Energy and Changes in the Environment - Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Advances in Transportation and Power - page 62

dioxide and acid rain would be reduced along with the risk of possible
climatic changes.
Through 1975 to 1985 startling gains in energy efficiency in the U.S.
lowered fossil fuel emissions while the gross national product increased.
These gains in energy efficiency were driven by the OPEC oil price jumps.
The 1975-1985 time period was one in which economic growth and energy
growth remained relatively unlinked. Most historic periods show the
reverse trend. The DOE viewed this period as a deviation.
The United States uses twice as much energy in manufacturing than
Japan, West Germany, or Italy and the cost of this energy keeps the cost of
products in the U.S. higher.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the
Green Lights program in 1991. Green Lights is a voluntary, nonregulatory
program aimed at reducing the air pollution that results from electric
power generation. Participants committed to upgrade a total of 4 billion
square feet of facility space, this is more than 3 times the total office space
of New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago combined.
Green Lights Partners are public and private organizations that agree to
upgrade their lighting systems wherever profitable. The test of profitability
for upgrades is a return on investment of the prime rate plus 6%. Most Green
Lights Partners cut their lighting bills in half, while improving their work
environment. Green Light Partners agree to survey the lighting system in
all of their facilities and upgrade the lighting system in 90% of qualifying
building space. The upgrades must be completed in 5 years.
Firms that have signed onto the EPA program, include the Fortune
500 as well as federal, state and local governments. Schools and universities
are also included.
Also, in the 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency began to
focus on pollution prevention. The idea was to cut pollution using natural
ecosystems as a model. Industrial systems should not be open-ended,
dumping endless byproducts, but closed, as nature is, continuously
cycling and recyling. This concept includes life cycle assessment (LCA)
which considers:
•

the source of raw materials,

• the dependency on nonrenewable resources,

• energy and water use.

• transportation costs,

• the release and use of carbon dioxide,

• recovery of materials for recycling or reuse.