Waste and Energy Impacts of EMDA's Regional Economic Strategy
EMDA wanted to evaluate their waste and emissions impacts associated with fulfillment of existing RES targets and aspirations. Together with the Regional Assembly, the RDA completed REEIO model runs in order to get answers to the following questions:-
1) What is the impact of increasing legislative and fiscal measures designed to increase waste minimization?
2) What is the impact of additional growth in Milton Keynes South Midlands (MKSM) sub-region?
3) What would be the impact if the region were to attain 8.3% electricity generation from renewables by 2010 and 15% by 2015?
4) What would be the impact of additional growth in the MKSM sub-region on energy use and air emissions with current a) building standards and b) highly efficient buildings?
The main findings were that:-
1) The total waste arisings decreased over the period 1999-2015 (by about 12%)
2) This decrease is heavily skewed by reductions in mining waste, which accounts for about 50% of total waste
3) The importance of focusing attention on potential changes in arisings from commercial, industrial, municipal as well as construction & demolition waste
4) Total regional energy demand increases by 5.7% over period 2001-15
5) Carbon dioxide emissions increase by over 9% over the same period
6) There are marked differences in energy demand between sectors
7) Unlike for the REEIO model run on waste arisings, there are robust assumptions on energy efficiency improvements for SIC sectors. Those areas where most action would seem to be required on policy intervention are transport and domestic in terms of growth potential and power generation in terms of scale of energy use.