Energy resources: consumption and impacts

This paper provides information on indicators of energy consumption and emissions to the atmosphere in Riga over the last decade of the 20^th century (further in the text - the 1990-ies). Using publicly available data this paper analyses information on the consumption of heating fuel and transport fuel, on the basis of which emissions of greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂0), sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide (NO_x) were calculated, indicators of emissions were compared for 2001 and 1996, and trends were analysed. 
 

  The following is characteristic for the consumption of energy resources in the 1990-ies:

• Decrease in heating fuel consumption;
  
  
• Increase in the use of environment-friendly types of fuel - natural gas and wood fuel, and their dominance in the total fuel balance (in 2001, natural gas - 79%, wood fuel- 10%);
  
  
•   Increase in fuel consumption in the transport sector.
  
  
  

  Analysing emissions to the atmosphere in Riga during the 1990-ies both positive and negative development tendencies can be observed:

• In general, a significant decrease of CO₂ emissions, which cause the greenhouse effect (by ~ 11% from 1996 to 2001). Changes in CO₂ emissions are determined by two processes - on the one hand, there is a significant decrease of CO₂ emissions (by 27%) as a result of a reduced consumption of heating fuel and the use of environmentally-friendly fuel. On the other hand, the amount of CO₂ emissions has increased in the transport sector (by 67%);
  
  
• A very radical reduction of SO₂ emissions (by ~ 87%, between 1996 and 2001). This has been achieved largely by replacing heavy fuel oil with natural gas during the second half of the 90-ies. Currently, heavy fuel oil in Riga is used either in individual boiler houses or as a reserve fuel;
  
  
• Increase of nitrogen oxide emissions (by ~ 31%, between 1996 and 2001) connected with the increase of fuel consumption in the transport sector.