Landfill Sites (Hansard, 18 January 1990)

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the contribution that may be made by electricity generated from methane from household refuse landfill sites to the non-fossil fuel obligation.

§ Mr. Baldry
How they meet their respective obligations under the non-fossil fuel obligation will be a matter for the public electricity suppliers, subject to their duty under the Electricity Act 1989 to satisfy the Secretary of State or the Director General of Electricity Supply that they have made appropriate arrangements.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last reviewed the use of methane from household refuse tips as a source of energy.

§ Mr. Peter Morrison
My Department is supporting a wide range of R and D with a contract value of over £1 million for work on methane from landfill sites. This includes work to optimise the extraction of gas from landfill sites and increase our understanding of the processes that lead to methane generation. We last reviewed our estimates of the contribution that such methane could make to United Kingdom energy supplies in October 1989. The figures, which are necessarily subject to considerable uncertainty, are given in the United Kingdom study for the intergovernmental panel on

Number of projects at end of September each year Number of draughtproofing jobs completed in January to September period each year Number of loft insulation jobs completed in January to September period each year Number of participant workers/trainees at end of September each year

1987 1988 1989 1987 1988 1989 1987 1988 1989 1987 1988 1989

East Midlands 35 35 28 7,054 ¹— 7,884 351 ¹— 50 505 520 271

London 34 33 12 5,562 ¹— 941 501 ¹— 39 617 610 31

North East 25 26 18 11,365 ¹— 7,789 509 ¹— 202 493 508 253

North West 48 55 45 12,082 ¹— 16,770 467 ¹— 148 1,051 1,240 672

Scotland 61 73 71 22,125 ¹— 26,785 3,061 ¹— 1,374 978 1,122 755

South East 47 48 23 4,934 ¹— 3,910 954 ¹— 192 566 523 121

South West 34 29 16 7,640 ¹— 3,303 1,274 ¹— 372 534 461 190

374W
climate change. This report, "An Evaluation of Energy Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them", was lodged in the Library of the House last November and will be published shortly as an energy paper.

	Number of projects at end of September each year	Number of draughtproofing jobs completed in January to September period each year	Number of loft insulation jobs completed in January to September period each year	Number of participant workers/trainees at end of September each year
	1987	1988	1989	1987	1988	1989	1987	1988	1989	1987	1988	1989
East Midlands	35	35	28	7,054	¹—	7,884	351	¹—	50	505	520	271
London	34	33	12	5,562	¹—	941	501	¹—	39	617	610	31
North East	25	26	18	11,365	¹—	7,789	509	¹—	202	493	508	253
North West	48	55	45	12,082	¹—	16,770	467	¹—	148	1,051	1,240	672
Scotland	61	73	71	22,125	¹—	26,785	3,061	¹—	1,374	978	1,122	755
South East	47	48	23	4,934	¹—	3,910	954	¹—	192	566	523	121
South West	34	29	16	7,640	¹—	3,303	1,274	¹—	372	534	461	190