Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Having said the above, there is scope for a significant contribution from a mix
of renewable energies. Further, there is scope for considerable microgeneration, by
solar and wind power, or on individual dwellings in the urban setting. Here cost and
individual motivation are factors that will affect implementation.
8.4.5 Low-energyfutures
Low-energy strategies are those that maximise energy efficiency and conservation and
so, in theory, have lower energy demand. It is important to be aware of the difference
between energy efficiency and energy conservation: improved energy conservation
means, for example, taking fewer car journeys, while improved energy efficiency
means going further per unit of fuel consumed. As noted earlier in this chapter,
there have been continual improvements in the efficiency of energy generation by
power stations that use boilers. Mileage (distance travelled per unit of fuel) of the
most efficient family cars has also improved. However, variations in family preference
regarding type of car and in use mean that there is still much wastage, so improvements
are still possible.
As also previously noted (see section 8.2.2) there are other behavioural diffi-
culties with low-energy strategies. Improvement in home insulation resulted in some
homeowners preferring warmer houses to lower energy bills. Another example from
the UK was the 1990s fad for adding glass conservatories to the sides of houses.
These were thought to help reduce energy bills by providing a green-housed thermal
buffer. However, many home owners decided to treat conservatories as extensions to
the all-year living space and so heated these in winter, increasing energy loss.
Yet, low-energy strategies are, in terms of reducing energy-driven climate impact,
a necessary part of the energy equation. Nobody in normal circumstances would
consider carrying water in a leaky bucket, and even if leaky buckets were the only
type available one would surely choose a bucket with the fewest holes. However,
people do not tend to think like that when it comes to energy. Nonetheless, using
energy efficiently is an important part of reducing energy consumption, and hence
lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Low-energy strategies are most effective when included in settlement planning
and building construction rather than when introduced later. In the developed world
ensuring that planning and construction standards are such that energy efficiency is
greatly enhanced is undermined by a lack of what the industry calls a level playing
field. If firms and commercial interests are not obliged for their products to meet the
same specific minimum energy-efficiency standards then a competitor is able to save
on efficiency measures and so undercut the prices of suppliers who have paid to meet
standards. Consequently, legally determining efficiency standards and monitoring
these standards in the market are both essential if maximum energy efficiencies are
to be realised. Again, human psychology is a factor. Many consumers prefer to pay
less for a product today even if over several years they may pay more through higher
energy bills. Surveys have also shown that managers in the workplace often see less
value in addressing energy-efficiency concerns as they save little money (and often
cost more) in the short term, even if long-term savings are realisable and ongoing. I
have addressed this in more detail elsewhere (Cowie, 1998a).
 
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