Electricity Related Atmospheric Emissions
For each BTU of electric energy we consume at UNH, approximately 3.2 BTU's of energy are consumed at the electric generating station to provide that electricity. Electric energy used at UNH can be thought of as "secondary" energy. The fuel (natural gas, coal, oil, uranium, etc.) used to produce that electricity at the generating plant can be thought of as "primary" energy.
Why is so much more primary energy required to produce our electricity at UNH? Significant amounts of energy are lost as "waste heat" during the generation process at the power plant. Additional amounts of energy are lost during transmission and distribution of our electricity to UNH.
Our electricity use at UNH is responsible for the atmospheric emissions associated with the primary energy consumed at the power plant to produce our electricity. That's why the atmospheric emissions amounts are higher for electricity than for our other types of energy.
