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ENVIRONMENT

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WATER CONSUMPTION BY INDUSTRY

Calculating water use by industry is not straightforward. Water use can include self-extracted water, distributed water, or reuse water. Calculating water use estimates for an industry or business is made more complicated when water is also supplied to other users, or when water is used in-stream.

Water consumption is equal to the sum of distributed, self-extracted and reuse water use less water supplied to other users, less in-stream use and less distributed water use by the environment.

Water consumption in Tasmania for 2004-05 was 434,300 megalitres (ML), an increase of 4% on the consumption of 417,200 ML in 2000-01. In 2004-05, the agricultural industry was the biggest water consumer of all industries, accounting for 59% of total water consumption, followed by households with 16%, and manufacturing with 11%.

WATER CONSUMPTION BY INDUSTRY, Tasmania

IRRIGATION ACTIVITY

In 2007-08, from a total of 4,200 agricultural businesses in Tasmania, 2,200 or 52% reported they irrigated their land. The North region reported the highest number of agricultural businesses irrigating (55%) followed by the North West (51%) and the South (49%).

In 2007-08, 91,500 hectares (6%) of all Tasmanian agricultural land were irrigated. The North West region reported the highest proportion (10%) land irrigated, followed by the North(7%) and the South (2%).

Agricultural businesses in Tasmania in 2007-08 used a total of 252,100 ML or 2.8 ML per hectare to irrigate their land. The North region was the biggest user of water for irrigation. Its agricultural businesses used 53.3% of the total state water used for irrigation, using 2.8 ML per hectare. The North West region used 33% of the total state water for irrigation with an application rate of 2.9 ML per hectare followed by the South region with 13% of the total water used and application rate of 2.4 ML per hectare.

AREA IRRIGATED, 2007-08 (agricultural land)

WATER USED 2007-08 (agricultural land)

ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY INDUSTRYIn 2007-08, Tasmanian industries consumed 124.9 petajoules (PJ) of energy, an increase of 2.0% on 2006-07 energy consumption, and 15.6% on 2003-04.

Manufacturing industry in 2007-08 was the biggest Tasmanian energy consumer. It accounted for 37.1% of total energy consumption, followed by the transport industry with 20.9% and the residential sector with 14.9%.

ENERGY CONSUMPTION, Tasmania

ENERGY CONSUMPTION, by industry, Tasmania, 2007-08

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Tasmanian greenhouse gas emissions including Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF), on a Kyoto accounting basis during the year ended 30 June 2007 were 8.5 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO₂-e) an increase of 7.6% on 2006 emissions of 7.9% Mt CO₂-e.

At the same time, Australian greenhouse gas emissions were 597.2 Mt CO₂-e, a 0.2% increase on 2006 emissions of 596.1 Mt CO₂-e.

CO2 EQUIVALENT EMISSIONS, Tasmania

SOURCES

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE)

Australian Government Department of Climate Change

Farm Management and Climate (ABS cat. no. 4625.0)

Natural Resource Management on Australian Farms (ABS cat. no. 4620.0)

Water Account Australia (ABS cat. no. 4610.0)

Water Use on Australian Farms (ABS cat. no. 4618.0)