990 figures are published in the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1998" and 1998 provisional figures are published in "Energy Trends" May 1999

² Includes coke oven gas used by industry

³ Consists of coal and other solid fuels

⁴ Manufacturing industry, construction, mining and quarrying of non energy materials and water supply industries

⁵ Comprises of public and commercial services and agriculture

⁶ Totals may not sum due to rounding

	Petroleum	Gas	Electricity	Coal³	Total
Percentage change between 1990 and 1998 ¹
Industry⁴	-15.4	23.8	2.8	-26.6	0
Domestic	42.9	19.9	16.6	-46.8	13.5
Transport	9.8	—	46.6	—	10.1
Other users⁵	-25.6	39.6	21.4	-64.8	12.8
All final consumers	5.3	24.1	13.4	-35.7	8.8
Energy consumption by final users 1998¹ (thousand tonnes of oil equivalent)
Industry⁴	6,973	16,734	8,898	6,044	38,648
Domestic	3,544	30,983	9,404	2,325	46,267
Transport	52,892	0	667	0	53,562
Other users⁵	3,275	10,281	7,804	325	21,684
All final consumers⁶	66,684	57,999	26,774	8,695	160,162
Energy consumption by final users 1990¹ (thousand tonnes of oil equivalent)
Industry⁴	8,242	13,522	8,655	8,237	38,655
Domestic	2,480	25,835	8,066	4,368	40,758
Transport	48,179	0	455	2	48,635
Other users⁵	4,402	7,364	6,426	922	19,217
All final consumers⁶	63,302	46,720	23,601	13,529	147,265
¹Based on final consumption of energy as given in table. 1998 figures are provisional. 1990 figures are published in the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1998" and 1998 provisional figures are published in "Energy Trends" May 1999
² Includes coke oven gas used by industry
³ Consists of coal and other solid fuels
⁴ Manufacturing industry, construction, mining and quarrying of non energy materials and water supply industries
⁵ Comprises of public and commercial services and agriculture
⁶ Totals may not sum due to rounding