HC Deb 09 June 1998 vol 313 cc526-7W
Mr. Stunell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the Department's energy usage was from(a) renewable energy and(b) combined heating in each year since 1989–90. [44079]

Mr. Morley

The Department's energy is purchased in the main through The Buying Agency, whose terms represent good value for money for the tax payer. We do not know what proportion of the energy is from renewable sources.

Over the years we have looked at a number of schemes to provide combined heat and power but so far none has been implemented, either because it did not represent value for money or because of physical constraints. We are, however, now looking at a combined heat and power scheme to serve part of the Central Veterinary Laboratory at Weybridge. We have recently introduced at the Central Veterinary Laboratory a system whereby a waste heat

1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97
Consumption:
Electricity (kWh) 34,249,049 38,883,236 43,058,478 42,986,112 43,655,007 45,527,009 37,786,870
Gas (kWh) 51,983,258 51,058,770 42,337,530 45,116,093 47,822,314 57,660,765 59,623,879
Oil (kWh) 44,188,474 41,769,240 42,364,511 46,799,010 47,085,226 24,623,842 9,093,363
Total (kWh) 130,420,781 131,711,246 127,760,519 134,901,215 138,562,547 127,811,616 106,504,112
Expenditure (in cash terms):
Electricity (£) 2,138,870 2,517,250 2,824,110 2,907,650 2,785,872 2,821,752 2,196,842
Gas (£) 598,808 619,560 579,910 559,460 542,057 519,646 463,989
Oil (£) 506,370 491,690 509,620 596,400 514,188 320,243 141,628
Total (£) 3,244,048 3,628,500 3,913,640 4,063,510 3,842,117 3,661,641 2,802,460

Figures for 1997–98 have not yet been collated.