HC Deb 10 February 1998 vol 306 cc203-4W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will estimate the proportionate share of British fuel consumption represented by the major fuels in(a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997; and what estimate she has made of these relative shares for 1998. [27981]

Mr. Battle

[holding answer 9 February 1998]: Estimates for 1998 are not available. Updated energy projections are currently being prepared by the DTI and will be published later in the year. The available figures for the share of primary energy consumption due to each of the main fuels in the UK are as follows:

UK inland consumption of primary fuels and equivalents for energy use, percentage share of total primary energy consumption
1995 1996 1997 (provisional) 52000
Coal1 22.7 20.2 18.8 12.9
Petroleum2 34.7 33.9 34.0 36.4
Natural gas3 31.9 35.6 36.3 39.7
Primary electricity4 10.5 10.3 10.9 11.0
Total (per cent.) 100 100 100 100
Total (million tonnes of oil equivalent) 219.5 231.6 222.4 234.2
1 Includes other solid fuels and solid renewables (wood, waste etc.).
2 Excludes petroleum for non-energy use and international marine bunkers.
3 Includes colliery methane, gaseous renewables (landfill gas, sewage gas).
4 Mainly nuclear electricity, but includes hydro and net imports of electricity.
5 DTI forecast as published in EP65 "Energy Projections for the UK" in March 1995 but modified to reflect the current methodology for calculating nuclear fuel inputs. Forecast based on central GDP growth and low fuel prices. For the year 2000 renewable sources are included under primary electricity, they are projected to account for 0.6 per cent. of primary energy consumption in 2000.