Policy issues in improving energy efficiency

Today many urgent policy issues need addressing within the overall topic of improving energy efficiency. Also, they need to be addressed at many levels in society, each level possibly requiring a different approach: the overall national economy; the national energy sector; the energy utility; and the energy consumer. This article looks at some of the more important common issues, which apply at all levels, and gives some options on how these issues might be addressed.     

Policies for improving the efficiency of the Brazilian light-duty vehicle fleet and their implications for fuel use,greenhouse gas emissions and land use

The increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, energy security issues and competition for land use are putting pressure on governments and policymakers. However, these three subjects are not usually treated in integrated form. This paper shows that the implementation of energy efficiency policies combined with policies to encourage use of biofuels can help reduce greenhouse gases emissions while easing land use competition from sugarcane ethanol in Brazil. By adapting the ADVISOR (Advanced Vehicle Simulator) software to evaluate vehicle efficiency, and by estimating the Brazilian light-duty vehicle market share based on historical data, this paper estimates the possible levels of GHG emissions and area planted with sugarcane in 2030 in the country. The findings indicate that reductions from 8% to 20% in greenhouse gas emissions and 0.9–1.8 million ha in sugarcane planted area are possible with no significant technological breakthroughs over the horizon to 2030 in comparison with a baseline scenario.     

Evaluation of the effectiveness of an energy efficiency program for new home construction in eastern North Carolina

This paper reports on the evaluation of the effectiveness of an energy efficiency program in eastern North Carolina. This subject program is focused on improved construction methods for residential housing. The program incorporates proven energy saving technologies, construction procedures, onsite inspections, and design construction methodologies in new residential construction. The analysis compared the energy usage associated with the houses built in conjunction with the energy efficiency program (test group) with similar new residential construction unrelated to the program (control group). Several statistical methods were employed to establish differences between the energy efficiency program participants and the control group. The analysis provides significant support for the effectiveness of this energy efficiency program and supports the suitability of similar efforts for inclusion in plans for renewable energy offsets and energy efficiency standards.     

Measurement and analysis of product energy efficiency to assist energy star criteria development: An example for desktop computers

The Energy Star labeling program contributes to reducing economic and environmental impacts. Although product-specific criteria for the label are developed by taking into account potential energy savings, more robust criteria need to be developed to minimize energy consumption (and consequential global warming potential (GWP)). The objectives of this study are: (i) to measure what we refer to as the technical and cost efficiencies of products with respect to the relative Energy Star criteria achievement rate and GWP, respectively; and (ii) to analyze the relationship between these efficiencies and product design features, using stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA). As an example, these analyses are applied to data for desktop computers. The results indicate that desktop computer manufacturers currently achieve energy savings that exceed those required by the Energy Star label. The principal product design features affecting the efficiencies are primarily the efficiency and power capacity of the power supply and the number of cores in the central processing unit. This study can help the program develop more robust criteria that ultimately reduce GWP and can provide guidance to manufacturers to strategically improve energy efficiency.     

Searching for hidden costs: A technology-based approach to the energy efficiency gap in light-duty vehicles

The benefit-cost analysis of standards to reduce vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel economy by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) displays large net benefits from fuel savings for new vehicle buyers. This finding points to an energy efficiency gap: the energy-saving technology provided in private markets appears not to include all the technologies that produce net private benefits. The gap exists if the costs of energy-saving technologies are lower than the present value of fuel reductions, and “hidden costs” – undesirable aspects of the new technologies – do not exceed the net financial benefits. This study examines the existence of hidden costs in energy-saving technologies through a content analysis of auto reviews of model-year 2014 vehicles.Results suggest that it is possible to use fuel-saving technologies on vehicles without imposing hidden costs. For each technology examined, reviews with positive evaluations outnumbered those with negative evaluations. Evidence is scant of a robust relationship between vehicles’ use of energy-saving technologies and negatively rated operational characteristics, such as handling or acceleration. Results do not provide evidence for hidden costs as the explanation of the efficiency gap for vehicle fuel-saving technologies.     

Red light for Green Paper: The EU policy on energy efficiency

The EU Green Paper on energy efficiency calls for action to decrease energy use and thus achieve increased competitiveness, fulfil the environmental targets and increase security of supply. In this comment, we examine the role the EU Commission suggest that energy efficiency, and policies supporting energy efficiency, takes. The policies and the suggestions are qualitatively elaborated upon in the light of the goal of a common European electricity market. We suggest that the rationales for the energy efficiency measures are weak, and that the suggested goals of increased competitiveness, environmental targets, and security of supply are best reached with the direct measures especially designed for each goal. Some of the energy efficiency measures may counter-act other direct policies. Further, The Green Paper measures may prove detrimental to the European Electricity market insofar as the policies suggested could lead to a policy fatigue among the electricity consumers.     

A model for improving energy efficiency in industrial motor system using multicriteria analysis

In the last years, several policies have been proposed by governments and global institutions in order to improve the efficient use of energy in industries worldwide. However, projects in industrial motor systems require new approach, mainly in decision making area, considering the organizational barriers for energy efficiency. Despite the wide application, multicriteria methods remain unexplored in industrial motor systems until now. This paper proposes a multicriteria model using the PROMETHEE II method, with the aim of ranking alternatives for induction motors replacement. A comparative analysis of the model, applied to a Brazilian industry, has shown that multicriteria analysis presents better performance on energy saving as well as return on investments than single criterion. The paper strongly recommends the dissemination of multicriteria decision aiding as a policy to support the decision makers in industries and to improve energy efficiency in electric motor systems.     

我国未来汽车新能源发展研究

进入21世纪,随着能源问题和环境问题的日趋严重,开发和利用新型清洁燃料成为一个重要课题。本文通过分析国内外能源的现状及远景,对我国汽车新能源的发展进行了探讨。     

我国未来汽车新能源发展研究

进入21世纪,随着能源问题和环境问题的日趋严重,开发和利用新型清洁燃料成为一个重要课题。本文通过分析国内外能源的现状及远景,对我国汽车新能源的发展进行了探讨。     

Evaluation of China's local enforcement of energy efficiency standards and labeling programs for appliances and equipment

AimsThis paper aims to evaluate local enforcement of China's mandatory appliance and equipment energy efficiency standards and labeling programs, two increasingly important policies for meeting national energy and carbon reduction targets. The expected energy savings of efficiency standards and labels can be fully realized only with strong enforcement to ensure compliance for all products sold. This paper provides comprehensive retrospective evaluation of the methodologies, results, progress and remaining challenges in pilot enforcement projects initiated in the absence of consistent national check-testing focused on energy efficiency.ScopeThis paper's scope is focused on 2006–2009 pilot local check-tests conducted to verify appliance and equipment compliance with China's mandatory energy label and efficiency standards.ConclusionsThis paper finds both improvement and some backsliding in compliance rates over time. Compared to earlier efforts, 2009 check-tests covered a wider regional and product scope but demonstrated greater variation in compliance rates. Labeling display and energy efficiency compliance was generally high across regions and most products, but lower compliance rates were observed in less economically developed regions and for lighting and industrial products. Based on these findings, areas for improvement in local awareness, product sampling methodology, check-testing tools and procedures are identified.     

Indicators for industrial energy efficiency in India

India accounts for 4.5% of industrial energy use worldwide. This share is projected to increase as the economy expands rapidly. The level of industrial energy efficiency in India varies widely. Certain sectors, such as cement, are relatively efficient, while others, such as pulp and paper, are relatively inefficient. Future energy efficiency efforts should focus on direct reduced iron, pulp and paper and small-scale cement kilns because the potentials for improvement are important in both percentage and absolute terms. Under business as usual, industrial energy use is projected to rise faster than total final energy use. A strong focus on energy efficiency can reduce this growth, but CO₂ emissions will still rise substantially. If more substantial CO₂ emissions reductions are to be achieved then energy efficiency will need to be combined with measures that reduce the carbon intensity of the industrial fuel mix.     

Development of a new energy efficiency rating system for existing residential buildings

Building energy efficiency rating systems have been established worldwide to systematically manage the energy consumption of existing buildings. This study aimed to develop a new energy efficiency rating system for existing residential buildings from two perspectives: (i) establishment of reasonable and fair criteria for the building energy efficiency rating system; and (ii) establishment of comparative incentive and penalty programs to encourage the voluntary participation of all residents in the energy saving campaign. Based on the analysis of the conventional energy efficiency rating system for existing residential buildings, this study was conducted in five steps: (i) data collection and analysis; (ii) correlation analysis between the household size and the CO₂ emission density (i.e., CO₂ emission per unit area); (iii) cluster formation based on results of the correlation analysis using a decision tree; (iv) establishment of a new energy efficiency rating system for existing buildings; and (v) establishment of incentive and penalty programs using advanced case-based reasoning. The proposed system can allow a policymaker to establish a reasonable and fair energy efficiency rating system for existing residential buildings and can encourage the voluntary participation of all residents in the energy saving campaign.     

US states and energy efficiency: North Carolina's ‘quango’

This paper argues that energy efficiency remains an abstraction until actions produce significant results in the ways in which energy is produced and used. In the USA, such actions have depended historically on the private sector, with government taking an increasingly prominent role since the first energy crisis of the 1970s. Experience has shown that neither acting alone has been fully successful at realizing the economically and societally rational rate of implementation made possible by either the needs or the opportunities in energy. Recent developments in various states have begun to explore hybrid organizations - quasi-public and quasi-private - as ways to focus resources in productive applications. Four examples merit attention, with particular emphasis on the North Carolina Alternative Energy Corporation.     

Invention in energy technologies: Comparing energy efficiency and renewable energy inventions at the firm level

Many countries, especially in Europe, have ambitious goals to transform their national energy systems towards renewable energies. Technological change in both renewable production and efficient use of energy can help us to make these targets come true. Using a panel of German firms linked to the PATSTAT patent data, we study inventions in both types of energy technologies and investigate the role prior inventions as technology-push factors play for both types of technologies. In addition and more importantly, we study whether previous inventions in non-energy technologies also stimulate technical change in energy technologies and whether this effect differs between energy conservation and renewable energy technologies.     

Energy efficiency technologies for road vehicles

A key message of the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is that improved energy efficiency is one of society’s most important instruments for combating climate change. This article reviews a range of energy efficiency measures in the transportation sector as discussed in AR4 and assess their potentials for improving fuel efficiency. The primary focus is on light-duty vehicles because they represent the largest portion of world transport energy use and carbon dioxide emissions; freight trucks, a rapidly expanding source of greenhouse emissions, are also discussed. Increasing energy efficiency can be achieved by improving the design and technology used in new vehicles, but vehicle technology is only one component of fleet fuel economy. Measures that create strong incentives for customers to take energy efficiency into consideration when buying and operating their vehicles will be crucial to policy success.

The role of energy efficiency spending in Maryland’s implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

What are the economic consequences of increased state spending on electricity consumption efficiency? The State of Maryland faces this question in deciding how much of its CO₂ allowances auction proceeds (under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative) to devote to such programs. Starting at a base of 25% of the proceeds, we consider the energy savings, emissions reductions, employment, and other impacts of increasing that percentage to 50% and 100%. A series of models – Haiku, JHU-OUTEC, and IMPLAN – are used for the analysis. We conclude that increasing the state’s expenditures on energy efficiency programs would result in a decline in electricity consumption in the state and a corresponding decline in expenditures on electricity. Program implementation would lead to net positive growth in statewide economic activity and include growth in both jobs and wages.     

Direct heat transfer considerations for improving energy efficiency in pulp and paper Kraft mills

The success of any process improvement study depends on the quality of the available data and the way in which the plant-specific characteristics are incorporated in the applied conceptual models; in the context of process integration studies these issues are directly related to the rules followed during the data extraction stage. Improving energy efficiency in a pulp and paper Kraft mill requires the identification of the most promising heat recovery network retrofit projects. In a retrofit analysis using pinch technology/process integration methods, only the process streams associated to the existing heat exchangers and some outlet streams (such as wastewater/effluent streams and vents) with high potential for heat recovery are usually included, while the energy exchanged through non-isothermal stream mixing (NIM) or direct heat transfer (DHT) is often assumed fixed and is not considered in the analysis. Relaxing this assumption requires extracting more data to represent the DHT design configuration that exists in the plant. However, different data extraction options can be considered to represent the DHT configuration depending on the associated process/operation constraints. This work describes a systematic procedure to extract and analyse the impacts of DHT on the overall energy efficiency of a Kraft process with a specific focus on mixing along the pulp line and in water tanks.     

Potential energy savings and environmental impact by implementing energy efficiency standard for household refrigerators in China

With the rapid economic growth and improvement in standard of living, Chinese people are employing more and more household appliances to make their living convenient and comfortable, of which refrigerators are indispensable. Because refrigerators operate continuously irrespective of seasons and regions, the total electricity consumption of refrigerators is huge and consequently causes severe energy-related environmental issues. China has been paying more and more attention to this and issued a national energy efficiency standard, GB12021.2-2003, for refrigerators. This paper first describes the standard briefly. Then it develops a mathematic model to evaluate the potential energy savings and environmental impacts of the standard. The estimated results indicate implementing the standard will save large energy, as well as benefit greatly to environment. Thus, it is very necessary to implement energy efficiency standard for refrigerators in China.     

Porous electrode improving energy efficiency under electrode-normal magnetic field in water electrolysis

The porous electrodes (Ni, Cu) with 110 pores per inch (PPI) are adopted in water electrolysis for hydrogen production under normal-to-electrode magnetic field. The result shows that the voltage drop between electrodes can be reduced up to 2.5% under 0.9 T field, and the electric energy efficiency is improved correspondingly. Based on the numerical simulation method, the micro-magnetohydrodynamic (micro-MHD) convection induced by Lorentz force within the porous structure is found. The results showed that although the apparent current direction is parallel to magnetic field outside the porous electrode, the electric field may be distorted within the porous structure, and the Lorentz force is involved near the rib of the micro structure where the current is not parallel to the magnetic field any more. Micro-MHD plays the role of strengthening the mass transfer and facilitating bubble to eject from the porous structure, which results in the cell voltage decreasing. The combined application of porous electrode and magnetic field should be potential to further improve energy efficiency of water electrolysis for hydrogen production.     

Energy saving and energy efficiency concepts for policy making

Departing from the concept of rational use of energy, the paper outlines the microeconomics of end-use energy saving as a result of frugality or efficiency measures. Frugality refers to the behaviour that is aimed at energy conservation, and with efficiency we refer to the technical ratio between energy input and output services that can be modified with technical improvements (e.g. technology substitution). Changing behaviour from one side and technology from the other are key issues for public energy policy. In this paper, we attempt to identify the effects of parameters that determine energy saving behaviour with the use of the microeconomic theory. The role of these parameters is crucial and can determine the outcome of energy efficiency policies; therefore policymakers should properly address them when designing policies.