Greenhouse gas emission intensity of electricity generation in Europe

Assessment versions

Published (reviewed and quality assured)

• 26 Oct 2021, 11:09 AM
  - Greenhouse gas emission intensity of electricity generation in Europe

Rationale

Justification for indicator selection

No rationale has been identified for this indicator.

Scientific references

• No rationale references available

Indicator definition

The CO₂ emission intensity is calculated as the ratio of CO₂ emissions from electricity generation and gross electricity generation.

Units

Grammes of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour (g CO₂/kWh)

Policy context and targets

Context description

The EU aims to be climate-neutral (i.e. its economy will emit net-zero greenhouse gas emissions) by 2050. This objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal and in line with the EU's commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement. Decarbonising electricity supply, for instance by substantially accelerating the deployment of renewable energy sources to achieve a share of almost 70% in electricity generation by 2030 and over 80% by 2050, is critical to achieving this objective.

Targets

No targets have been specified

Related policy documents

No related policy documents have been specified

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

The GHG intensity of total electricity generation is taken as the ratio of CO₂ equivalent emissions from all electricity production (both from main activity producers and auto-producers) to total electricity generation, including electricity from nuclear plants and renewable sources. 

For main activity producers, the CO₂e emissions from electricity generation only (i.e. excluding emissions resulting from heat production), were estimated as follows:

a)      Estimating the transformation input for gross heat production by formula: (ESTAT code TI_EHG_MAPH_E) + (ESTAT code GHP_MAPCHP) / (apparent efficiency for heat only production); apparent efficiency for heat production is: (ESTAT code GHP_MAPH) / (ESTAT code TI_EHG_MAPH_E). If apparent efficiency is zero (i.e. no heat only production), then default efficiency is 0.9;

b)     Estimating the transformation input for electricity generation by subtracting the estimated transformation input for gross heat production from total transformation input for electricity and heat generation, by formula: (ESTAT codes TI_EHG_MAPE_E) + (ESTAT codes TI_EHG_MAPCHP_E) + ( ESTAT codes TI_EHG_MAPH_E) – (the result of a));

c)      Multiplying the ratio of b) and the transformation input for electricity and heat generation (ESTAT codes TI_EHG_MAPE_E, TI_EHG_MAPCHP_E, and TI_EHG_MAPH_E) to total CO₂e emissions from public electricity and heat production (1A1a from the EEA data viewer). Formula: (EEA data viewer 1A1A) * ((the result of b)) / (the result of a)).

The reported CO₂e emissions in class 1A1a do not include CO₂e emissions from autoproducers. Emissions from electricity generated by autoproducers were estimated by multiplying the ratio of the energy input for autoproducers and the energy input for main activity producers by the CO₂e emissions from main activity producers (as calculated in steps a-c above). The energy input for electricity generation by autoproducers was estimated using the same method as for main activity producers (a and b above) using the ESTAT codes GHP_APH and GHP_APCHP for gross heat production and TI_EHG_APE_E, TI_EHG_APCHP_E, and TI_EHG_APH_E for transformation input for electricity and heat production.

A zero CO₂e emission factor was applied to nuclear power and to renewables (including the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste), as the method does not take into account life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions. This applies also to solid biofuels: in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Reporting Guidelines, biofuel-related emissions have to be reported as a memorandum item in greenhouse gas emission inventories, with the assumption being that harvesting emissions would be shown as changes in carbon stocks in the land use, land use change and forestry sector, not in the energy sector. This should not be interpreted, however, as an endorsement of default carbon neutrality or the sustainability of biofuels.

The denominator of the GHG intensity of total electricity production is the sum of electricity produced from main activity producers (ESTAT: GEP_MAPE and GEP_MAPCHP) and autoproducers (ESTAT: GEP_APE and GEP_APCHP).

Calculation Formula: (CO₂e * ((ei_MAP – dh_MAP) / ei_MAP)) * ((ei_AP - dh_AP) / (ei_MAP - dh_MAP)) + CO₂e * ((ei_MAP – dh_MAP) / ei_MAP))) / (GEP / 85.98), where:

• CO₂e represents ‘CO₂ equivalent emissions - Fuel combustion in public electricity and heat production (A1A1)’, from the EEA greenhouse gas data viewer. The values do not include CO₂e emissions from the combustion of biomass; nor do they include upstream emissions (e.g. fugitive emissions due to methane leaks or construction emissions);
• ‘ei_MAP’ represents ‘energy input of Main Activity Producers’ and includes ‘TI_EHG_MAPE_E’, ‘TI_EHG_MAPCHP_E’ and ‘TI_EHG_MAPH_E’;
• ‘ei_AP’ represents ‘energy input of Autoproducers’ and includes ‘TI_EHG_APE’, ‘TI_EHG_APCHP_E’ and ‘TI_EHG_APH_E’;
• ‘dh_MAP’ represents ‘derived heat of Main Activity Producers’ and  is based on the formula ‘TI_EHG_MAPH_E’ + ‘GHP_MAPCHP’/(apparent efficiency for heat only production); apparent efficiency for heat production is: 'GHP_MAPH' / 'TI_EHG_MAPH_E';
• ‘dh_AP’ represents ‘derived heat of Autoproducers’ and  is based on the formula ‘TI_EHG_APH_E’ + ‘GHP_MAPCHP’/(apparent efficiency for heat only production); apparent efficiency for heat production is: 'GHP_APH' / 'TI_EHG_APH_E';
• ‘GEP’ represents ‘Gross electricity production’ and includes ‘GEP_MAPE’, ‘GEP_MAPCHP’,
• ‘GEP_APE’ and ‘GEP_APECHP’;
• 0.9 represents the assumed efficiency of heat production and is used only when the apparent efficiency calculated based on Eurostat data is zero. A pro-rata split of CO₂ between heat and electricity is assumed;
• 85.98 represents the conversion factor from kilotonnes oil equivalent to GWh.

Dataset used:                   

CO₂ emissions (EEA):

• derived from the reported total CO₂ emissions from public electricity and heat generation from the EEA greenhouse gas data viewer (code: 1A1a). These CO₂ emissions include both electricity and heat production from Public Electricity Generation, Public Combined Heat and Power, and Public Heat Plants.

nrg_bal_c (Eurostat):

Indicators:

• GEP_APCHP                   Gross electricity generation Autoproducer CHP plants
• GEP_APE                         Gross electricity generation Autoproducer electricity only
• GEP_MAPCHP                Gross electricity generation Main activity CHP plants
• GEP_MAPE                     Gross electricity generation Main activity electricity only
• GHP_APCHP                   Gross heat production - Autoproducer CHP
• GHP_APH                        Gross heat production - Autoproducer heat only
• GHP_MAPCHP               Gross heat production - Main activity producer CHP
• GHP_MAPH                    Gross heat production - Main activity producer heat only
  • TI_EHG_APCHP_E        Transformation input - Electricity and Heat generation - Autoproducer                                                       CHP - Energy use
  • TI_EHG_APE_E              Transformation input - Electricity and Heat generation - Autoproducer electricity only
  • TI_EHG_APH_E             Transformation input - Electricity and Heat generation - Autoproducer heat only
  • TI_EHG_MAPCHP_E    Transformation input - Electricity and Heat generation - Main activity producer CHP - Energy use
  • TI_EHG_MAPE_E          Transformation input - Electricity and Heat generation - Main activity producer electricity only
  • TI_EHG_MAPH_E         Transformation input - Electricity and Heat generation - Main activity producer heat only

Products:         

• C0000X0350-0370            Solid fossil fuels
• C0350-0370                       Manufactured gases
• G3000                               Natural Gas
• O4000XBIO                    Oil and petroleum products (excluding biofuel portion)
• P1000                                Peat and Peat products
• S2000                                Oil shale and Oil sands
• W6100_6220                     Non-renewable waste
• TOTAL                             Total            

Abbreviations:

• TI                                       Transformation input
• MAP                                  Main activity producer
• AP                                      Autoproducer
• CHP                                   Combined Heat and Power
• E                                         Electricity only
• H                                        Heat only
• EHG                                  Electricity and Heat Production
• GEP                                   Gross Electricity Production
• GHP                                  Gross Heat Production
• SIEC                                  Standard International Energy Products Classification

References

EC, 2021, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — ‘Fit for 55’: delivering the EU’s 2030 climate target on the way to climate neutrality (COM(2021)550 final).

Eurostat, 2021, Statistics Explained, Energy balances – early estimates, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Energy_balances_-_early_estimates, retrieved on 6 October 2021.

EC, 2020, Commission Staff Working Document — impact assessment accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — stepping up Europe’s 2030 climate ambitions — investing in a climate neutral future for the benefit of our people (SWD(2020) 176 final — Part 1/2).

Policy references

EU, 2001, Directive 2001/80/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants (OJ L 309, 27/11/2001, pp. 1–21).

EU, 2018, Directive (EU) 2018/410 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2018 amending Directive 2003/87/EC to enhance cost-effective emission reductions and low-carbon investments, and Decision (EU) 2015/1814 (OJ L 76, 19.3.2018, p. 3-27).

Methodology for gap filling

No methodology for gap filling has been specified. Probably this info has been added together with indicator calculation.

Methodology references

• See references under Methodology - References

Data specifications

EEA data references

• National emissions reported to the UNFCCC and to the EU Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Mechanism provided by European Environment Agency (EEA)

External data references

• Complete energy balances (nrg_bal_c)
• COM 562 final and SWD 176 final

Data sources in latest figures

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified

Data sets uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified

Rationale uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified