DrumBeat: July 4, 2007
Posted by Leanan on July 4, 2007 - 9:14am
Topic: Miscellaneous
Motorists are feeling the effect of fuel shortages at pipeline terminals across the nation: higher prices and tighter supplies at service stations.“We’re starting to see the impact of the shortage,” said Gene LaDoucer, spokesman for AAA North Dakota.
As I continued reading, I found that he felt the only reason the peak oil theory was wrong was because CERA said so. Forget the hazy reserve data from the middle east, or even the declining production rates around the world.After all, according to them, the world has well over three trillion barrels left--almost a century's worth of oil. Why should we worry now if we have enough in the ground to last that long?
Warning over Ireland's oil dependence
Ireland's over-dependence on supplies of oil poses a significant burden to the economy and a threat to future energy security, a major international report published today revealed.
UK's gadget-mania blamed for surge in emissions
The surging boom in new technology for home entertainment, from CD players and DAB radios to flat-screen televisions, is taking up huge amounts of energy and undermining the fight against climate change, a report claims today.
China's energy consumption grows faster than world's
China's primary energy consumption rose sharply by 8.4 per cent in 2006, six per cent more than the growth rate of global consumption as the economy boomed, a report released by BP said here.
China to impose tariff on energy-guzzling products
China will impose an export tariff on highly energy-consuming products as part of an effort to deflate the ballooning trade surplus and improve the safety of the nation's export products, Wei Jianguo, vice commerce minister, said yesterday.
Canada's oil sands a blessing and a burden
As demand for oil surges in Asia, companies are raising the stakes in their oil sands investments.
FOR its supporters, the idea of growing single-celled algae on exhaust gas piped from power stations is the ultimate in recycling. For its detractors, it is a mere pipe dream. Whoever turns out to be right, though, it is an intriguing idea: instead of releasing the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels into the atmosphere, recapture it by photosynthesis. The result could then be turned into biodiesel (since many species of algae store their food reserves as oil), or even simply dried and fed back into the power station. Of course, if it were really that easy, someone would have done it already. But although no one has yet commercialised the technology, several groups are trying.
Ethanol made from corn may be the sexy starlet of the nation's alternative energy policy but its cellulosic cousin is the young ingenue about to take center stage.
DOE Invests $125 Million in Synthetic Life to Develop Biofuels
Working at a central lab facility in the San Francisco Bay Area, researchers will create new forms of life that will produce ethanol with unprecedented efficiency. This field of science -- synthetic biology -- will be used to make crops that are extremely tough and productive. Optimized plants will push the limit of fuel production per acre of land. The same laboratory techniques will be used to design organisms that convert plant material into fuel in the most cost-effective manner possible.
Oil & Gas UK Says Government Reforms Needed
Whilst total spending on exploration, development and production of oil and gas reserves grew by 20% to £11.5 billion in 2006, production struggled to respond, and in 2007, continuing cost inflation and sustained low gas prices are putting the competitiveness of the UK continental shelf (UKCS) under severe pressure.
Oil Prices above $70, Big Ramifications for Currency Market
If you want to know why the Federal Reserve refuses to budge from their hawkish inflation bias, all you have to do is look at the price of oil. Since the beginning of the year, crude prices have increased over 40 percent with the price per barrel now back above $70. Oil prices have a big impact on inflationary pressures both here in the US as well as globally.
Oil markets keep wary eye on US hurricane season
Oil markets will keep a wary eye on the US hurricane season even after an uneventful first month, with the outlook complicated by unreliability of recent weather forecasting records.
Ten years from today when you drive the hydrogen fuel cell driven cars with zero emission, you start thanking this great American President.
Uganda: Will Gov't Nationalise Power Sector?
One way to look at this economic and political quagmire is to ask if the privatisation policy of the government, which led to the unbundling of Uganda Electricity Board, has succeeded. It would appear not and such is the view expressed by Hon Syda Bbumba, the long term Minister of Energy.
Venezuela's Oil Nationalization Tests Chinese Oil Companies
Will Chinese oil companies survive from Venezuela's move of nationalizing its oil industry? Or will they get more benefits from such kind of move? Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on May 1 announced the nationalization of his country's oil industry. The Venezuelan government has reclaimed oil resources of the Orinoco Belt, the world's biggest heavy oil deposit, from companies such as BP, ExxonMobil and Total.
India: Petroleum Ministry seeks oil bonds to compensate refiners
The Petroleum Ministry is seeking Rs 19,000 crore worth of oil bonds to partly compensate refiners who are selling fuel below the cost.
Biofuels to buoy farm prices in next decade: OECD/FAO
The rapid growth of the world's biofuel industry is likely to keep farm commodity prices at high levels in the next decade as it will boost demand for grains, oilseeds and sugar, a major study said on Wednesday.
High gas prices changing summer vacation plans
Over 60 per cent of drivers surveyed in a BCAA web poll last month say current high gas prices are causing them to rethink their summer vacation plans.
Officials investigate 'hot gas'
Maryland Department of Agriculture inspectors are adding thermometers to their calibration tools as they make their routine rounds at gas stations.
A leading Norwegian economist and one of the oil-producing country's major investors think oil prices will keep rising until alternative energy starts paying off. That can mean prices of more than USD 100 a barrel within a few years.
Analyst: Refinery Closure to Hike Prices
Midwestern states that depend on fuel supplies from a flooded refinery in southeast Kansas will see some of the highest prices in the nation for gasoline and diesel this summer, industry experts said."It is really bad timing, it is bad luck. ... For all intents and purposes it looks like that refinery is not going to be contributing any gasoline or diesel fuel for the rest of the summer," said Tom Kloza, publisher and chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service.
Kansas Fuel Sellers Seek Waiver; Refinery Flood Tightens Supply
Kansas fuel marketers are seeking a temporary waiver from truck-driving regulations to boost supply in the region following the shutdown of Coffeyville Resources LLC's oil refinery.
Cost of gas may rise after flooding
The flooding in southeastern Kansas may mean higher prices at the gas pump for drivers in most Midwestern states.But analysts disagree over how much prices will rise after floodwaters closed the Coffeyville Resources refinery.
Plains States Feel Supply Pinch Most After Refinery Flood
Fuel sellers north of Kansas are expecting to feel their supply pinched in the days ahead as the fallout from a flooded oil refinery reverberates throughout the regional market.While the full effect of Coffeyville Resources LLC's refinery shutdown has yet come to pass, some states have more to worry about than others. The Plains states have seen the plants they traditionally rely on for fuel suffer repeated breakdowns this year, depleting the region's cushion of oil-product inventories. Officials in neighboring Oklahoma and Missouri, meanwhile, are more confident about getting gasoline and diesel.
North Dakota: Fuel shortages at pipeline terminals continue
The manager of a chain of gas stations in Fargo-Moorhead says he's never seen anything like it.Kent Satrang with Petro-Serve is talking about fuel shortages at pipeline terminals in the region.
He says both wholesalers and retailers are scrambling to get what gasoline they can.
Gulf oil producers should keep dollar-peg, says IMF
The International Monetary Fund said Gulf oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, should keep their currencies fixed to the dollar and will not come under pressure to revalue.“A fixed exchange rate is best for these oil producers,” Mohsin Khan, the IMF’s director for the Middle East and Central Asia, said in a telephone interview from Washington on Monday. “Their main export is priced in dollars, it makes it easier for them to hedge.”
Analysis: Oil-rich Nigeria short on fuel
Fuel shortages will persist in oil-rich Nigeria, with no end in sight, as long as gasoline lines form and refineries slow production.
Petrobras Makes Proposal to Workers to Avoid Strike
Brazil's state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR), or Petrobras, Tuesday made a new proposal to unions aimed at avoiding a strike that could start Thursday, a company press official said.A strike would affect oil production, as well as refining and distribution.
Kuwait seeks quick development of disputed gas field
State-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said a treaty with Saudi Arabia over a disputed gas field should be implemented quickly as the Gulf state struggles to meet demand for gas.
Ration-hit Argentina admits energy crisis
Argentina has at last admitted that the energy sector – the Achilles’ heel of its economic policy – is in trouble.For the first time, President Néstor Kirchner used the word “crisis” to describe the severe shortages that have forced the government to ration gas for factories to guarantee enough energy for heating homes.
Government provides loan guarantee to NOC
With the aim of resolving the problem of petroleum shortage, the government has decided to provide guarantee for loans worth Rs 1.2 billion for Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC).
Balance needed to relieve world food crisis
What we are seeing in Mexico and in central Africa and other parts of the world is that millions are undernourished and have little hope of improving their lives in the face of rising demands for resources that are being depleted. This is a precursor of what much of the world will look like in the future if radical changes are not made in the way that we organize our society and economic models.Expanding our agricultural activity over more area has become counterproductive, and producing the energy that our societies require to maintain themselves in the present fashion is making things worse. Not only is energy production fouling the atmosphere and changing the climate, switching to food resources for energy production could starve millions.
Oregon group forms to discuss energy depletion topics
County citizens concerned with the issue of energy depletion are invited to the launch of a new citizens' group.The group, Washington County Peak Oil, will kick off with a free screening of the film "A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash" at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 10, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 22785 NW Birch St., Hillsboro.
Climate deals turn up heat in Indonesia's dark peatlands
Investors around the world are dreaming of the billions the festering carbon-rich bogs could bring in as the world battles global warming. Peat bogs are the new black gold, some say.
Barack Obama’s Nuclear Ambitions
The Gore effect is like a bad hangover: all headache no buzz. The purported solution to the imminent warming crisis, nuclear technology, is just as hazardous as our current methods of energy procurement.
Carolyn Baker - Happy Independence Day: YOU HAVE NO GOVERNMENT
Many individuals love to debate whether collapse will be “fast or slow”. According to the “slow burners”, those who say it will be sudden are delusional, whereas those who insist on its suddenness reject the collapse as a gradual process. Even the issue of collapse is replete with the distractions of a conflict over “slow” or “sudden.” Western Civilization and Christianity in particular have left their mark on us in the polarization that we can’t seem to extricate ourselves from, even over the issue of collapse. It is, in some respects, that very duality that has created the end of civilization as we have known it, yet we cling to the polarization as if our lives depended on it.Collapse, on a more metaphorical level, is a form of apocalypse, and apocalypse is simply a Greek word meaning, “the lifting of the veil.” When veils are lifted, reality is seen for what it is, and given that definition, apocalypse has been going on for a long time. Think of the veils that have been lifted just in the past seven years: The 2000 election, the crimes of 9/11 perpetrated by the U.S. government, Enron, Peak Oil, climate change, the incomprehensible levels of corruption in the U.S. government, the trillions of dollars of missing money, the deceptions of the Iraq War, the coverup of Pat Tillman's death — the list could go on and on. The biggest veil to be lifted is that humans are the superior life form on planet earth and that they have a right to conquer, rape, pillage, and own its resources. Collapse, which in my opinion has been going on for at least thirty years, is lifting the veil of that illusion and will reveal incontrovertibly the lie that it is, but for some, the lie cannot be allowed in their consciousness until there is nothing — and I mean nothing, left to lie about.
Why the U.S.' Oil Dependence is Bad for the U.S. Economy
Energy policy -- or more specifically U.S. oil dependence -- comes and goes in media focus. Its prominence usually increases in direct proportion to the current price of oil or gas. In addition, there has been a growing movement called the "peak oil" movement, which argues world supplies are actually at or near their highest and will continually decline from here on out. While I can't comment on the veracity of peak oil's claims, I can state without a doubt that the U.S.' national energy policy -- and specifically our oil dependence -- is economically disadvantageous.
Auto sales wobble in June, GM plunges
General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM - news) on Tuesday posted a steeper-than-expected 24 percent drop in U.S. sales in June as local automakers lost share to Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T) and other Japanese brands, and demand sputtered overall in the face of high gas prices and a weak housing market.
Shell Chairman Ollila Works to Recast Company
Western majors see their future in the high-tech prowess they say sets them apart from state-owned rivals: their proven expertise in managing big development projects and deploying advanced technology. In Shell's case, that includes exploiting "unconventional" plays, such as squeezing petroleum out of gooey oil sands or turning natural gas into diesel fuel.
George Monbiot: Stop doing the CBI's bidding, and we could be fossil fuel free in 20 years
Prospects for renewable power are promising. But it means nothing if the public interest is drowned by corporate power.
Schwarzenegger struggles with air board
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger moved Tuesday to quell the furor over the departure of two leaders overseeing implementation of the state's landmark global warming law, appointing a replacement for the chairman he ousted.
Merkel rejects call to moderate emissions cuts
Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected industry criticism of her plans to cut Germany's greenhouse gas emissions by a third by 2020 and dashed its hopes of a deal to prolong the use of nuclear power.
Nuclear expansion is a pipe dream, says report
The Oxford Research Group paper, funded by the Joseph Rowntree charitable trust, says that the worldwide nuclear "renaissance" planned by the industry to provide cheap, clean power is a myth. Although global electricity demand is expected to rise by 50% in the next 25 years, only 25 new nuclear reactors are currently being built, with 76 more planned and a further 162 proposed, many of which are unlikely to be built. This compares with 429 reactors in operation today, many of which are already near the end of their useful lives and need replacing soon.For nuclear power to make any significant contribution to a reduction in global carbon emissions in the next two generations, the paper says, the industry would have to construct nearly 3,000 new reactors - or about one a week for 60 years.
'Free energy' device to be revealed
An Irish company will today reveal controversial technology that allegedly defies basic laws of physics to produce free power.Steorn, which is based in Dublin, claims to have discovered a method of creating clean, constant energy, which it claims could end the global fuel crisis.
Called Orbo technology, it is based on the interaction of magnetic fields and has yet to be conclusively proven.
BP and Royal Dutch Shell are said to be in merger talks that would create a £250 billion oil giant, according to the Times of London.
Oil majors have bit more life in them yet
The bottom line is that the oil majors are struggling to replace their reserves at anything like the same rate as they are expending them. For the oil majors at least, the oil truly does seem to be running out. The sort of successes in far-off lands being reported by smaller players such as Cairn, though not to be sneezed at, would only amount to a few days' production for the big boys.
Oil reserves are drying up rapidly
A worldwide oil shortage is due in four years -- not 40 years.
Argentine Power Cuts Threaten Economy, Kirchner Image
Argentina's energy rationing may chill South America's second-largest economy -- along with President Nestor Kirchner's political popularity.As the southern hemisphere's winter sets in, cutbacks in electricity and natural gas are leaving potatoes to rot at McCain Foods Ltd.'s French fry plant in Buenos Aires province and workers idled at Fiat SpA's car factory in Cordoba. Energy supplies in Argentina have failed to keep up with surging demand, exacerbating shortages to the point where there's no quick solution, analysts say.
World's Biggest Palm Oil Trader Shamed
Wilmar, the world’s biggest trader in palm oil, is illegally logging rainforests, setting forests on fire and violating the rights of local communities in Indonesia, according to a new report published today by Friends of the Earth Netherlands.
$70 a barrel keeps Faroes dreaming of oil wealth
Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, dreams of becoming the Kuwait City of the North -- enjoying oil riches that would free these wind-swept North Atlantic volcanic rocks from depending on fish, sheep and ruler Denmark for survival.
Iraqi Kurdish, Sunni leaders complain not consulted about new oil law
Iraq's Kurdish and Sunni leaders today complained they had not been consulted over the amended oil bill which has been approved by the cabinet and is set to go before parliament.
Shell says Nigeria oil-exploration rig attacked, but output unaffected
A crude oil exploration rig located in the Soku Field, Nigeria, has been temporarily shut down and personnel evacuated following an attack by a militant group but output has not been affected, Royal Dutch Shell PLC said Wednesday.
Occidental Has Unplanned Maintenance at Plant in Sundown, Texas
Occidental Petroleum Corp. had unplanned maintenance and flared some gases at a plant in Sundown, Texas, according to a report on a state-administered Web site.The flaring started yesterday at 9 a.m. local time as part of a process to regenerate catalysts at the Slaughter Gasoline Plant after a decline in its sulfur recovery efficiency, the report on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Web said.
Happy Independence Day! Or maybe that should be "Happy Dependence Day." July 4th is the day Americans drive the most. And they aren't letting high gas prices stop them.
news of the wierd: "russia gives oil monopolies right to maintain armed units" http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL0463747420070704?rpc=44
i suppose american oil monopolies already have this "right"
Yes, the units are referred to as "the Pentagon". But here the oil monopolies don't have to pay for them.
We don't have a monopoly in the oil business. An oil company that controlled all the production and sales is a monopoly, like Standard Oil in the US in the late 19th Century. A national oil company like Pemex in Mexico is a monopoly. Whoever wrote that headline needs to learn how to use a dictionary.
Bob Ebersole
By definition you need complete control of all sales to be called a monopoly, but I think it is obvious that the effects of monopolistic practice become visible long before the 100% mark.
It is widely expected that Vladimir Putin will take the leadership of Gazprom after his term as President nominally ends.
Apparently he'll have a personal militia as well.
And I believe that after 4 years, he can run for President once more.
Blackwater can pay for the best. So can Gazprom.
What do you expect, illiterate conscripts guarding vital infrastructure when there is reason to believe some western countries would try to sabotage them?
The German government, utilities and industry just had another "energy summit". They don't mention peak oil, of course, instead the reasoning is about Global Warming.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,492202,00.html
Better insulation of buildings is definitely a good strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and also helps to save natural gas and oil. Biofuels in Germany will not play a substantial role, food costs are already rising. I also don't buy that we will be able to reduce our electricity consumption, simply because I think we will get a share of electrical cars until 2020.The efficiency goal is very controversial - maybe unrealistic.
So, most of the plan is quite unrealistic. Merkel knows that very well. She clearly hopes for a nuclear revival after the 2009 elections. A lot depends on offshore wind. The projects in the North Sea are all delayed. Costs are too high. At least, now it is clear that the utilities have to pay for the sea cables. If the government wants to scale up offshore wind, they will have to raise the fixed price for offshore wind power from 9ct/kwh to maybe 12ct/kwh.
Co-generation means more coal plants. Not too good, unless they will be able to implement C02 sequestration.
Siggi
I wonder if Global Warming is being used as a code word for "Peak Oil" and "Depending on the Russians too much".
Like the previous Swedish gov'ts goal of being oil free by 2025, "failure" is still a success.
If Germany increases energy efficiency by, say, 1.8% every year, failing in the goal of 3% annually, it is still going to better off in future bidding wars for energy, or just getting by with less energy. (Remember that they are starting from a high level of efficiency already).
Best Hopes for the USA improving energy efficiency by 1.8% annually,
Alan
Minimum energy efficiency for new construction in Germany requires R-49 walls, very efficient windows (with limits on how much), etc. Retrofitting older buildings is where the challenge is.
Hi, Alan!
The current energy efficiency rate is 0,9% according to the CEO of BASF, a large chemical producer. If we could double that, it would be a great success indeed.
The US should be able to achieve 1.8% more easily.
We have about 30 big old coal power plants that need to be decommissioned soon. Three years ago, the utilities planned to replace half of them with natural gas and steam combined plants, but now, it's going to be coal again. Not so smart by the Russians?
The government also plans to auction 10% of the CO2 certificates next time.
Retrofitting old buildings: There is a major incentive problem. You might know that about 50% of all Germans are renters rather than owners. Currently, the owners have to pay for the new windows and walls and so on, while the renters profit from such measures. Owners can only hope they can achieve higher rental payments if they improve insulation.
If the government solved that incentive problem, they would not have to subsidize, and in the end, both owners and renters would be happy...
I don't know if GW is a code word for PO. GW is real, at least the Alpine glaciers make that very obvious each year. While a single year means little, during the last 12 months, it was 3K warmer than usual in Germany.
Global Warming is certainly real, but so is Peak Oil and German concerns about Russian control.
Politicans can talk about GW, but not the other two. Better insulation helps all three, so talk up GW and work on that, and mention the other two only in private.
More insulation, so simple, so low technology and so effective !
Best Hopes for savings *SO* much NG that we can use it for transportation,
Alan
More insulation, so simple, so low technology and so effective !
You forgot passive solar! (not on your radar as heating isn't a issue typically in NO)
the problem with passive solar is that it is largly a building design problem, and with the "half life" of houses being more than time it will take to use 1/2 the remaining oil, it isn't that practical, as it will only have a minor effect of a few percent efficency on a few percent of houses a year.
(in Australia, with a passive solar house, livable in outside temperatures of min 5, max 40 with no air conditioning (basically just a good orientation, wide eaves, and insulation in the roof) )
The real problem with passive solar is that most houses are built by developers that insist on orienting houses to the winding roads in their new developments. Perhaps some of them make some adjustment to the sun, but usually you can find the same house plan facing N, E, S or W.
Hi Alan,
In the year prior to our purchase, the previous owners of our home (family of four) consumed 5,700 litres of heating oil and I believe something in the order of 16,000 kWh of electricity. Last year, our heating oil consumption came to a little less than 830 litres and our electricity use topped out at 11,321 kWh (we're a two person household).
Much of this improvement can be credited to generous insulation and careful air sealing (e.g., our attic had just 6 cm of fibreglass insulation - R7; it now stands at R60). We also installed a high efficiency oil-fired boiler and indirect hot water tank, as well as a Tekmar control system. Two years ago, in an effort to further trim our fuel oil consumption, we installed a small ductless heat pump. Even in our relatively cold Canadian climate, it provides an average of 2.5 kWh of heat for every one kWh of electricity consumed; to date, it has cut our fuel oil use by a little over 2,000 litres.
Our new goal is to bring our electricity consumption under the 10,000 kWh/year mark. Next to the heat pump, the basement dehumidifier is our most energy-hungry appliance and during the summer months it often runs non-stop. Although an Energy Star model, it accounts for about two-thirds of our daily demand. I now closely monitor indoor and outdoor RH and open windows and doors to take advantage of natural ventilation whenever possible. So far, the results are encouraging; last June, we used an average of 27.3 kWh/day and this June, with the reduction in run time, we're down to 16.2.
Best regards,
Paul
HereinHalifax,
I suspect most of the moisture in your basement is working it's way through the concrete slab and foundation walls, tape a piece of poly to a section of exposed wall or floor to confirm this. Cutting off this source of moisture may well help you cut dehumidifier use.
Hi btu,
You could be right, but I should add that we live in a maritime climate and so humidity levels run extremely high this time of year. For an overview of last month's weather, see:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/station/71395/2007/6/1/MonthlyHistor...
Note the humidity data listed in the daily observations table located at the bottom of this page. For the month of June, our daily average fell anywhere from 56 to 96 per cent. As you might imagine, if we don't run the dehumidifier, mould and mildew can quickly become a serious problem.
Thankfully, there were no visible or telltale signs of moisture migration when we finished the basement level (the walls and floor were in excellent condition). The outside walls are now insulated with two inches of Styrofoam (R10) and an additional 3.5 inches of fibreglass insulation (R13). I carefully applied a 6 mil vapour barrier on the warm side, as is recommended practice in our climate, prior to installing the drywall.
For peace of mind, just in case we did run into water issues down the road, I went with a DRIcore subfloor.
See: http://www.dricore.com/en/eIndex.aspx
Best regards,
Paul
HereinHalifax,
Thank you for the additional information, you have done well with your energy retrofit. Exterior grading, gutters and downspouts to get bulk water away from the building also play a very important role in building durability. I am also in the process of making my house in Minneapolis more energy efficient, have cut natural gas usage for heating in half from 1,040 therms per year to 520. June electrical usage was 398 kwh, have not used AC in 2007. It is 90F outside today but 79F indoors. My R-100 attic insulation is starting to pay off.
Hi btu,
You're most welcome and congratulation to you on your own accomplishments. Cutting your natural gas consumption in half is a remarkable achievement and your electrical usage at less than 400 kWh per month is probably just one-third that of your neighbours. Good job!
Just to compare notes, our home is a 2,500 sq. ft., 40-year old Cape Cod and in terms of heating demand, Halifax and Minneapolis are virtually the same (both come in at about 7,800 HDD). In addition to the above-mentioned upgrades, I replaced our windows and doors with Pella Architectural series low-e/argon units (there are a six large, fixed pane windows that were not replaced, but they're equipped with exterior wooden storms and two 3M window films). I also gutted the entire house and all exterior above grade walls are now insulated to R23.5.
To expand on this last point, I caulked and sealed the exterior sheathing, inserted a half-inch of Styrofoam (R3) inside the wall cavity and caulked the joints and edges to make the wall structure airtight. I then added three and half-inches of fibreglass insulation (R13), a six-mill polyethylene vapour barrier and an additional inch and a half of Styrofoam on top (R7.5). As a last step before dry walling, I carefully taped the seams, electrical boxes, heating pipe penetrations, etc. with tuck tape.
Here are a few pictures of work done on the dining room, from start to finish:
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287581/other/dining-room---caulked%2C-ha...
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287582/other/dining-room---fibreglass.ph...
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287583/other/dining-room---one-%26-half-...
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287584/other/dining-room---re-drywall.ph...
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287585/other/dining-room---finished.php
This is one of the second floor side bedrooms:
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287586/other/bedroom---bare-wall.php
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287587/other/bedroom---caulked-%26-half-...
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287588/other/bedroom---fibreglass-%26-on...
http://server3.pictiger.com/img/287589/other/bedroom---final-taping.php
In addition to making our home more energy efficient, I wanted to ensure we had access to multiple heat sources in case of a disruption in supplies or a dramatic shift in cost. Thus, we have an oil-fired boiler, a ductless heat pump, four propane fireplaces and in-floor electric radiant heat; this provides us with three (mostly) independent fuel types -- fuel oil, propane and electricity -- in addition to passive solar (unfortunately, the house is oriented east-west and our southern exposure is heavily shaded by a densely wooded rock face, so our passive solar gain is severely limited). To better cope with extended power outages (all too common in these parts), the boiler is wired to a backup generator and all of the major appliances, including the kitchen range, are propane.
I'll quickly add in closing that our small, 14,000 BTU/h ductless heat pump satisfies roughly 80 per cent of our annual heating requirements. A lot of folks will tell you air source heat pumps don't work well in colder climates; quite honestly, our own experience suggests otherwise.
This is a picture of the inside air handler:
http://server4.pictiger.com/img/264069/picture-hosting/heat-pump.php
Best regards,
Paul
HereinHalifax,
When you told of the previous energy bills of your home and current usage, I knew you did more than simple weatherization. For the record, our house is a 1,664 sf rambler with a full unfinished basement, 3,328 sf total, built by others in 1978. The good points about this house are a good southern exposure, the walls are 2x4 with R-11 fiberglass with an inch of Styrofoam sheathing (R-5), R-16 total. I measure energy usage in btu's per sq. ft. per heating degree day, btu/sf/hdd, I am currently at 2 btu/sf/hdd. The only real changes I have made to date are adding R-10 Thermax to the interior basement walls, insulated and air sealed the rim joist, did a comprehensive air sealing of the attic before adding an additional R-60+ to an existing R-38 batt insulation. Changed the original 65% furnace to a 95% Lennox with a variable speed blower (ECM motor). I too have some windows that could be upgraded, will go with a triple glazed, two low E coating window on the North, East, and West, South facing windows, I have not decided. My goal is to cut again in half the heating use which will put me in superinsulation territory, may consider PV and solar hot water along with a masonry heater for ambiance and when the natural gas runs out.
Best wishes to you,
Doug
Thanks, Doug, for providing us with this additional information as it helps all of us better understand the things we can do to make our homes more energy efficient and comfortable. So many of my friends complain about their high heating costs, and yet do nothing to bring them under control. And as you well know, improvements such as caulking and weather-stripping and adding loft insulation are simple and inexpensive for the average do-it-yourselfer and extremely cost effective.
My only regret so far is replacing the original boiler and oil-fired hot water tank with another oil boiler. In hindsight, I should have bumped my 100-amp service to 200 amps and installed a small electric boiler and an electric hot water tank. Our heating demands are now so modest and with the heat pump supplying 80 per cent of our needs, I only require backup heat during the coldest two to three weeks of the year -- the rest of the time the boiler sits idle. The one saving grace is that the Tekmar only turns on the boiler when the indirect hot water tank calls for heat. This vastly reduces the stack and standby losses (the old boiler use to fire up two or three times an hour to keep itself at temperature, whereas this new boiler fires up only once or twice a day). During the spring, summer and fall, our fuel oil consumption runs between 1 and 1.5 litres a day, all of which DHW related. Nonetheless, an electric hot water tank would be more energy efficient (no stack and only minimal standby losses) and here in Nova Scotia both fuels are similar in their cost per BTU (we currently pay $0.85 per litre/$3.20 per gallon for heating oil and $0.1067 per kWh for electricity). The only other consolation is that I can operate the boiler on the backup generator, so if we do lose power in the dead of winter, running the generator one or two hours a day would supply us with all the hot water we need and keep the house at a safe and comfortable temperature.
Best regards,
Paul
Question on insulation retrofits:
The previous owner poured in celluosic insulation between the attic rafters. I would like to increase my R value. I'd prefer not having to remove the existing celluose. Suggestions or recommendations, anyone?
Nothing wrong with cellulose insulation, I used fiberglass because I wanted a high R-value and cellulose can get heavy at this level and bow the ceiling drywall. Energy efficiency happens on two levels, increased insulation to cut conductive heat loss and just as important, air sealing to minimize heat loss from air infiltration. Depending on the amount of cellulose you currently have, I would consider removing it and doing a comprehensive air sealing to the attic. My house has a 4 mil poly vapor barrier in the ceiling but I still pulled all the insulation back and with urethane sealant sealed every attic bypass. If you can stop infiltration at the attic level and add insulation as well, the upgrade in efficiency to your home will be dramatic. Also air seal where you can in the lowest level to stop the "stack effect", the chimney like, continuous flow of air in buildings. If you have a decent air barrier at the ceiling level just add insulation and lengthen the air chutes from the eaves.
"nothing wrong with cellulosic insulation" except that it is heavy, settles to 1/2 the original thickness and is a fricken nightmare to work with if any additional work is needed. we should have other uses for recycled newspaper, maybe put it in a landfill and collect the methane.
elwoodelmore,
I am no fan of cellulose but there is a faction that swears by it for the low embodied energy. Have always used fiberglass in very high volumes with good results. If the cellulose insulation industry calls me looking for a spokesperson I will not send them your way.
thank you i appreciate that, and i am happy to see you have a sense of humor.
get a humidity monitor and find out where it all comes from!
or get some good old hydroscopic/hygroscopic NaOH (Lye) and put it in a bucket, attach a digital scale to it and repeat in a couple different locations!
Hi Gilgamesh,
Actually, I have an electronic monitor and I keep a pretty close eye on it. As btu suggests, some of this moisture may be wicking its way through the concrete floor, in which case there's probably little I can do. I did apply two coats of sealer prior to installing the subfloor, but I have no idea if that made any real difference. Again, there are no visible signs that water is making its way into the basement, so I have to believe the main source is air borne.
In past years, I would often leave one or two windows open on the upper level to help keep the house comfortable during hot weather. This year, I'm keeping the windows closed during periods of high humidity and running the heat pump in "dry" mode as required. This is an effective way to remove moisture without over cooling the house, so it works well in cool damp climates like our own. My suspicion is that those open windows (even though they were two floors up) could be to blame. I've also stopped running the heat recovery ventilation system during the summer months as it too would be another source of moist outside air.
Cheers,
Paul
We have a dehumidifier in the basement as well. People lived not too long ago without them. Maybe the solution is simply to make peace with humidity in the basement, combined with an occasional airing out via fans, doors, windows etc. Don't store anything that could be potentially damaged by humidity there -- clothes, books and papers, furniture, etc.
For us, a couple big floods over the past couple years has largely wiped out all the water-damageable stuff from the basement, incentivizing a mandatory cleanout. Not much left there that would suffer from humidity.
Hi econguy,
Our basement level is fully finished and we've learned the hard way that if we don't keep humidity in check we'll have a serious problem on our hands -- books, clothing, furniture, area rugs, etc. are all subject to potential damage.
Whenever the RH outside drops below 55 or 60 per cent, I open the windows and let the place air out on its own; above this, they remain closed. If the RH inside starts to climb much above 60 or 65 per cent, I'll run the dehumidifier until such time as we can open things up again. I'm starting to think 45 to 55 is a better range, so I'll probably be a little less aggressive in terms of cutting back on the runtime; for the small difference in operating cost, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Best regards,
Paul
Don't decide by the relative humidity. It's the dewpoint that matters. E.g., if it is warm and moderately humid outside and you let the air into a cool basement it may condense moisture as the