Sustainable Energy Use Sources: wikipedia/Energy_use

1. Sustainable Energy Use Sources: www.wikipedia.org/Energy_use www.wikipedia.org/Global_warming Prepared by GMM Committee on Global Warming

2. Solar energy is the world's most important energy resource. But the balance of absorption and radiation is critical.

3. Temperatures have been rising because the atmosphere traps more heat from the sun.

4. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere fluctuates, but recently has risen tremendously.

5. In the last few decades, the rise of carbon dioxide has accelerated. This is caused by our increasing use of carbon from fossil fuels.

6. Energy Sources Worldwide, 2004. Our energy comes mostly from carbon-based sources.

7. World energy use has risen tremendously.

8. World use of carbon-based fuels continues to rise. Oil Coal Gas Nuclear Hydro

9. Worldwide, most people are poor and use little energy.

10. Transportation and Residential take half of the total energy. We can make a difference here.

11. One solution is to use only renewable energy sources. Worldwide, there are a variety.

12. Part of the problem is energy efficiency: more than half is currently wasted.

13. The energy available from the sun can suffice for our needs. We can make use of it from wind-power and from solar collectors.

15. Modern Wind Energy Farm in California.

16. Wind energy installation outside of Copenhagen. Wind energy installation near Muppandal, India

17. Solar cells generate electricity directly from sunlight.

18. This solar collector concentrates the sun's rays and generates electricity directly from photovoltaic cells.

19. This solar parabolic dish 24 feet in diameter collects 30,000 watts. The energy is converted to electricity at 30% efficiency by a small heat engine.

20. The Solar Electric Generating Systems plant in the Mohave desert is the largest solar collecting plant in the world. An array of parabolic trough reflectors heats oil which transfers the heat efficiently to the electric plant, where steam turbines generate electricity. This plant has 400,000 mirrors in 1000 acres and generates 354 MW of power.

21. Solar heat can be utilized by anyone. A simple enclosure with reflector can cook a meal. A solar concentrator can cook quickly. 250-300 deg F 400-500 deg F

22. Some facts about solar power: 1) A solar thermal power plant built on about 1% of the surface of the Sahara Desert (200 miles squared) would be sufficient to satisfy the entire world's electricity demand. 2) Solar thermal power can used be with energy storage systems or combined with other energy sources to provide all day power. 3) Solar thermal power is reliable and available when needed most - during peak demand hours 4) Solar thermal power can be cheaper than power from fossil fuels when all external costs are considered (and even when they're not).

23. Arrays of solar photo-voltaic panels are being installed everywhere. They pay back in energy terms in 1-2 years, and in money in about 30 years. CIS Tower, Manchester, England “Solar tree” in Gleisdorf, Austria

24. Solar installations can be easily integrated into a modern design for a typical building's roof. The solar energy falling on the roof can provide enough heat and electricity for the building's needs.

25. Most of the energy we use at home is for heating and cooling. USA Household Energy Use, 2004

26. A very important way to reduce carbon emissions is to purchase wind energy from PECO. It only costs 2.54 cents/kWH more than carbon-based electricity (15 cents/kWH), so is only about 17% more.

27. To increase efficiency of home space heating: 1) Purchase a more efficient home heater or furnace. a) Modern high-efficiency furnaces are twice as efficient as traditional designs. More of the heat from oil or gas is converted into heat for your house, and less heat goes up the chimney. To justify the added cost, add up the savings you will get over 20 years. When you sell your house, you can get a higher price if the buyer knows that the heating bill is very low. b) Install a modern thermostat that turns heat off during day and night when heat is not needed. Set thermostat at day=65, night=55 deg F. 2) Insulate your home and living spaces. a) Add insulation between exterior and interior walls and in attic floor. Best type is “phenol-based” foam, but other good choices are fire-retardant cellulose, rock wool, or fiberglass. This is especially important on second and third floors of house, because they are generally warmer (heat rises). This can save up to 40% of your heating bill and will pay back in 5-7 years. b) Replace old windows with thermo-pane style (2 layers of glass). c) Add storm windows on the outside of your house. d) Cover air spaces and cracks around windows and doors with weather-stripping. Cover leaky windows with plastic, seal around edge.

28. For a sustainable life style, use solar or wood for heating: 1) Wood burned in a stove does not add carbon to the atmosphere because atmospheric carbon is incorporated into new tree growth. 2) A modern wood stove can burn very cleanly without adding smoke to the atmosphere because it has an “after-burner” like modern automobiles, which makes the stove more efficient. 3) Solar energy is an excellent fit to the requirements for house heating. The basic requirements for solar heating are: a) an insulated window. b) a way to transfer the heat into the house where it is needed. c) a way to store the heat. A modern method is called “seasonal heat store”, where the heat is stored for weeks or months in the foundation of the house. 4) There are other possibilities for heating, such as heat pumps and geothermal, running on wind-powered electricity. But these are more efficient when combined with solar. Catalytic combustors for wood stoves Simple solar heating system.

29. Solar energy for heating homes: 1) Passive solar energy heating means adding large windows to the south-facing side of a house, and then adding some heat storage capacity to the house, typically in the form of masonry or tanks of water. The heat storage capacity is large enough that the temperature of the house does not fluctuate much between sunny and cloudy days. 2) A very effective way to add solar heating is to use awnings and plant deciduous trees on the south side of the house to provide shade in summer. Then add or enlarge south-facing windows that capture the sun's rays in winter. 3) Active solar energy heating means adding solar collectors that heat air or water, which is pumped into a storage system. The system can be very simple and inexpensive or can be more complicated and large enough to heat your home. 4) The term “seasonal heat store” means having a solar storage device (insulated earth or water tank) that is big enough to store summer heat, then release it during the winter. Passive solar heating system. An active solar collector system.

30. To increase efficiency of water heating: 1) Set water temperature lower, 130-135 degrees F. It should be higher than 125 deg to prevent disease. 2) Add a blanket to your water heater. This reduces loss through the insulation in the outer wall. Insulate your hot and cold water pipes with foam. 3) If you have water-based radiators or baseboard heaters, purchase a home furnace system integrated with your water heater. The furnace heats both your radiators and the hot water for your kitchen and bath. This is more efficient because the hot water storage tank does not need a flue. 4) Purchase an “on-demand” electric or gas-based hot water heater. This heats water instantly so a large tank filled with hot water is unnecessary. 5) Purchase a solar collector and add it to your system of hot water storage.

31. Solar energy for domestic hot water: 1) You can add a solar collector to your house very easily. Many brands of collector are available, ready to install. 2) Solar collectors can be connected to your hot water tank for domestic hot water throughout the year. 3) They have a lifetime of 20-50 years, and pay back in a shorter time.

32. To increase the efficiency of lighting: 1) Install compact fluorescent (CF) bulbs. a) They convert more of the electricity into light and therefore use only 20% of the energy of a corresponding incandescent bulb, and they last longer (5-7 years). Depending on how much use the bulbs get, the savings from this and the extra lifetime from CF bulbs pays for their extra cost in a few years. b) They last the longest when they are not turned off and on a lot. c) They are available in several color termperatures: “warm-white” (2500-2700 deg K), similar to incandescents, “medium-white”(2900-3000 deg K), better for most purposes, “cool-white” (4000 deg K), like traditional fluorescent tubes, “daylight” (5000 deg K), more accurate seeing of colors. d) Outdoor CF bulbs are available to withstand rain and cold. It is often helpful to put them on an automatic timer or photocell switch so they aren't left on all night. Special CF bulbs are available for dimmers. When installing in closed fixtures, check heat generation. e) Compact fluorescent bulbs do burn out and because they contain a small amount of mercury, they should be recycled appropriately. Please do not toss them into the regular trash.

33. Some commonly available compact fluorescent bulbs. 14 watt CF = 60 watt incandescent. 20 watt CF = 75 watt incandescent. 25 watt CF = 100 watt incandescent.

34. To increase the efficiency of air conditioning: 1) Use fans instead of air conditioning whenever possible. Overhead fans make the heat and humidity bearable by evaporating moisture to cool the skin. Drink plenty of fluids so you don't become dehydrated by the heat. 2) Window fans are helpful at night to bring in cool air from outside the house. A fan set to turn off at 2 AM is helpful – you can turn on the fan when going to bed, then it will turn off automatically. 3) Only use the air conditioner when you need it. A typical small window air conditioner typically uses 1500 watts, which over an 8 hour day costs about $2. Larger units use more. 4) Purchase the most efficient air conditioner possible. Check the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) number – it should be at 13 or above, although smaller window units often have lower ratings. You can save 30% on an upgrade from SEER 9 to SEER 13. 5) Make sure that the doors to the room where it is located are kept shut, and that the room is insulated well.

35. To increase efficiency of refrigerator/freezer: 1) Purchase a “super efficent” (SERP) unit. The most recent refrigerators use less than 1 kWH/day, and use less than $40 of electricity per year. Look carefully at the energy label and compare models and brands. Sun-Frost has been the most efficient brand but it is expensive and other brands have competitive efficient models. To justify spending more, add up the savings you will get over 20 years. 2) Keep the condenser coil at the back of the refrigerator clean and free of dust, with plenty of space for circulation of air. 3) Place the refrigerator in a cool room. This lowers the amount of time it must run to remain cold. 4) Purchase a super-efficient top-loading freezer and place it in a cool room. This type is more efficient and loses less cold each time you open it. 5) Remember that electricity is a valuable resource, much more valuable than it costs. Give yourself a 100% electricity tax, and spend it on new ways to reduce energy use.

36. To increase efficiency of drying clothes: 1) Use the sun when you can. Set up wash drying lines outside in the back yard, and in the basement where you can hang up clothes to dry. This can save up to 20% of your electric bill. Partly drying in the sun or wind will save money – the dryer can finish it off. 2) Remember that an electric dryer consumes the most electric power of all the appliances in a typical home (4000-6000 watts). Use it sparingly and wisely. Don't put wet clothes in the dryer – they should be spun dry by the washer. The best dryers have a moisture sensor in the drum to stop the drying cycle. This can save 10-15% over a timer. 3) Always clean the lint filter after each use – this can save 20%. Use an external exhaust vent, but make sure vent is metallic because lint can cause a fire. 4) You may have heard that gas dryers are more cost-effective than electric dryers. The cost of drying a typical load is $0.40 in an electric dryer and $0.20 in a gas dryer. But note that gas creates carbon dioxide, whereas wind-powered electricity does not. 5) To keep the “fluffy” look from the electric dryer, put clothes in for only 5-10 minutes, then hang them up to dry outside or in the basement for complete drying.

37. To minimize energy used by electronic devices: 1) Unplug AC wall socket power supplies for devices such as cell phones, radios, and TVs in when they aren't being used. Even when they are not connected to the device, or not turned on, they take a little power continuously when plugged in. Although each only takes a few watts, several left in continuously can add up to $50-$100 per year. 2) Don't charge cell phones and laptop computers continuously, for this damages the (typically lithium) batteries and lowers their useful capacity and lifetime. For best life and least use of energy, use the battery until discharged completely, then recharge fully. 3) Check your power meter and see if you can count up all the watts you are using in your house.

38. To minimize energy use in transportation: 1) Walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible. This gives exercise and is generally much more healthy. When shopping, go with a bike rack or shopping cart so you don't have to carry the groceries. 2) Take a train or bus instead of driving or flying. Trains are more energy-efficient than most other public transportation methods. A bus is more efficient than driving – you can find the schedule for city-to-city routes on the Internet. 3) Car-pool to work or to events. You can effectively double or triple your mileage by inviting 2 or 3 people to ride with you. 4) Support higher gasoline taxes which will tend to reduce gasoline usage and support development of more efficient means of transportation.

39. To reduce energy use in your car, Improve your miles per gallon: 1) Keep up your car maintenance. Keep the tire pressure high, because a more fully-inflated tire is easier to move. Keep the oil level correct with the proper oil weight. Check the air filter. 2) Minimize speed, for speed increases air friction, which requires more engine power and uses extra gasoline. Slowing from 70 to 55 mph can increase your mileage by 25%. 3) Minimize acceleration by pressing gently on the accelerator and brake pedals. When going up and down hills, allow speed to vary according to the slope: when going up, allow the car to go slower, and when going down, allow the car to go a little faster. In start- and-stop city driving, taking an extra 15 seconds to get up to speed and 15 seconds to brake can increase your mileage by 20%. 4) Purchase a higher efficiency car, rated 35 mpg or more, with manual transmission. Keep the engine in its the low-to-medium RPM range, which is most efficient. Keep the car as light as possible. Remove the roof rack when not needed. Don't run the air conditioner unless you really need it. The recently-developed “hybrid” cars get higher mileage.

40. By reducing aerodynamic drag and rolling friction, it is possible to get very high mileage. 10,705 mpg at 15 MPH 12,665 mpg @ 18 MPH

41. To save energy in many ways, dig a garden and plant some vegetables. You will be healthier and will save money and gas from fewer shopping trips.

42. National and State policy issues to help prevent global warming: 1) Encourage energy efficiency at all levels of government and the private sector. This should encourage business, providing greater profitability and more jobs. 2) Implement carbon use tax on major sources of fossil fuels to provide monetary backing for sustainable energy sources and to shift demand from carbon to sustainable sources. 3) Start new research initiatives in generation of solar electricity and hydrogen, fuel cells running on hydrogen, and biomass conversion. 4) Encourage private industry in efforts to build solar electricity and hydrogen plants, convert vehicles to hydrogen, build wind farms, and use renewable sources and solar for energy. Increase grants and loans to promote investment in renewable energy. 5) Encourage utilities to implement smart electric meters to reduce electricity use during times of high demand. Give rebates for purchasing more efficient home appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners. Increase tax credits for residential and commercial solar-energy installations. 6) Join with the international community to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and standardize economies around the use of solar and renewable energy sources.