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Who generates greenhouse gases?
Energy industries:
Above - The energy sector depends on fossil fuels - oil, gas and coal - to generate electricity.
The energy sector depends on fossil fuels – oil, gas and coal – as the main sources of energy. Fossil fuels contain carbon and when these fuels are burned to produce usable energy, the carbon combines with oxygen to make carbon dioxide which is released into the atmosphere. These fossil fuels are vital for the generation and supply of electricity and gas to people’s homes and businesses. It is believed that we have been burning so much fossil fuel that there is now 25 per cent more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere as compared with 200 years ago.
Most greenhouse gases are produced at the point where the fossil fuels are burned. During electricity generation this is at the power station, while for gas it is at the point of use (e.g. cooking a meal or heating a room at home). Smaller amounts of greenhouse gases are also released in producing the fossil fuels for use. These include methane released from coal seams during some black coal mining operations and greenhouse gases emitted during oil and gas production.
Not all energy extracted from coal, oil and gas reaches our homes – some is lost during processing and transporting. Energy is lost in the generation of electricity and its transmission from the power station to our homes. Similarly, some gas is consumed in pumping the gas through supply pipelines as a small amount leaks from some gas pipelines.
Energy industries – and electricity generation in particular – account for the largest proportion of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Since 1990, the energy sector has experienced the largest increase in greenhouse gas emissions of any Australian industry sector.
Energy production and energy use contributed 68 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2004. This is expected to rise to 72 per cent by 2020. Electricity consumption, due to the burning of fossil fuels, contributed to 45 per cent of Australia’s emissions. In fact, the use of coal in electric power generation is the largest, single contributor to Australia’s emissions. The burning of coal accounted for about 38 per cent of total emissions.
Click here to find out about Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions Inventory 2004 at:
 www.greenhouse.gov.au/
 Next Section >> Who generates greenhouse gases?
Household activities.
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