Industrial processes sector greenhouse gas emissions
Key Finding
In 2018, emissions from the industrial processes sector contributed 5.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), or 3% of Queensland’s total emissions. Emissions increased by 8% between 2005 and 2018 owing mostly to the use of air-conditioning and refrigeration.
Industrial process emissions are the by-product of processes that convert raw materials to a range of chemical, mineral or metal products like cement, fertilisers and explosives. They also include the release of synthetic gases, such as those used in refrigeration and air conditioning.
Emissions were 5.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2018. This represents 3% of Queensland’s total emissions.
- This compares with 3.5 MtCO2e in 1990.
- In 2005, emissions were 5.5 MtCO2e.
The main sources of Queensland's industrial process emissions are from:
- products used as ozone depleting substitutes (41%)
- minerals industry (21%)
- chemicals industry (21%)
- metals processing (21%).
Fluorinated gases (F-gases) are products that have substituted ozone depleting substances that are banned under the Montreal Protocol, and can have a global warming potential many thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide. F-gases emissions have increased significantly from 0.97 MtCO2e in 2005 to 2.4 MtCO2e by 2018. Key contributors of F-gases emissions are:
- stationary air-conditioning (44%)
- commercial refrigeration (35%)
- mobile air-conditioning in vehicles (13%)
- transport refrigeration (4%).
These increases are linked to increased population growth and economic activity, and inadequate thermal efficiency of new buildings due to the slow advancement of energy efficiency standards, which has contributed to increased demand for these products.
The graph’s 'other' category includes emissions from the food and beverages industry.
Queensland has the second highest share of emissions from industrial processes, behind NSW.
More information:
Relevant Sustainable Development Goals’ targets
Proportion of industrial processes emissions by state, 2018
- Chart
- Table
State | Emissions (million tonnes) |
---|---|
New South Wales | 13.666 |
Queensland | 5.905 |
Western Australia | 5.044 |
Victoria | 3.856 |
South Australia | 3.639 |
Tasmania | 1.719 |
Australian Capital Territory | 0.212 |
Northern Territory | 0.154 |
Proportion of Queensland’s industrial processes emissions by category, 2018
- Chart
- Table
Category | Emissions (million tonnes) |
---|---|
Product uses as ozone depleting substances substitutes | 2.405 |
Non-energy products from fuels and solvent use | Data is confidential |
Mineral Industry | 1.269 |
Chemical Industry | 1.214 |
Other | 0.099 |
Other product manufacture and use | 0.046 |
Trends in Queensland’s industrial processes emissions, by category
- Chart
- Table
Year | Product uses as ozone depleting substances substitutes | Non-energy products from fuels and solvent use | Mineral Industry | Chemical Industry | Other | Other product manufacture and use |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | 0.000 | 0.075 | 0.898 | 0.441 | 0.029 | 0.037 |
1991 | 0.000 | 0.070 | 0.841 | 0.471 | 0.031 | 0.041 |
1992 | 0.000 | 0.069 | 0.808 | 0.548 | 0.033 | 0.044 |
1993 | 0.000 | 0.071 | 0.856 | 0.871 | 0.034 | 0.048 |
1994 | 0.000 | 0.073 | 0.984 | 0.789 | 0.037 | 0.052 |
1995 | 0.017 | 0.072 | 0.991 | 0.776 | 0.039 | 0.057 |
1996 | 0.075 | 0.075 | 0.985 | 0.599 | 0.050 | 0.051 |
1997 | 0.129 | Data is confidential | 1.072 | 0.548 | 0.049 | 0.048 |
1998 | 0.183 | Data is confidential | 1.140 | 0.628 | 0.048 | 0.044 |
1999 | 0.254 | Data is confidential | 1.134 | 0.619 | 0.049 | 0.038 |
2000 | 0.299 | Data is confidential | 1.115 | 0.605 | 0.051 | 0.039 |
2001 | 0.430 | Data is confidential | 1.158 | 0.944 | 0.050 | 0.041 |
2002 | 0.550 | Data is confidential | 1.155 | 1.017 | 0.052 | 0.042 |
2003 | 0.681 | Data is confidential | 1.184 | 1.401 | 0.054 | 0.044 |
2004 | 0.819 | Data is confidential | 1.182 | 1.505 | 0.070 | 0.044 |
2005 | 0.969 | Data is confidential | 1.219 | 1.579 | 0.072 | 0.038 |
2006 | 1.011 | Data is confidential | 1.270 | 1.351 | 0.067 | 0.036 |
2007 | 1.202 | Data is confidential | 1.277 | 1.601 | 0.053 | 0.035 |
2008 | 1.359 | Data is confidential | 1.337 | 1.898 | 0.070 | 0.032 |
2009 | 1.620 | Data is confidential | 1.236 | 1.895 | 0.069 | 0.029 |
2010 | 1.753 | Data is confidential | 1.226 | 1.929 | 0.099 | 0.029 |
2011 | 1.834 | Data is confidential | 1.279 | 1.436 | 0.142 | 0.028 |
2012 | 1.821 | Data is confidential | 1.305 | 1.436 | 0.096 | 0.030 |
2013 | 1.985 | Data is confidential | 1.180 | 1.048 | 0.108 | 0.029 |
2014 | 2.164 | Data is confidential | 1.336 | 1.111 | 0.097 | 0.031 |
2015 | 2.364 | Data is confidential | 1.347 | 1.069 | 0.099 | 0.034 |
2016 | 2.399 | Data is confidential | 1.294 | 1.036 | 0.109 | 0.037 |
2017 | 2.342 | Data is confidential | 1.197 | 0.954 | 0.104 | 0.038 |
2018 | 2.405 | Data is confidential | 1.269 | 1.214 | 0.099 | 0.046 |
Queensland’s total industrial processes emissions
Year | Emissions (million tonnes) |
---|---|
1990 | 3.451 |
1991 | 3.421 |
1992 | 3.472 |
1993 | 3.515 |
1994 | 3.294 |
1995 | 3.117 |
1996 | 3.044 |
1997 | 3.091 |
1998 | 3.487 |
1999 | 3.460 |
2000 | 3.484 |
2001 | 4.178 |
2002 | 4.403 |
2003 | 4.942 |
2004 | 5.206 |
2005 | 5.476 |
2006 | 5.019 |
2007 | 5.425 |
2008 | 5.925 |
2009 | 5.991 |
2010 | 6.166 |
2011 | 5.854 |
2012 | 5.875 |
2013 | 5.446 |
2014 | 5.813 |
2015 | 5.905 |
2016 | 5.813 |
2017 | 5.530 |
2018 | 5.905 |
Download data from Queensland Government Open Data Portal
Metadata
Queensland annual greenhouse gas emissions in millions of tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent from 1990–2018 by industrial process sector. Source: Australian Greenhouse Emissions Information System, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.