<DrumBeat: November 6, 2008 The Oil Drum DrumBeat: November 7, 2008>

119 comments on The Immediate Fuel Supply - Thoughts for a New Administration

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Will Stewart on November 6, 2008 - 11:09am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top

Good article, pertinent points, though I would like to explore your concluding statement;

Most likely a considerable portion will have to come from conservation, but that is not, in itself, going to be adequate.

For each energy source, this depends upon its current and imminent availability in the short run. If pellets simply are not available, and that is the only source of heat for a home, then yes, that will not be adequate.

If natural gas becomes unavailable or in very low supply, then building heat, peak electricity consumption, and industrial needs will be at risk. Wearing warmer clothing, reducing electricity consumption can help to mitigate such shortages.

And if we are talking about oil, then there are any number of conservation measures that can be taken depending upon the incentives and pain associated with each. If gas prices climb too high, people can ride more bikes, carpool, telecommute, etc. Incentives include tax credits for high mpg vehicles, lowered fares for mass transit, and any number of incentives/disincentives to halt sprawl development, while stiff carbon taxes, lowered funding for roads, etc can be the 'pain' that discourages oil consumption.

With electricity consumption, time of use and real time pricing combined with progress rates based on consumption (i.e., 0-100 kWhr/mth has the lowest rate, 100-300 kWhr/mth a higher rate, 300-600 kWhr/mth an even higher rate, etc), incentives and disincentives can be combined to encourage much lower electricity consumption. Also, the net zero carbon building initiative in the UK and in the US AIA can ensure that the replacing of building stock is performed in a manner that continues to reduce energy demand.

I believe you may be referring to cultural inertia where some percentage of the population believes that "progress and civilization" mean we deserve high energy consumptive lifestyles as a birthright. I agree that this inertia will be a struggle for many who see a lower energy consumption lifestyle as somehow beneath them. For example, Ford is still on track to sell 500,000 F-150s, and as gas prices drop, the percentage of these vehicles sold is rising again.

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Termoil on November 6, 2008 - 7:29pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Also, the net zero carbon building initiative in the UK and in the US AIA can ensure that the replacing of building stock is performed in a manner that continues to reduce energy demand.

I am thoroughly sceptical that a planned or forced program of building replacements or upgrades really have net energy efficiency gains once you take into consideration the manufactured inputs. These inputs are often glass, steel, concrete, plastics, copper etc as well as the direct onsite fuel costs and all associated transport. Unless the building actually captures and sequesters more carbon over its lifetime than was released by its construction, then I fail to see how anyone can claim that a building has zero net carbon emissions. To date I have not seen a building that does CCS while performing the otehr useful functions that buildings usually do.

It is difficult to see how net energy demand will be reduced if a large scale building and construction program is aimed at replacement of the exisitng built capital with a a new sexier, green built environment. The danger is that the capitalists and socialists would both see this as an opportunity to expand the economy, which ultimately leads to more energy consumption, not less.

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Will Stewart on November 7, 2008 - 7:47am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

The definition normally means using as much energy as is generated onsite. There may be times when a building may produce more, or times when it produces less. Buildings will degrade over time and be replaced; any replacements should be as energy efficient as possible. Let's look at several variant terms and definitions;

Net zero site energy use
In this type of ZEB, the amount of energy provided by on-site renewable energy sources is equal to the amount of energy used by the building. In the United States, “zero energy building” generally refers to this type of building.

Net zero source energy use
This ZEB generates the same amount of energy as is used, including the energy used to transport the energy to the building. This type accounts for losses during electricity transmission. These ZEBs must generate more electricity than net zero site energy buildings.

Net zero energy emissions
Outside the United States and Canada, a ZEB is generally defined as one with zero net energy emissions, also known as a zero carbon building or zero emissions building. Under this definition the carbon emissions generated from on-site or off-site fossil fuel use are balanced by the amount of on-site renewable energy production. Other definitions include not only the carbon emissions generated by the building in use, but also those generated in the construction of the building and the embodied energy of the structure. Others debate whether the carbon emissions of commuting to and from the building should also be included in the calculation.

Net zero cost
In this type of building, the cost of purchasing energy is balanced by income from sales of electricity to the grid of electricity generated on-site. Such a status depends on how a utility credits net electricity generation and the utility rate structure the building uses.

Net off-site zero energy use
A building may be considered a ZEB if 100% of the energy it purchases comes from renewable energy sources, even if the energy is generated off the site.

Off-the-grid
Off-the-grid buildings are stand-alone ZEBs that are not connected to an off-site energy utility facility. They require distributed renewable energy generation and energy storage capability (for when the sun is not shining, wind is not blowing, etc).

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119 comments on The Immediate Fuel Supply - Thoughts for a New Administration

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