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GVT: Hon Pete Hodgson: Action on New Zealand's most potent greenhouse gas

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Jul 26, 2004, 12:19:30 AM7/26/04

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Action on New Zealand's most potent greenhouse gas

Government and the electricity sector act to minimise sulphur =
hexafluoride (SF6) emissions.

---------------------------------

Government, national grid operator Transpower, electricity generators =
and large electricity users will today sign a voluntary agreement to =
minimise emissions of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), the most potent =
greenhouse gas.

Through the agreement, users of SF6, mainly used in electricity =
transmission and distribution systems, undertake to:

=B7 adopt best practice to minimise SF6 emissions=20
=B7 set and meet emissions targets (in the case of major users), and
=B7 report on SF6 use in accordance with internationally recognised =
guidelines.

In turn, the Government has reaffirmed that it will exempt users of SF6 =
from costs arising from its use under climate change policies.=20

"I welcome the responsible stance being taken by users towards =
minimising sulphur hexafluoride emissions," says Energy Minister and =
Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change, Pete Hodgson. =20

"Transpower is committed to minimising emissions of this greenhouse gas, =
and the signing of the agreement provides a useful framework within =
which this goal can be achieved," says Transpower's Chief Executive Dr =
Ralph Craven.

Transpower worked with the Government on behalf SF6 users in the =
development of the agreement.=20

The other electricity users who are being invited to sign the agreement =
include: Vector, Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power, Genesis Power, =
Contact Energy and Comalco.=20

Questions & answers about sulphur hexafluoride

What is sulphur hexafluoride?
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is a synthetic, inert, non-flammable, =
non-toxic, odourless and colourless gas five times heavier than air. It =
is exceptionally stable once released into the atmosphere with an =
estimated lifetime of 800 to 10,000 years. It has the highest global =
warming potential (GWP) of all known substances - 23,900 over 100 years. =

Where is SF6 used?
The main use of SF6 globally is in electricity transmission and =
distribution systems. SF6 has excellent insulating properties and is the =
preferred insulator for high voltage electrical supply equipment such =
as: substations, gas-insulated switchgear and circuit breakers. This =
usage accounts for 80% of the total annual emissions. Alternatives are =
available but they do not perform as well and carry their own equally =
undesirable environmental consequences. =20

What companies use SF6 in New Zealand?
Transpower is the greatest user of SF6 with around 90% of the stocks in =
New Zealand. It also has the most complete data on the stocks of SF6 =
that it holds (estimated to be 32 tonnes in 2002). Of the electricity =
distribution companies, only Vector holds a significant quantity, =
estimated to be about three tonnes. Meridian Energy, Mighty River =
Power, Genesis Power and Contact Energy, as well as large industrial =
sites account for most of the remainder. Minor quantities (less than =
20kg per year) are used for research purposes and for highly specialised =
industrial uses. These are not addressed by the MOU.=20

How much SF6 is used in New Zealand=20
The total stock of SF6 in New Zealand in 2002 was estimated by =
Transpower to be less than 40 tonnes. A detailed study carried out by =
CRL Energy Ltd on SF6 emissions as part of the 2004 NZ Inventory of =
Greenhouse Gas Emissions gives a more accurate estimate of the total =
national stock of 33.2 tonnes in 2003. =20
Although SF6 has an extremely high GWP it only contributes 0.1% of New =
Zealand's greenhouse gas inventory. =20

Why a voluntary MOU?
Because the actual emissions of SF6 are very low and because the major =
users showed a high degree of willingness to limit their emissions, a =
regulatory approach was not considered necessary. This form of agreement =
provides a good mechanism for monitoring SF6 use and ensuring that =
emissions are minimised, without placing undue costs or restrictions on =
the electricity supply industry.=20
In the unlikely event that circumstances alter and there is a =
significant rise in emissions, then the agreement does not preclude more =
direct actions being taken.=20

The Pete Hodgson mailing list operated by OneSquared Limited.

To unsubscribe, enter the following address in your browser address bar =
and press the Enter key.

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.aspx?UID=3D2160&unsubscribe=3Dyes

You can also subscribe to this service or change and maintain your =
existing subscription list by going to:

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<html><head></head><body>Action on =
New Zealand's most potent greenhouse gas Government and the =
electricity sector act to minimise sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) =
emissions. --------------------------------- Government, =
national grid operator Transpower, electricity generators and large =
electricity users will today sign a voluntary agreement to minimise =
emissions of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), the most potent greenhouse =
gas. Through the agreement, users of SF6, mainly used in =
electricity transmission and distribution systems, undertake =
to: =B7 adopt best practice to minimise SF6 emissions =B7 =
set and meet emissions targets (in the case of major users), and =B7 =
report on SF6 use in accordance with internationally recognised =
guidelines. In turn, the Government has reaffirmed that it will =
exempt users of SF6 from costs arising from its use under climate =
change policies. "I welcome the responsible stance being taken =
by users towards minimising sulphur hexafluoride emissions," says Energy =
Minister and Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change, Pete =
Hodgson. "Transpower is committed to minimising emissions of =
this greenhouse gas, and the signing of the agreement provides a useful =
framework within which this goal can be achieved," says Transpower's =
Chief Executive Dr Ralph Craven. Transpower worked with the =
Government on behalf SF6 users in the development of the agreement. =
 The other electricity users who are being invited to sign the =
agreement include: Vector, Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power, Genesis =
Power, Contact Energy and Comalco. Questions & answers about =
sulphur hexafluoride What is sulphur hexafluoride? Sulphur =
hexafluoride (SF6) is a synthetic, inert, non-flammable, non-toxic, =
odourless and colourless gas five times heavier than air. It is =
exceptionally stable once released into the atmosphere with an estimated =
lifetime of 800 to 10,000 years. It has the highest global warming =
potential (GWP) of all known substances - 23,900 over 100 years. =
 Where is SF6 used? The main use of SF6 globally is in =
electricity transmission and distribution systems. SF6 has excellent =
insulating properties and is the preferred insulator for high voltage =
electrical supply equipment such as: substations, gas-insulated =
switchgear and circuit breakers. This usage accounts for 80% of the =
total annual emissions. Alternatives are available but they do not =
perform as well and carry their own equally undesirable environmental =
consequences. What companies use SF6 in New =
Zealand? Transpower is the greatest user of SF6 with around 90% of =
the stocks in New Zealand. It also has the most complete data on the =
stocks of SF6 that it holds (estimated to be 32 tonnes in 2002). Of the =
electricity distribution companies, only Vector holds a significant =
quantity, estimated to be about three tonnes. Meridian Energy, Mighty =
River Power, Genesis Power and Contact Energy, as well as large =
industrial sites account for most of the remainder. Minor quantities =
(less than 20kg per year) are used for research purposes and for highly =
specialised industrial uses. These are not addressed by the MOU. =
 How much SF6 is used in New Zealand The total stock of SF6 =
in New Zealand in 2002 was estimated by Transpower to be less than 40 =
tonnes. A detailed study carried out by CRL Energy Ltd on SF6 emissions =
as part of the 2004 NZ Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions gives a =
more accurate estimate of the total national stock of 33.2 tonnes in =
2003. Although SF6 has an extremely high GWP it only contributes =
0.1% of New Zealand's greenhouse gas inventory. Why a voluntary =
MOU? Because the actual emissions of SF6 are very low and because the =
major users showed a high degree of willingness to limit their =
emissions, a regulatory approach was not considered necessary. This form =
of agreement provides a good mechanism for monitoring SF6 use and =
ensuring that emissions are minimised, without placing undue costs or =
restrictions on the electricity supply industry. In the unlikely =
event that circumstances alter and there is a significant rise in =
emissions, then the agreement does not preclude more direct actions =
being taken. The Pete Hodgson mailing list operated by =
OneSquared Limited. Click <a =
href=3D'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.aspx?UID=3D2160&unsubscrib=
e=3Dyes'>here</a> to unsubscribe. If the unsubscribe link is not =
active, enter the following address in your browser address bar and =
press the Enter =
key. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.aspx?UID=3D2160&unsubs=
cribe=3Dyes You can also subscribe to this service or change and =
maintain your existing subscription list by going to: <a href =
=3D =
'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/lists/default.cfm'>http://www.beehive.govt.nz=
/lists/default.cfm</a> </body></head>
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