Using the Energy Intensity Ratio as an Assessment Tool for Near Term US Energy Strategy in Transportation and Petrochemicals

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davion M. Hill ◽  
Carey King
Keyword(s):  
Intensity Ratio ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Economic Indicator ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Energy Inputs ◽  
Near Term ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Returns On Investment

Conventional fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal have historically provided reasonable financial returns on investment as well as energy returned on energy invested (EROEI), despite the fact that continuous financial and energy inputs are required to use these fuels. Besides EROEI, the energy intensity ratio (EIR) is another measure for energy use and economics. The EIR is the ratio of energy bought per dollar to the energy it takes to make a dollar in the economy. In this case we are considering the cost of petroleum per barrel, and therefore we are discussing EIRp or EIR of oil based upon price. The EIRp is related to historical economical data and conclusions will be drawn about the value of EIRp as an economic indicator. Then, EIRp will be used as a tool to demonstrate the value of shifting energy resources from petroleum to alternatives, specifically for transportation and petrochemicals. The considerations for modern economic conditions as they compare to historical economic conditions will be explained, and the viability of policy and alternative technological transportation scenarios will be described in terms of EIRp and its relationship to vehicle miles travelled.

scholarly journals Implications of Energy Intensity Ratio for Carbon Dioxide Emissions in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 6925
Author(s):  
Jiabin Chen ◽  
Shaobo Wen
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Intensity Ratio ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Annual Growth Rate ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Energy Effect ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
The Cost

Industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are mainly derived from fossil energy use, which is composed of procedures involving extraction of energy from the natural system as well as its exchange and consumption in the social system. However, recent research on low-carbon transitions considers the cost of energy commodities from a separate perspective—a biophysical or monetary perspective. We introduce the energy intensity ratio (EIR), which is a novelty perspective combining biophysical and monetary metrics to estimate the cost of energy commodities in the low-carbon energy transitions. This combination is essential, since the feedback of energy into the biophysical system will influence the performance of energy in the economic system and vice versa. Based on the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI), we developed the EIR-LMDI method to explain the changes in CO2 emissions. The changes in CO2 emissions caused by the EIR are the net energy effect. In China, the net energy effect kept CO2 emissions at a compound annual growth rate of 6.15% during 2007–2018. Especially after 2014, the net energy effect has been the largest driver of the increase in CO2 emissions. During the study period, high net energy usually indicated high CO2 emissions. Coal is the most important energy commodity and dominates the net energy effect; the least volatile component is the EIR of natural gas. The EIR affects CO2 emissions by the price crowding-out effect and the scale expansion effect, which make the process of low-carbon transition uncertain. The results illuminate that policymakers should monitor the net energy effect to prevent it from offsetting efforts to reduce energy intensity.

scholarly journals A scalable and spatiotemporally resolved agricultural life cycle assessment of California almonds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elias Marvinney ◽  
Alissa Kendall
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Central Valley ◽  
San Joaquin Valley ◽  
Impact Categories ◽  
Freshwater Use ◽  
California's Central Valley

Abstract Purpose California’s Central Valley produces more than 75% of global commercial almond supply, making the life cycle performance of almond production in California of global interest. This article describes the life cycle assessment of California almond production using a Scalable, Process-based, Agronomically Responsive Cropping System Life Cycle Assessment (SPARCS-LCA) model that includes crop responses to orchard management and modeling of California’s water supply and biomass energy infrastructure. Methods A spatially and temporally resolved LCA model was developed to reflect the regional climate, resource, and agronomic conditions across California’s Central Valley by hydrologic subregion (San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, and Tulare Lake regions). The model couples a LCA framework with region-specific data, including water supply infrastructure and economics, crop productivity response models, and dynamic co-product markets, to characterize the environmental performance of California almonds. Previous LCAs of California almond found that irrigation and management of co-products were most influential in determining life cycle CO2eq emissions and energy intensity of California almond production, and both have experienced extensive changes since previous studies due to drought and changing regulatory conditions, making them a focus of sensitivity and scenario analysis. Results and discussion Results using economic allocation show that 1 kg of hulled, brown-skin almond kernel at post-harvest facility gate causes 1.92 kg CO2eq (GWP100), 50.9 MJ energy use, and 4820 L freshwater use, with regional ranges of 2.0–2.69 kg CO2eq, 42.7–59.4 MJ, and 4540–5150 L, respectively. With a substitution approach for co-product allocation, 1 kg almond kernel results in 1.23 kg CO2eq, 18.05 MJ energy use, and 4804 L freshwater use, with regional ranges of 0.51–1.95 kg CO2eq, 3.68–36.5 MJ, and 4521–5140 L, respectively. Almond freshwater use is comparable with other nut crops in California and globally. Results showed significant variability across subregions. While the San Joaquin Valley performed best in most impact categories, the Tulare Lake region produced the lowest eutrophication impacts. Conclusion While CO2eq and energy intensity of almond production increased over previous estimates, so too did credits to the system for displacement of dairy feed. These changes result from a more comprehensive model scope and improved assumptions, as well as drought-related increases in groundwater depth and associated energy demand, and decreased utilization of biomass residues for energy recovery due to closure of bioenergy plants in California. The variation among different impact categories between subregions and over time highlight the need for spatially and temporally resolved agricultural LCA.

Cost Optimization of Net-Zero Energy House

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
George A. Mertz ◽  
Gregory S. Raffio ◽  
Kelly Kissock
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Cost Optimization ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Resource Limitations ◽  
Net Zero Energy ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Building Energy Use ◽  
The Cost

Environmental and resource limitations provide increased motivation for design of net-zero energy or net-zero CO2 buildings. The optimum building design will have the lowest lifecycle cost. This paper describes a method of performing and comparing lifecycle costs for standard, CO2-neutral and net-zero energy buildings. Costs of source energy are calculated based on the cost of photovoltaic systems, tradable renewable certificates, CO2 credits and conventional energy. Building energy simulation is used to determine building energy use. A case study is conducted on a proposed net-zero energy house. The paper identifies the least-cost net-zero energy house, the least-cost CO2 neutral house, and the overall least-cost house. The methodology can be generalized to different climates and buildings. The method and results may be of interest to builders, developers, city planners, or organizations managing multiple buildings.

scholarly journals Comfort within Budget: Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of Envelope Improvements in Single-Family Affordable Housing

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3054
Author(s):  
Renata Tubelo ◽  
Lucelia Rodrigues ◽  
Mark Gillott ◽  
May Zune
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Thermal Conditions ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Housing Type ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

In Brazil, the delivery of homes for low-inc ome households is dictated by costs rather than performance. Issues such as the impact of climate change, affordability of operational energy use, and lack of energy security are not taken into account, even though they can severely impact the occupants. In this work, the authors evaluated the thermal performance of two affordable houses as-built and after the integration of envelope improvements. A new replicable method to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these improvements was proposed. The case study houses comprise the most common affordable housing type delivered widely across Brazil and a proposition of a better affordable housing solution, built in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, integrating passive design strategies to increase thermal comfort. The findings reveal a potential for improving indoor thermal conditions by up to 76% and 73%, respectively, if costs are not a concern, and 40% and 45% with a cost increase of 12% and 9% if a comfort criterion of 20–25 °C was considered. Equations to estimate costs of improvements in affordable housing were developed. The authors concluded that there is a great scope for building envelope optimisation, and that this is still possible without significant impact on budget.

scholarly journals Domestic versus foreign energy use: an analysis for four European countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
José A. Camacho ◽  
Lucas da Silva Almeida ◽  
Mercedes Rodríguez ◽  
Jesús Molina
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Preliminary Step ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Domestic Use ◽  
Energy Intensities

AbstractIn order to adequately assess energy policies and set clear objectives, a key preliminary step is to know the energy use patterns of the different countries. This paper estimates the evolution of the total energy use over the period 1995–2015 in four European Union (EU) countries, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, and Spain, representative of two different energy patterns, the “Southern” one and the “Eastern” one. For doing so, we employ a Multi-Regional Input Output (MRIO) model. In difference with previous studies, in addition to differentiate between domestic and foreign use we distinguish whether this energy is produced domestically or abroad. The results obtained show a certain convergence in energy intensity across the four countries examined because of the radical transformations experienced by the Czech Republic and Hungary. Nonetheless, energy intensities are still substantially higher in Eastern than in Southern countries which confirms that the first group of countries have still a long road to go, especially regarding the incentives that their industries have to use energy efficiently. Taking our decomposition of total energy use, the reductions in total energy use were mainly caused by a high decrease in the importance of the domestic use of energy produced domestically. At the same time, a growing importance of the role played by the energy produced abroad was observed. These trends confirm the great importance of global value chains and the steady internalization of energy use. This methodology could be further applied to other countries.

Socio-economic conditions for satisfying human needs at low energy use: an international analysis of provisioning factors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jefim Vogel ◽  
Julia K. Steinberger ◽  
Daniel W. O'Neill ◽  
William F. Lamb ◽  
Jaya Krishnakumar
Keyword(s):  
Energy Dependence ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Need Satisfaction ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Human Needs ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Economic Regime

<p>Meeting human needs at low levels of energy use is fundamental for avoiding catastrophic climate change and securing the well-being of all people. In the current international political-economic regime, no country does so.</p><p>Here, we assess which socio-economic conditions might enable societies to satisfy human needs at sustainable levels of energy use, and thus reconcile human well-being with ambitious climate mitigation. Applying a novel analytical framework and a novel regression-based moderation approach to data from 106 countries, we analyse how the relationship between energy use and six dimensions of human need satisfaction varies with a wide range of socio-economic factors relevant to the provisioning of goods and services (‘provisioning factors’).</p><p>We find that higher achievements in provisioning factors such as income equality, public service quality, democracy and electricity access are associated with greater need satisfaction and lower energy dependence of need satisfaction. Conversely, higher levels of economic growth and extractivism are associated with lower need satisfaction and greater energy dependence of need satisfaction. Our analysis suggests that countries with beneficial configurations of key provisioning factors are much more likely to reach high levels of need satisfaction at low(er) levels of energy use. Based on our statistical models, countries with highly beneficial configurations of several key provisioning factors could likely achieve sufficient need satisfaction within levels of energy use found compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5 °C without negative emissions technologies. Achieving this would be very unlikely for countries with detrimental provisioning configurations.</p><p>Improvements in relevant provisioning factors may thus be crucial for ending human deprivation in currently underproviding countries without exacerbating climate and ecological crises, and for tackling the ecological overshoot of currently needs-satisfying countries without compromising sufficient need satisfaction. However, as key pillars of the suggested changes in provisioning run contrary to the dominant political-economic regime, a broader political-economic transformation may be required to organise provisioning for the satisfaction of human needs within sustainable levels of energy use.</p><p>Our findings have important implications for climate mitigation, poverty eradication, development discourses, and efforts towards Sustainable Development Goals and socio-ecological transformation.</p>

Impact of urbanization on per capita energy use and emissions in India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Haldar ◽  
Gautam Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Per Capita

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of urbanization on per capita energy consumption and emissions in India. Design/methodology/approach The present study analyses the effects of urbanization on energy consumption patterns by using the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology in India. Time series data from the period of 1960 to 2015 has been considered for the analysis. Variables including Population, GDP per capita, Energy intensity, share of industry in GDP, share of Services in GDP, total energy use and urbanization from World Bank data sources have been used for investigating the relationship between urbanization, affluence and energy use. Findings Energy demand is positively related to affluence (economic growth). Further the results of the analysis also suggest that, as urbanization, GDP and population are bound to increase in the future, consequently resulting in increased carbon dioxide emissions caused by increased energy demand and consumption. Thus, reducing the energy intensity is key to energy security and lower carbon dioxide emissions for India. Research limitations/implications The study will have important policy implications for India’s energy sector transition toward non- conventional, clean energy sources in the wake of growing share of its population residing in urban spaces. Originality/value There are limited number of studies considering the impacts of population density on per capita energy use. So this study also contributes methodologically by establishing per capita energy use as a function of population density and technology (i.e. growth rates of industrial and service sector).

Simultaneous Spectral Imaging of C2*/CH* at Low-to-High Pressure Combustion

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Reyes ◽  
Kareem Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Intensity Ratio ◽  
High Pressures ◽  
Diffusion Flames ◽  
Laminar Flames ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Fuel Distribution ◽  
Premixed Laminar ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Indexing Technique ◽  
First Time

This paper presents the correlation of the intensity ratio of the C2* and CH* radicals to fuel-air measurements over a range of pressures using 93% octane gasoline as the fuel. The measurements are conducted for the first time at high pressures. The study utilizes beam splitting technology to simultaneously view C2* and CH* as a line of sight, global measurement at the cost of resolution. A heavily instrumented constant volume combustor, with optical access, was employed to acquire the data. The ratio of C2* and CH* has been proven to be a good index of the equivalence ratio of premixed laminar flames. This index is attained, quite simply, by filtering each at their respected emissive peaks and taking the ratio of C2* over CH*. This technique shows great promise for use in turbomachinery as it will allow for identification of rich and lean locations in a combustor. By knowing the fuel-air field, combustor inefficiencies can be addressed to allow for greater energy release in combustion. The issue lies with the application of the indexing technique. Presented data to date has been performed on laboratory based diffusion flames exhausting to atmosphere, or premixed, steady, combustor type flames at low pressure (1atm) conditions. These types of flames are not relevant for engine combustor conditions. Understanding the fuel distribution at relevant regimes will reveal where inefficiencies may lie in injector or combustor design. Propagating flame kernels pose a problem in that they do not produce as much light as a steady flame, this makes spectral data difficult to obtain. Steady flames also do not address the effects that pressure may have on the index of C2* and CH*. The authors of this work seek to address three main issues associated with the indexing technique: The feasibility of its application to combustors (hardware design), The ability to operate at low-light ignition events, and the effects pressure may have on the correlation of intensity ratio to the fuel-air measurement.

scholarly journals Education and Energy Intensity: Simple Economic Modelling and Preliminary Empirical Results

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiago Sequeira ◽  
Marcelo Santos
Keyword(s):  
Gross Domestic Product ◽  
Economic Model ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
The Other ◽  
Economic Modelling ◽  
Empirical Application ◽  
Primary Schooling ◽  
Simple Economic

The ratio of energy use to Gross Domestic Product (defined as energy intensity) is a major determinant of environmental hazard and an indicator of eco-efficiency. This paper explains why education can have an effect in reducing the energy intensity thus affecting eco-efficiency. We devise a stylized economic model with simple and widely accepted assumptions that highlights the role of education in decreasing energy intensity worldwide. In an empirical application that is robust to the features of the data, we show that primary schooling contributes to a decrease in energy intensity which has a very significant effect, even accounting for the other well-known determinants of energy intensity. Additionally, when schooling is taken into account, income is no longer a negative determinant of energy intensity.

scholarly journals Estimating the cost and effectiveness of different STI management strategies for sex workers in Madagascar

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Workers ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Medical Visits ◽  
Syndromic Approach ◽  
The Cost

In Madagascar, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a serious public health problem, particularly among sex workers. A Horizons study conducted in 2000 found approximately two-thirds of female sex workers had an STI, although few were infected with HIV. Since the link between STIs and transmission of HIV has been well established, affordable strategies to manage STIs among sex workers need to be developed. Study investigators also assessed STI management practices in health facilities in two urban areas of Madagascar. Health practitioners were using a syndromic approach, which may be appropriate for managing certain STIs in the general population but is less appropriate for sex workers who may have multiple, often asymptomatic infections. Diagnosing STIs with laboratory tests would make medical visits prohibitively expensive. Researchers developed a risk profile for various STIs based on characteristics of women that present with each STI, such as age, number of partners, symptoms. The investigators hypothesized that a risk assessment tool using these profiles would result in more appropriate and effective STI treatment for sex workers. This summary presents a cost-effectiveness analysis of different strategies to manage STIs among sex workers in Madagascar.

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