❓ A WA parliamentary question examines the electricity usage and greenhouse gas emissions of the new Mandurah to Perth rail system, comparing it to existing transport methods and highlighting air quality benefits.
AnsweredQoN 306Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Over the course of a normal year of operation of the Mandurah to Perth rail system once it becomes operational, what is the total electricity usage of the rail cars and all associated aspects of the system such as lighting, station operation and other?
(2) Assuming that all this electricity is produced by the coal-fired power station at Collie, what would be the greenhouse gas emissions from this power station that would be attributable to the electricity generated for and used for the operation of the Mandurah to Perth rail system?
(3) What is the estimate of greenhouse gas emissions that are currently being produced by the cars, buses and other forms of transport, public and private, that carry all those people that the Government hopes will use the Mandurah to Perth rail system (in other words, what greenhouse gas savings are expected once the rail system reduces the number of people travelling by other transport methods)?
(2) Assuming that all this electricity is produced by the coal-fired power station at Collie, what would be the greenhouse gas emissions from this power station that would be attributable to the electricity generated for and used for the operation of the Mandurah to Perth rail system?
(3) What is the estimate of greenhouse gas emissions that are currently being produced by the cars, buses and other forms of transport, public and private, that carry all those people that the Government hopes will use the Mandurah to Perth rail system (in other words, what greenhouse gas savings are expected once the rail system reduces the number of people travelling by other transport methods)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
25 February 2003
Responded by
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
153 days
(1) The total annual electricity usage by the railcars, Mandurah to Perth, is estimated to be 55 GigaWatt hours (GWh), which is similar to that used by the current electric trains.
Using the annual average electricity consumption of major stations of a similar size and function on the Northern Suburbs Railway, the total electricity consumption on services other than trains is approximately 2.7 GWh.
Therefore total electricity consumption for the new system is expected to be 57.7 GWh.
(2) The estimated total greenhouse gas emissions to power the Mandurah to Perth rail system is approximately 59,550 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent gases.
(3) Data is not immediately available to allow the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions currently being produced by the cars, buses and other forms of transport, public and private, transporting people who are expected to use the Mandurah to Perth railway in the future. However, an estimation has been made of 84,275 tonnes of greenhouse gases generated (as carbon dioxide equivalents), assuming that all passengers were transferred from private cars.
The Member will be aware that greenhouse gas emissions are not the only noxious pollutant to be considered. The most important measure of immediate environmental health to the City is Perth's air quality. As well as greenhouse gases, vehicle emissions within the metropolitan area produce nitrous oxides, particulates, photochemical smog, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. The electrified rail system will produce negligible amounts of these pollutants in the metropolitan area.
The greenhouse gas issue is one of national and global significance being addressed through other state, national and international initiatives while the direct health impacts of pollutants produced by motor vehicles has an immediate effect on metropolitan residents.
Using the annual average electricity consumption of major stations of a similar size and function on the Northern Suburbs Railway, the total electricity consumption on services other than trains is approximately 2.7 GWh.
Therefore total electricity consumption for the new system is expected to be 57.7 GWh.
(2) The estimated total greenhouse gas emissions to power the Mandurah to Perth rail system is approximately 59,550 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent gases.
(3) Data is not immediately available to allow the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions currently being produced by the cars, buses and other forms of transport, public and private, transporting people who are expected to use the Mandurah to Perth railway in the future. However, an estimation has been made of 84,275 tonnes of greenhouse gases generated (as carbon dioxide equivalents), assuming that all passengers were transferred from private cars.
The Member will be aware that greenhouse gas emissions are not the only noxious pollutant to be considered. The most important measure of immediate environmental health to the City is Perth's air quality. As well as greenhouse gases, vehicle emissions within the metropolitan area produce nitrous oxides, particulates, photochemical smog, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. The electrified rail system will produce negligible amounts of these pollutants in the metropolitan area.
The greenhouse gas issue is one of national and global significance being addressed through other state, national and international initiatives while the direct health impacts of pollutants produced by motor vehicles has an immediate effect on metropolitan residents.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.