Prioritizing driving factors of household carbon emissions: An application of the LASSO model with survey data

The identification of factors that influence household carbon emissions (HCEs)—a key driver of the national emissions, is an important step in achieving more accurate predictions, as well as better interpretation and more effective policy intervention. In this paper, based on survey data, we first calculated the direct, indirect, and total HCEs per capita for 37,620 households in China in the year of 2012, 2014 and 2016. Then we introduced a LASSO regression model to determine the main driving factors of HCEs and ranked the factors according to their importance. The use of the LASSO regression model addresses the issues of multicollinearity and over-fitting. It also provides two practical benefits: minimizing the number of influencing factors for forecasting and giving more flexibility in policy design. The results showed that fuel type and dwelling type can explain more than 70% of the direct HCEs, while income, urban or rural residency, and fuel type are the three most important influencing factors of the indirect HCEs. To mitigate HCEs while China will continue its rapid urbanization and fast consumption growth, the government needs to provide affordable clean energy, improve the efficiency of household energy consumption, promote green and low-carbon economic recovery, and guide low-carbon lifestyles.     

New technology for electrical metering monitoring and control instrumentation

Presently, individual instruments are available at reasonable costs for metering, monitoring and controlling the use of electrical energy. Many of these instruments have been developed in the last few years and make varying degrees of use of sophisticated electronic components and microprocessor chips. Performance data collected on the use of these instruments have shown that there are substantial energy and cost savings possible from widespread application of these devices. The purpose of this paper is to enumerate briefly some data on the costs and benefits of instruments which allow time of day and demand metering, monitoring of energy use and cost, direct load control and indirect load control. Finally, an integrated instrument is proposed which combines these varied functions into one low cost device to provides cost effective electrical energy conservation.     

An econometric analysis of residential consumption of fuelwood in a mountainous prefecture of Northern Greece

Biomass is a renewable energy source of increasing importance, especially since the energy policies of countries today are largely focused on renewable energy. It is a renewable energy source with significant potential to contribute to the energy needs of modern society, both for developing and developed countries around the world. One very important source of biomass is wood and fuelwood in particular. This article aims at providing an empirical analysis of household fuelwood consumption and the determinants of the choice to use the specific energy for heating and cooking in a district of Northern Greece. In the current empirical analysis several household fuelwood consumption models are employed, such as GLM, Tobit and Heckman regression-based techniques. The results show that household sociological and economical characteristics as well as more general environmental issues are suitable to explain differences towards fuelwood consumption for space heating and cooking. We additionally evaluate the household fuelwood consumption for heating through the statistical analyses conducted.     

Regulatory and voluntary approaches for enhancing building energy efficiency

Buildings are the dominant energy consumers in modern cities but their consumption can be largely cut back through improving efficiency, which is an effective means to lessen greenhouse gas emissions and slow down depletion of non-renewable energy resources. However, the potential energy cost saving alone is hardly a sufficient incentive to investing into improvement measures, unless the cost of using energy soars. People's attitude will change with increasing concerns about the environment and sustainable development but the results remain insignificant. Surely, more effective means are needed to induce or compel greater efforts, especially to the signatories to the Kyoto Protocol. Whilst regulatory control is widely used, many believe that encouraging voluntary commitments is more cost effective in dealing with environmental problems. More researchers now favor the adoption of a well-articulated policy mix involving both regulatory and voluntary instruments. The paper describes a comprehensive literature review about regulatory and voluntary policy instruments related to building energy efficiency. Particular attention is given to the cost-effectiveness of these instruments, as reflected by the implementation experience of several countries, and a qualitative evaluation. The possibility and benefits of harmonizing governmental and private-sector schemes are discussed.     

Experimentation and the evaluation of energy efficiency programs

The use of experiments— particularly randomized controlled trials (RCTs) where subjects are randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions—has rarely been applied to the process of improving the design of energy efficiency programs and, more fundamentally, to determining the net savings from energy efficiency programs. This paper discusses the use of experimentation in the energy efficiency program field with the hope of explaining how these experiments can be used, and identifying the barriers to their use will cause more experimentation to occur. First, a brief overview of experimental methods is presented. This discussion describes the advantages and disadvantages of conducting experiments in the context of the development and evaluation of energy efficiency programs. It then discusses barriers to the use of experimental methods (including cost and equity issues) and suggests some ways of overcoming these barriers. Finally, recommendations are made for implementing key social experiments, discussing the types of energy efficiency programs and issues that can make use of experimentation and variables that one might use for selecting treatments.     

The efficient use of energy: Tracing the global flow of energy from fuel to service

The efficient use of energy is a key component of current efforts to reduce carbon emissions. There are two factors which are important when assessing the potential gains from energy efficiency technologies: the scale of energy flow and the technical potential for improvement. However, most efficiency analyses consider only the potential gains from known efficiency technologies, while ignoring the complex flow of energy through the chains of conversion devices. In response, this paper traces the global flow of energy, from fuels through to the final services, and focuses on the technical conversion devices and passive systems in each energy chain. By mapping the scale and complexity of global energy flow, the technical areas which are likely to deliver the largest efficiency gains can be identified. The result is a more consistent basis for directing future research and policy decisions in the area of energy efficiency.     

Comparative analysis of energy use in China building sector: current status,existing problems and solutions

Energy use in buildings has attracted more and more attention due to its significant proportion in the energy pan of the world. China is the second largest energy user, yet the situation of energy use in the China building sector remains unclear, due to problems of statistics and data processing and problematic use of these data. In this paper, a series of methods is developed, in the first place, to give strict definitions of energy data and to divide energy use into 4 sub-sectors according to the unique situation of China. Then, each sub-sector is further analyzed through international comparisons. Existing problems of energy use and solutions for energy reduction in each sub-sector are also discussed. Accordingly, it is found that China uses much less energy, in terms of both per capita and unit area, in buildings than developed countries. The difference in energy use could be attributed, in large part, to lifestyles of local people, which could determine their way of energy use but is more determined by cultural concepts than by others such as income, technique and so on, especially in China. However, to fulfill the requirements of lifestyles with higher living standards and lower energy consumption, technological innovations are needed.     

Energy efficiency developments in the Dutch energy-intensive manufacturing industry, 1980–2003

We studied energy efficiency trends in the Dutch manufacturing industry between 1995 and 2003 using indicators based on publicly available physical production and specific energy consumption data. We estimated annual primary energy efficiency improvements in this period at 1.3% on average, with the individual sub-sectors ranging between −0.1% and 1.5%. Energy efficiency developments with respect to electricity, fuels/heat and non-energy use have been monitored separately and are shown to differ significantly (for the sum of the sectors studied: 1.9% for electricity, 2.6% for fuels/heat and −0.1% for non-energy use). We combined our results with those from a previous, similar study for 1980–1995 and show that over the full time period, efficiency improvements of 1% per year have been achieved on average. Based on comparison with other sources and a detailed uncertainty analysis, we conclude that we developed a reliable top-down monitoring framework for studying energy efficiency trends of the manufacturing industry that can also be applied in other countries where similar data are available. We also showed that substantial differences exist between energy consumption data available from energy statistics and according to the Long Term Agreement monitoring reports, stressing the need for ongoing independent checks of available energy consumption data to avoid problems in future evaluations of energy efficiency policies.     

Comparative analysis of energy use in China building sector: current status, existing problems and solutions

Energy use in buildings has attracted more and more attention due to its significant proportion in the energy pan of the world. China is the second largest energy user, yet the situation of energy use in the China building sector remains unclear, due to problems of statistics and data processing and problematic use of these data. In this paper, a series of methods is developed, in the first place, to give strict definitions of energy data and to divide energy use into 4 sub-sectors according to the unique situation of China. Then, each sub-sector is further analyzed through international comparisons. Existing problems of energy use and solutions for energy reduction in each sub-sector are also discussed. Accordingly, it is found that China uses much less energy, in terms of both per capita and unit area, in buildings than developed countries. The difference in energy use could be attributed, in large part, to lifestyles of local people, which could determine their way of energy use but is more determined by cultural concepts than by others such as income, technique and so on, especially in China. However, to fulfill the requirements of lifestyles with higher living standards and lower energy consumption, technological innovations are needed.     

Resource of energy efficiency in Russia: scale, costs, and benefits

This paper considers Russian economy-wide energy efficiency potential by sectors and energy carriers. The assessment shows that Russian technical energy efficiency potential exceeds 45% of 2005 primary energy consumption or 294 mtoe (excluding associated gas flaring). This is about the annual primary energy consumption in France, the UK, or Ukraine, half of that in Japan, and over 2% of the global primary energy consumption. Related CO₂ emission reduction potential is 50% of the Russian 2005 emission. Special attention is given to methodological issues in aggregating potentials identified in final energy use and to the evaluation of indirect energy efficiency gains. This study found that the energy efficiency potential doubles, if associated reduction of energy use, as well as technology progress, in energy production and transformation are accounted for. Cost curves for energy efficiency improvements were developed using the incremental cost approach to identify the cost-effective part of the potential.     

A review of building energy regulation and policy for energy conservation in developing countries

The rapid growth of energy use, worldwide, hfs raised concerns over problems of energy supply and exhaustion of energy resources. Most of the developed countries are implementing building energy regulations such as energy standards, codes etc., to reduce building energy consumption. The position of developing countries with respect to energy regulations implementation and enforcement is either poorly documented or not documented at all. In addition, there is a lack of consistent data, which makes it difficult to understand the underlying changes that affect energy regulation implementation in developing countries. In that respect, this paper investigates the progress of building energy regulations in developing countries and its implication for energy conservation and efficiency. The present status of building energy regulations in 60 developing countries around the world was analysed through a survey of building energy regulations using online survey. The study revealed the present progress made on building energy regulations in relation to implementation, development and compliance; at the same time the study recommends possible solutions to the barriers facing building energy regulation implementation in the developing world.     

The map of energy flow in HVAC systems

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are the most energy consuming building services representing approximately half of the final energy use in the building sector and between one tenth and one fifth of the energy consumption in developed countries. Despite their significant energy use, there is a lack of a consistent and homogeneous framework to efficiently guide research and energy policies, mainly due to the complexity and variety of HVAC systems but also to insufficient rigour in their energy analysis. This paper reviews energy related aspects of HVAC systems with the aim of establishing a common ground for the analysis of their energy efficiency. The paper focuses on the map of energy flow to deliver thermal comfort: the HVAC energy chain. Our approach deals first with thermal comfort as the final service delivered to building occupants. Secondly, conditioned spaces are examined as the systems where useful heat (or coolth) is degraded to provide comfort. This is followed by the analysis of HVAC systems as complex energy conversion devices where energy carriers are transformed into useful heat and coolth, and finally, the impact of HVAC energy consumption on energy resources is discussed.     

Renewable energy conversion and utilization in ASEAN countries

The world population has passed six billion people and the pressure on basic daily needs is particularly dominant in the developing countries, such as the ASEAN. As most of the natural resources, particularly that of fossil fuel is depleting rapidly, more efficient ways to produce daily necessity are becoming important issues. In addition, both the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol require, that efforts should be directed to improve efficiency of energy conversion devices, effective use of the clean and environmentally friendly renewable source of energy, beside providing sink for the green house gas (GHG) emissions. INFORSE report to the UN Secretary General indicated that the total energy sources in the industrialized countries will diminish drastically, but by providing enough funding for R/D in renewable energy conversion, about 50% of the world energy could be supplied by the developing countries by the year 2050.Despite the above limiting conditions, current data indicated growing energy demand in most of the developing countries, particularly in the ASEAN region. Consequently, these countries, should find out the best strategy in utilizing the available energy sources to maintain sustainable development. One of the reasonable option is to make use of the potential renewable energy resources within the countries and develop industries that complies with the unique characteristics of the energy, which is usually disperse, low density and mostly is still not yet competitive with power generation system using subsidized fuel price. Although some basic R/D on renewable energy technology is also being conducted in ASEAN, more effort, however, is directed to its immediate applications in providing basic energy need for rural house-hold, creating productive uses to process agricultural commodities, and to support general rural electrification programs. Such activity has been supported by relevant and operational government policies, international assistances, and gradual involvement of the private sectors.     

Maximizing the returns of LIDAR systems in wind farms for yaw error correction applications

Wind energy is an important source of renewable energy with significant untapped potential around the world. However, the cost of wind energy production is high, and efforts to lower the cost of energy generation will help enable more widespread use of wind energy. Yaw error reduces the efficiency of turbines as well as lowers the reliability of key components in turbines. Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) devices can correct the yaw error; however, they are expensive, and there is a trade‐off between their costs and benefits. In this study, a stochastic discrete‐event simulation was developed that models the operation of a wind farm. We maximize the net present value (NPV) changes associated with using LIDAR devices in a wind farm and determine the optimum number of LIDAR devices and their associated turbine stay time as a function of number of turbines in the wind farm for specific turbine sizes. The outcome of this work will help wind farm owners and operators make informed decisions about purchasing LIDAR devices for their wind farms.     

The impact of household behavioral changes on GHG emission reduction in Lithuania

It is commonly understood that households must change their behavior to reduce problems related increased energy consumption and climate change therefore in the search of cheap GHG emission reduction measures households are an important target group because they are responsible for more than 20% of total energy consumption in developed countries. In addition waste management and responsible consumption of products are the key issues in GHG emission reduction.The aim of the paper is to assess GHG emission reduction potential in households in terms of behavioral changes towards sustainable consumption. The review of literature on analysis of households behavioral changes impact on GHG emission reduction was performed; the daily survey of household agenda and energy use records were performed in Lithuania for two scenarios – baseline and GHG emission reduction scenario including energy saving. GHG emission reduction potential in household was assessed based on daily survey data and energy consumption records by applying carbon calculator based on modified coefficients. Evaluated GHG emission reduction potential in households was compared with GHG emission reduction potentials in other sectors of Lithuania. Based on analysis performed in the paper the tools to promote household behavioral changes towards sustainable consumption were proposed.     

Forecasting the electricity consumption of the Mexican border states maquiladoras

The consumption of electricity by maquiladora industries in the Mexican border states is an important driver for determining future powerplant needs in that area. An industrial electricity forecasting model is developed for the border states' maquiladoras, and the outputs are compared with a reference forecasting model developed for the US industrial sector, for which considerably more data are available. This model enables the prediction of the effect of implementing various energy efficiency measures in the industrial sector. As an illustration, here the impact of implementing energy‐efficient lighting and motors in the Mexican border states' maquiladoras was determined to be substantial. Without such energy efficiency measures, electricity consumption for these industries is predicted to rise by 64% from 2001 to 2010, but if these measures are implemented on a gradual basis over the same time period, electricity consumption is forecast to rise by only 36%. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

DES/CCHP系统和区域能源利用效率计算方法及影响因素分析

天然气分布式冷热电联供(DES/CCHP)是中国“十二五”期间提高能效、保障经济发展的重要战略举措,其评价指标是能源利用效率、经济效益、碳排放.DES/CCHP实现高效的技术关键包括:把所有终端用能集成为一个“总能源系统”;科学用能,核心是尽可能减小每一级用能的(火用)损耗;尽可能安排多个冷、热、电、汽终端用户时空分布的最优组合;需要较大的系统规模.新区DES/CCHP系统能效是决定区域总能效的最主要因素,两者的区别在于交通用能、其他用能和外来电力,可在取得相应数据基础上计算得出.计算能源利用效率的一般公式是:能效=终端耗用各种能源总量之和/耗用的一次能源总量,CCHP能效计算的分子必须是全部终端用能,必须按照8650h/a不同负荷逐时累加求和计算,不能取设计工况数据;分母必须全部折算成一次能源.在计算出区域规划的能效、总能耗和一次能源构成后,便可按照规划目标年度的GDP数据,推算出能源强度、碳强度和二氧化碳排放量等低碳发展指标.影响区域能源利用效率的因素包括外部因素——天然气价格与上网电价,客观因素——产业格局、气候条件和实际进展与规划格局的差异,以及主观因素等,其中外部、客观因素是决定能效的硬性约束.     

Electric vehicle energy consumption modelling and estimation—A case study

Electric vehicles (EVs) have a limited driving range compared to conventional vehicles. Accurate estimation of EV's range is therefore a significant need to eliminate “range anxiety” that refers to drivers' fear of running out of energy while driving. However, the range estimators used in the currently available EVs are not sufficiently accurate. To overcome this issue, more accurate range estimation techniques are investigated. Nonetheless, an accurate power‐based EV energy consumption model is crucial to obtain a precise range estimation. This paper describes a study on EV energy consumption modelling. For this purpose, EV modelling is carried out using MATLAB/Simulink software based on a real EV in the market, the BMW i3. The EV model includes vehicle powertrain system and longitudinal vehicle dynamics. The powertrain is modelled using efficiency maps of the electric motor and the power electronics' data available for BMW i3. It also includes a transmission and a battery model (ie, Thevenin equivalent circuit model). A driver model is developed as well to control the vehicle's speed and to represent human driver's behaviour. In addition, a regenerative braking strategy, based on a series brake system, is developed to model the behaviour of a real braking controller. Auxiliary devices are also included in the EV model to improve energy consumption estimation accuracy as they can have a significant impact on that. The vehicle model is validated against published energy consumption values that demonstrates a satisfactory level of accuracy with 2% to 6% error between simulation and experimental results for Environmental Protection Agency and NEDC tests.     

Energy efficiency—a critical view

This paper challenges the view that improving the efficiency of energy use will lead to a reduction in national energy consumption, and hence is an effective policy for reducing national CO₂ emissions. It argues that improving energy efficiency lowers the implicit price of energy and hence make its use more affordable, thus leading to greater use—an effect termed the ‘rebound’ or ‘takeback’ effect. The paper presents the views of economists, as well as green critics of ‘the gospel of efficiency’. The paper argues that a more effective CO₂ policy is to concentrate on shifting to non-fossil fuels, like renewables, subsidized through a carbon tax. Ultimately what is needed, to limit energy consumption, is energy sufficiency (or conservation) rather than energy efficiency.     

Engaging residents in affordable housing—resident engagement pilot at Denver Housing Authority Westridge apartments

Denver Housing Authority (DHA) has invested considerably into designing, building, and maintaining a resource efficient portfolio and this effort is becoming increasingly comprehensive as they continuously refine and build upon their approach. One of the more recent strategies was to incorporate resident engagement efforts focused on energy and water efficiency into their programming as a way not only to maximize realized energy savings from these investments but to also to engage with building occupants around sustainability initiatives and develop a holistic approach to reducing their resource consumption. In 2014, DHA hired Energy Outreach Colorado and Group14 Engineering (the Team) to develop and implement a voluntary program designed to encourage positive environmental and social actions around energy and water use. The Team developed a comprehensive resident engagement and outreach program involving on-site staff, resident leaders, and residents. The program plan identified both low/no-cost solutions and more extensive outreach efforts targeted at the DHA Westridge community. Upon completion of the pilot, the program achieved 24,864 kWh (4.5%) savings in electricity consumption. Valued at the 2014 effective blended rate for Westridge, this equals $3493 dollars in annual savings and a program payback of 11 years. The project’s participation goal was exceeded, with 60% of the neighborhood households participating in the program. The team concluded that achieving savings through resident engagement is possible but also the level of effort put forth in the project is important to consider.