Greenhouse gas emission intensity of electricity generation in Europe

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 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.