Where do our greenhouse gas emissions come from?

Australia and Victoria at a glance

Powering Australia with predominantly coal-fired electricity makes up about 35% of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions. Victorians are actually the biggest polluters of all Australians because we use brown coal (the most greenhouse gas intensive coal) to make most of our electricity. 

Victoria also has a plentiful supply of natural gas which is widely used for purposes such as cooking, heating and hot water. Burning natural gas produces about one third of the greenhouse emissions of coal. It is also burnt to make electricity: a particularly ineffective and greenhouse-intensive use.

The greenhouse emissions intensity of wind power, solar panels and hydroelectricity are very low or none in comparison, but these renewable sources make up only 8% of our total national electricity production, mostly in large scale hydro electric projects.

Energy use by the average person in the City of Port Phillip

Stationary energy use at home (electricity and gas) accounts for an average 27.5% of the total carbon footprint of each Port Phillip resident, including all activities inside and outside the home. Stationary energy consumption comprises 83% of all greenhouse emissions from the average home (the rest is generated through transport and waste). Of this, 88% is from electricity use and 12% from natural gas use. The average Port Phillip resident will produce 7.85 tonnes of greenhouse gas as a result of stationary energy consumed in the home.

So where do we use gas and electricity at home?

 

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM THE HOME

AMOUNT PER AVERAGE COPP RESIDENT PER YEAR (TONNES CO2-E)

PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CARBON FOOTPRINT

ELECTRICITY and GAS USE

Appliances = 29% (2.28t Co2-e)

Heating and Cooling = 26% (2.04t Co2-e)

Hot water = 20% (1.57t Co2-e)

Fridge/freezer = 12% (0.94t Co2-e)

Lighting - 9% (0.7t Co2-e)

Cooking - 4% (0.31t Co2-e)

7.85

88% = Electricity

12% = Gas

27.4%

(83% of emissions at home)

 

 

 

Your total carbon footprint consists of the total energy used and greenhouse emissions produced to make the products and services you consume, and is typically expressed as tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or t.CO2-e. Of the total 29.85 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year for which the average Port Phillip resident is currently responsible in all facets of their life:

  • 27.4% is produced at home through electricity and gas use, transport and waste to landfill
  • 8.5% is produced by travel emissions from road travel, public transport and air travel.
  • 24.1% is produced from the energy used to make and transport the food we buy
  • 30% is from the goods and services we consume including furniture, clothes, books, appliances, personal care products, tobacco and alcohol.

To take effective action to reduce your contribution to climate change, look for ways to reduce your total carbon footprint inside and outside the home.