By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Tue, 2009-11-03 06:30
How to do more with off-the-shelf energy efficient technology
The August edition of Science Magazine dedicated an eight page long focus article on how to leap the efficiency gap. This gap consists of the imbalance between the wide range of energy efficient technology that is readily available on the market and the rather small share this technology represents in the daily practice of industry, buildings, and transport.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2007-11-29 08:30
How should we cope with this complex phenomenon?
'What is the use of supporting energy efficient appliances, when rebound effects cancel out all net energy savings?' This kind of scepticism regarding energy efficiency is being heard more and more in public debates.
The rebound effect occurs when energy efficiency of products improves, but then people just use more of these products. The net effect is thus cancelling out any overall savings. The rebound effect can be both direct and indirect. For instance, a direct effect can occur when consumers buy a fuel efficient car, but then discover that they can drive much more for the same cost and alter their previous driving habits. The rebound effect can also be indirect as when people use the money they save by driving more efficiently for other energy services, such as an extra holiday by air to Spain.
While this rebound effect certainly exists, it is being overused 'as another reason to do nothing', argues Bill Thompson in a post on WattWatt. Jumping to the conclusion that the rebound effect makes all energy efficiency measures useless is indeed an oversimplification that cannot be justified.
The price elasticity of energy
The rebound effect is directly linked to what economists call price elasticity: that is, the degree to which a given population will buy less or more of something as the price goes up or down.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Fri, 2007-04-13 07:30
Except for low income residential customers and electricity intensive industrial sectors
Energy and environmental specialists alike often argue that electric energy is far too cheap. They are referring to the 'externalities' of electrical generation: in fact the true global cost to society is still much higher than the actual market price. Pressure for higher rate is usually countered by statements from the other side of the argument that higher electricity prices pose a peril for the economy. These individuals argue that higher energy costs would lead to higher prices for goods, which in turn would reduce product demand and cause a negative economic spiral.
Recent data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that electricity costs and the overall economy are not as closely linked as they once were. The energy consumption used to create the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the U.S. has been nearly halved since 1970. Nor do statistics for U.S. states show a correlation between electricity prices on the one side and growth in State Gross Product or changes in unemployment rate on the other.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Wed, 2006-12-06 08:30
More than one Giga Watt installed in 2005
This past summer, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published its Trends in Photovoltaic Applications report. It is the result of a survey conducted in 18 selected countries for the period between 1992 and 2005, within the framework of the Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVSP).
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2006-11-16 08:30
Preventing a power shortage on the UK grid on 19 July 2006
One of the hottest days on record in the UK was 19 July 2006. That day, between 9:25 and 13:25, RWE-Npower sold 793 MW of the Fawley power plant for no less than £449/MWh.
Earlier in the morning, the UK’s National Grid Company had issued a system-wide alert, warning of a possible power shortage. Such warnings are issued to encourage generation companies to bring additional power plants online and industry to cut demand. The warning was cancelled after RWE-Npower announced it would bring in its expensive oil-fired Fawley power plant.
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