ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS OF ELECTRICITY
Jersey Electricity recognises the link between carbon emissions and climate change. Long before the Kyoto Climate Change Treaty we started reducing the Island’s carbon emissions by importing low carbon nuclear electricity from France’s main energy supplier, Électricité de France (EDF).
Prior to this, most of the Island’s electricity was generated at La Collette Power Station by burning oil. One of the by products of burning any oil-based products – including gas – is the release of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere which is damaging to the environment by speeding up global warming.
Jersey Electricity now imports in excess of 90% of its power from EDF (France) compared with just 45% in 1990, the year in which the Kyoto Treaty was signed. This has led to Jersey Electricity being virtually the sole driver of the Island’s reduction in carbon emissions – a reduction of one third since 1990 despite a 50% increase in overall energy consumption.
The graphs below show firstly the reduction in electricity emissions over the period and the following illustration reflects the overall increase in electricity usage.
Energy related carbon emissions, 1991-2008
Source: Jersey Energy Trends - States Statistics Dept.
http://www.gov.je/NR/rdonlyres/F8371643-079F-4DEB-A98F-AE57CA4B6111/0/JerseyEnergyTrends2008.pdf
Total public Electricity supply (PES) and imports, 1991-2008
Total public Electricity supply (PES) and imports, 1991-2008