Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Combining different data sources in GHG inventories

Joost Huurman, Statistics Netherlands

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Content

Experience in the NetherlandsPastPresentFuture

Summary

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Past

Starting in the 1990’s the Netherlands use two data sources for the GHG inventory:

Annual Environmental Reports (AER)Submitted by 250 companies to regional authorities with a copy to Statistics Netherlands. Reports contain data on emissions and on fuel use.

Sector energy balances (SEB)Published by Statistics Netherlands, energy department. Data used by the inventory experts on an aggregated level; there was no use of individual information on fuel consumption.

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Past

Combining the data Companies submitting an AER were allocated to industrial

sub sector by the Emission Registration Office Total fuel use as submitted in the AER was aggregated by

sub sector and subsequently subtracted from sector energy balances (by fuel)

Resulting fuel use converted to emissions using default emission factors

Combination of calculated emissions and emissions submitted in the AER for determining total emissions

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Past4 main problems:

Differences in company boundaries Energy statistics use statistical units, while AER are based on environmental permits. Environmental permits are regional while one statistical unit can have different locations (and one location can have several statistical units)

Differences in energy commoditiesEnergy statistics use an exhaustive list of energy commodities based on international standards while (until 2005) AER use a non exhaustive list which is not always comparable.

How to split process from combustion emissionsAER provide total emissions: process emissions not separable from fossil fuel related combustion emissions

Requirement on data (energy use) by permit, but jurisdictional situation complex Problems (i.e. lack of fuel data) with specific AER had to be solved by the regional authorities

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Past

Most specific example: Large (chemical) industrial complex; combining almost all these problems:

Submission AER for all activities while company register lists dozens of statistical units located on the industrial site, acting in different industrial sub sectors (Petrochemical, Fertilizer, Chemical and Electricity and heat production)

No separate reports on process emissions

No energy data submitted in the AER for reason of confidentiality while acquiring details not possible by lack of jurisdiction

Result: overestimation (double counting) of approx. 1,5 % of the national total (3,5 Mton).

Clear example lack of transparency (data source): Justification for the Netherlands to change methodology for GHG inventory but also because of lack of consistency (population AER changed in time)

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Present

Energy Statistics

SurveysSupply side: Full survey (approx. 300 companies)

Consumption side: Sample survey (approx. 2000 companies)

Working processIntegration by Statistics Netherlands

All fuel is accounted for (no statistical difference)

Data StorageIndividual energy data in ASCII, when made available for emission calculation transferred to SQL-database

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Present

To avoid double counting and to improve transparency/consistency the Netherlands decided on following actionsOne “backbone”

The company register of Statistics Netherlands is “leading”. Efforts to match the statistical units with the environmental permits.

One list of energy commoditiesA national fuel list to be used for the AER drafted in close consultation with energy department of Statistics Netherlands. List not exactly the same as used by the EU ETS

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Present

Actions (cont.)Computerization of the calculations

Securing transparency and reproducibility. Also changes in energy statistics are easier to cope with for recalculations

Only if possible use EF from AERRules drafted for using emission factors from AER (or other

sources) instead of the defaults from the national fuel list Feedback to energy statistics

In compiling process comparison of energy data from AER and energy statistics. When AER data of a higher quality and company boundaries clear, energy statistics are revised

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

In diagram form

Energy StatisticsFuel list (SN)

Company register

AER

Fuel data

Fuel data

EF & SF

GHG Inventory

AERNational Fuel list

Env. Permits

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Future

Starting April 2006 EU-ETS Emission Reports submitted to NEa (Netherlands’ Emission Authority)

Reports will contain same kind of information as AER

Expected problems for the data use are comparable to those for AER data

Data exchange legally possible but arrangements need to be agreed. Consultation with NEa in progress

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Benefits for energy statistics

Energy statisticians have another data source and look at their statistics from another point of view

Energy statistics gain importance: energy data basis for NAP: Industry Associations stimulate their members to improve the quality of their submissions to Statistics Netherlands

Copenhagen, 9 february 2006

Summary

– The Netherlands used AER as a primary data source and combined this with the energy balance.

– This changed to using the energy balance as a primary source and the AER as a check (comparing energy quantities) and as a source for secondary information like Emission Factors and Storage Factors.

– In the future ETS emission reports an additional (secondary) data source

Important issues Possibility to revise energy statistics Every opportunity to enhance uniformity should be used The use of data of superior quality (e.g. ETS data) does

not necessarily improve the national GHG inventory. The data has to fit in.