Power, oil, electronics sectors' CO2 emissions up from FY 1990

In Japan, carbon dioxide emissions for Fiscal 2008 dropped on the year in all 10 major industrial categories, but the power, petroleum and electronics segments saw greenhouse gas output rise sharply from Fiscal 1990 levels. The petroleum industry saw the figure climb 31.1% to 40.56 million tons from the base year. Gasoline, kerosene and other light oils whose refining process consumes large amounts of energy are now making up a higher proportion of product offerings, says an official at the Petroleum Association of Japan. The power industry’s greenhouse gas emissions jumped 43.6% from fiscal 1990 to 395 million tons as the utilization rate for nuclear power plants dropped from 72% to 60% in Fiscal 2008. (December 1, 2009)