Resource efficiency - Energy efficiency

Title

Environmental Sustainability and Behavioral Science
Meta-Analysis of Proenvironmental Behavior Experiments

Reference

Environment and Behavior March 2012 vol. 44 no. 2 257-299

Author(s)

Richard Osbaldiston, John Paul Schott

Study type

Peer Review Journal    

Abstract

To provide practitioners with useful information about how to promote proenvironmental behavior (PEB), a meta-analysis was performed on 87 published reports containing 253 experimental treatments that measured an observed, not self-reported, behavioral outcome. Most studies combined multiple treatments, and this confounding precluded definitive conclusions about which individual treatments are most effective. Treatments that included cognitive dissonance, goal setting, social modeling, and prompts provided the overall largest effect sizes (Hedge’s g > 0.60). Further analyses indicated that different treatments have been more effective for certain behaviors. Although average effect sizes are based on small numbers of studies, effective combinations of treatments and behaviors are making it easy to recycle, setting goals for conserving gasoline, and modeling home energy conservation. The results also reveal several gaps in the literature that should guide further research, including both treatments and PEB that have not been tested.

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Climate change mitigation >> Behavioural change
Environmental information services >> Environmental communication >> Behavioural change
Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency

Keywords

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

View this study at:

 http://eab.sagepub.com/content/44/2/257.abstract?etoc
There is a fee to view this study in full    

Contact the study author at:

Richard.osbaldiston@eku.edu

Title

Implications of Energy Return on Energy Invested on Future Total Energy

Reference

Sustainability 2011, 3(12), 2433-2442;
doi:10.3390/su3122433

Author(s)

Shinuo Deng and George R. Tynan  

Study type

Peer Review Journal    

Abstract

Human society is now at the beginning of a transition from fossil-fuel based primary energy sources to a mixture of renewable and nuclear based energy sources which have a lower Energy Return On Energy Invested (EROEI) than the older fossil based sources. This paper examines the evolution of total energy demand during this transition for a highly idealized energy economy. A simple model is introduced in which the net useful energy output required to operate an economy is assumed to remain fixed while the lower EROEI source gradually replaces the older higher EROEI primary energy source following a logistics substitution model. The results show that, for fixed net useful energy output, total energy demand increases as the ratio EROEInew/EROEIold decreases; total energy demand diverges as EROEInew approaches unity, indicating that the system must collapse in this limit.

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Climate change mitigation >> Low carbon and renewable energy
Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency

Keywords

EROEI; energy demand; total energy demand

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

View this study at:

http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/3/12/2433/
This study is free to view

Contact the study author at:

gtynan@ucsd.edu

Title

Energy Return on Investment (EROI) of Oil Shale

Reference

Sustainability 2011, 3(11), 2307-2322; doi:10.3390/su3112307

Author(s)

Cutler J. Cleveland  and Peter A. O'Connor

Study type

Peer Review Journal   

Abstract

The two methods of processing synthetic crude from organic marlstone in demonstration or small-scale commercial status in the U.S. are in situ extraction and surface retorting. The considerable uncertainty surrounding the technological characterization, resource characterization, and choice of the system boundary for oil shale operations indicate that oil shale is only a minor net energy producer if one includes internal energy (energy in the shale that is used during the process) as an energy cost. The energy return on investment (EROI) for either of these methods is roughly 1.5:1 for the final fuel product. The inclusions or omission of internal energy is a critical question. If only external energy (energy diverted from the economy to produce the fuel) is considered, EROI appears to be much higher. In comparison, fuels produced from conventional petroleum show overall EROI of approximately 4.5:1. "At the wellhead" EROI is approximately 2:1 for shale oil (again, considering internal energy) and 20:1 for petroleum. The low EROI for oil shale leads to a significant release of greenhouse gases. The large quantities of energy needed to process oil shale, combined with the thermochemistry of the retorting process, produce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. Oil shale unambiguously emits more greenhouse gases than conventional liquid fuels from crude oil feedstocks by a factor of 1.2 to 1.75. Much of the discussion regarding the EROI for oil shale should be regarded as preliminary or speculative due to the very small number of operating facilities that can be assessed.

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Climate change mitigation >> Low carbon and renewable energy
Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency

Keywords

shale oil; EROI; in situ production; surface retorting; petroleum

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

View this study at:

http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/3/11/2307/
There is a fee to view this study in full    

Contact the study author at:

cutler@bu.edu

Title

Industrial symbiosis and the policy instruments of sustainable consumption and production

Reference

Journal of Cleaner Production
Volume 19, Issue 16, November 2011, Pages 1865-1875

Author(s)

Suvi Lehtoranta , Ari Nissinen, Tuomas Mattila, Matti Melanen

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Industrial symbioses (ISs) and eco-industrial parks (EIPs) are key concepts of industrial ecology (IE). The aim of ISs and EIPs is to minimise inefficient material and energy use by utilising local by-product and energy flows. Industrial symbioses tend to develop through spontaneous action of economic actors, for gaining of economic benefit, but these systems can be designed and promoted via policy instruments as well. A literature review showed that national programmes for eco-industrial parks can be found in different parts of the world. In the action programmes and other sustainable consumption and production (SCP) policy documents of the EU, on the other hand, industrial symbioses gain less recognition as a path to enhanced sustainable production. In this article, we consider this and also analyse how the evolution and environmental performance of an industrial symbiosis system centred on a Finnish pulp and paper mill have been affected by SCP policy instruments. With regard to the system forming the subject of the case study, and Finnish industrial systems in general, policy instruments have succeeded in reducing emissions but not in systematically encouraging operators toward symbiosis-like activities. All in all, few studies exist on the overall impact of policy instruments promoting design of eco-industrial parks. It is not self-evident that symbiosis-like production systems would be sustainable in every case, as the background assumptions for political promotion of EIPs suggest. We concluded that industrial symbioses should be analysed and developed on a life cycle basis, with documentation of the real environmental benefits due to efficient resource use and decreased emissions in comparison to standalone production. ISs can then bring eco-competitiveness to companies in relation to SCP tools, such as environmental permits, ecolabels, and future product regulation based on the Ecodesign Directive in Europe. Indirect encouragement of symbiosis through land-use regulation and planning, in such a way that material fluxes between companies are possible both in operations and in financial terms, may prove effective. The same holds for waste policies that encourage increased reuse of a company’s waste by other enterprises.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency >> Materials >> Material efficiency
Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency
Sustainable consumption and production >> Sustainable production >> Sustainable business and industry
Sustainable development and policy assessment >> Sustainable economic development >> Sustainable business and industry

Keywords

Industrial ecology; Industrial symbiosis; Eco-industrial park; Sustainable consumption and production; Policy instrument; Finland

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652611001181
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

suvi.lehtoranta@ymparisto.fi

Title

Reviewing the carbon footprint analysis of hotels: Life Cycle Energy Analysis (LCEA) as a holistic method for carbon impact appraisal of tourist accommodation

Reference

Viachaslau Filimonau , Janet Dickinson , Derek Robbins, Mark A.J. Huijbregts

Author(s)

Journal of Cleaner Production
Volume 19, Issues 17-18, November-December 2011, Pages 1917-1930

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

This study discusses the potential for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to be utilized for the environmental assessment of tourism accommodation facilities, and their contribution to global carbon footprint. To demonstrate the viability of employing LCA in the hotel sector, its simplified derivative, Life Cycle Energy Analysis (LCEA), is applied to two tourism accommodation facilities in Poole, Dorset (UK) to quantify their CO₂ emissions. The results indicate that the reviewed hotels are less energy and carbon-intense than the tourism accommodation establishments reported in the literature. This may indirectly imply the continuous progress of hotel’s energy efficiency over time. The implications of the current energy use practices in the reviewed hotels are discussed and suggestions are made on how to further improve the energy performance and therefore cut the carbon footprint. Recommendations for hotel management and policy-making are developed to reduce the energy and carbon intensity of the hotel industry. A method for energy and carbon footprint analysis of outsourced laundries and breakfast services is also proposed.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency
Sustainable consumption and production >> Sustainable production >> Sustainable business and industry

Keywords

Carbon footprint; Hotel; LCA; Impact assessment

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652611002435
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

vfilimonau@bournemouth.ac.uk

Title

Benchmarking energy consumption and CO₂ emissions from rainwater-harvesting systems: an improved method by proxy

Reference

Water and Environment Journal
DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-6593.2011.00279.x

Author(s)

Sarah Ward, David Butler, Fayyaz Ali Memon

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Life cycle analyses (LCAs) show the main operational energy contribution for rainwater-harvesting (RWH) systems come from ultraviolet (UV) disinfection and pumping rainwater from tank to building. Simple methods of estimating pump energy consumption do not differentiate between pump start-up and pump-operating energy or include pump efficiency parameters. This paper outlines an improved method incorporating these parameters that indirectly estimates pump energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions using system performance data. The improved method is applied to data from an office-based RWH system. Comparison of the simple and improved methods identified the former underestimates pump energy consumption and carbon emissions by 60%. Results of the improved method corresponded well to directly measured energy consumption and energy consumption represented 0.07% of an office building's total energy consumption. Consequently, the overall energy consumption associated with RWH systems is a very minor fraction of total building energy consumption.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency
Water >> Urban water management

Keywords

carbon; cost; energy; method; proxy; rainwater harvesting

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-6593.2011.00279.x/full
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

Sw278@exeter.ac.uk

Title

Do energy efficiency measures promote the use of renewable sources?

Reference

Environmental Science & Policy
Volume 14, Issue 4, June 2011, Pages 471-481

Author(s)

António C. Marques and José A. Fuinhas

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

This paper analyses the factors behind the deployment of renewable energy, focusing particularly on the effect of energy efficiency policies and measures. The impact of these factors is appraised within the context of several phases of the use of renewable sources. We therefore apply the quantile regression technique to a set of 21 European Countries in two time spans: from 1990 to 1998, and from 1999 to 2006. We control variables of policy, environment, socioeconomic characteristics, and electricity generation. For the second period, energy efficiency policies and measures concerning renewable sources effectively promote renewables, namely in the take-off phase. We shed light on the lobbying effect of traditional energy industries, showing that it depends both on the period under analysis, and on the kind of traditional energy source.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency
Climate change and energy >> Climate change mitigation >> Low carbon and renewable energy

Keywords

Renewable energy drivers, Quantile regression, Energy efficiency, Energy policy

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S146290111100013X
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

amarques@ubi.pt acardosomarques@gmail.com

Title

The potential for improvements in energy efficiency and CO2 emissions in the EU27 cement industry and the relationship with the capital budgeting decision criteria

Reference

Journal of Cleaner Production
Volume 19, Issue 11, July 2011, Pages 1207-1215

Author(s)

José Antonio Moya, Nicolás Pardo and Arnaud Mercier

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

This paper performs a cost-effectiveness analysis of some of the best available technologies (BAT) that can contribute to decreasing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the European Union's (EU27) cement industry. Several capital budgeting decision criteria have been used (the payback period, the net present value and the internal rate of return) to study whether or not an investment should be considered worthwhile. The results show that, independent of the capital budgeting decision criteria used, the number of cost-effective retrofitting possibilities available is large compared to the rate of improvements that the industry undertakes annually. This shows the insensitivity of the industry to financial criteria when it comes to making their investment decisions. The possible thermal energy improvement in the clinker production, if all these BATs were implemented, has been quantified to be around 10%. This achievement would place the cement industry in the upper bound of the benchmark range for clinker manufacture. However considering the delays observed nowadays in terms of diffusion of BATs in the cement industry, it requires a conducive policy environment that combines support for both technology development and to their deployment.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency
Sustainable consumption and production >> Sustainable production >> Sustainable business and industry
Sustainable consumption and production >> Sustainable production >> Sustainable manufacturing processes

Keywords

Energy efficiency, Best available technological improvements, Cement industry, Capital budgeting decision criteria

Entry Source:

N/A

Referred to in EC doc:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652611000795
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

jose.moya@ec.europa.eu

Title

Energy efficiency in Spanish wastewater treatment plants: A non-radial DEA approach

Reference

Science of The Total Environment
Volume 409, Issue 14, 15 June 2011, Pages 2693-2699

Author(s)

F. Hernández-Sancho, M. Molinos-Senante a nd R. Sala-Garrido

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency
Sustainable consumption and production >> Sustainable production >> Sustainable business and industry
Water >> Water quality >> Wastewater treatment

Keywords

Energy efficiency, Non-radial DEA, Wastewater treatment, CO2 emissions,  Energy saving

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969711003755
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

Francesc.Hernandez@uv.es

Title

Energy Emergence Rebound & Backfire as Emergent Phenomena

Reference

Breakthrough Institute - February 2011

Author(s)

Jesse Jenkins, Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger

Study type

Report

Abstract

Energy efficiency is widely viewed as an inexpensive way to reduce aggregate energy consumption and thus greenhouse gas emissions. Many national governments, the International Energy Agency, and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have each recommended energy efficiency measures as a way to reduce significant quantities of greenhouse gas emissions without substantial cost (and with potential net benefits) to economic welfare (e.g., IPCC, 2007; IEA, 2009).These recommendations have been supported and informed by several non-governmental analyses (e.g., Lovins, 1990, 2005; ASE et al., 1997; McKinsey, 2009a, b) which conclude that numerous energy efficiency opportunities are available at ‘below-cost’ - that is, the efficiency opportunities pay back more in net savings than they cost and represent a net improvement in total factor productivity and economic welfare. These studies assume a linear and direct relationship between improvements in
energy efficiency or energy productivity and reductions in aggregate energy consumption.
Economists, however, have long observed that increasing the efficient production and consumption of energy drives a rebound in demand for energy and energy services, potentially resulting in greater, not less, consumption of energy. Energy productivity improvements over time reduce the implicit price and grow the supply of energy services, driving economic growth and resulting in firms and consumers finding new uses for energy (e.g., substitution). This is known in the energy economics literature as energy demand ‘rebound’ or, when rebound is greater than the initial energy savings, as ‘backfire.’
This review surveys the literature on rebound and backfire and considers the implications of these effects for climate change mitigation policy. We summarize how multiple rebound effects operate at various scales, and describe rebound as an ‘emergent property’ with the greatest magnitude at the macroeconomic, global scale relevant to climate change mitigation efforts. Rebound effects are real and significant, and combine to drive a total, economy-wide rebound in energy demand with the potential to erode much (and in some cases all) of the reductions in energy consumption expected to arise from below-cost efficiency improvements. Consequently, rebound effects have important implications for emissions mitigation efforts. We illustrate how rebound effects render the relationship between efficiency improvements and energy consumption interrelated and non-linear, challenging the assumptions of commonly utilized energy and emissions forecasting studies. We conclude by offering a new framework for envisioning the role of below-cost efficiency improvements in driving energy modernization and decarbonization efforts.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency>>Energy efficiency

Keywords

N/A

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://thebreakthrough.org/blog/Energy_Emergence.pdf
This study is free to view

Contact the study author at:

www.breakthrough.org

Title

The Environmental Importance of Energy Use in Chemical Production

Reference

Journal of Industrial Ecology Volume 15, Issue 1, pages 96-107, February 2011

Author(s)

Gregor Wernet, Christopher Mutel, Stefanie Hellweg, Konrad Hungerbühler

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

In many cases, policy makers and laymen perceive harmful emissions from chemical plants as the most important source of environmental impacts in chemical production. As a result, regulations and environmental efforts have tended to focus on this area. Concerns about energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, however, are increasing in all industrial sectors. Using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, we analyzed the full environmental impacts of producing 99 chemical products in Western Europe from cradle to factory gate. We applied several life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods to cover various impact areas. Our analysis shows that for both organic and inorganic chemical production in industrial countries, energy-related impacts often represent more than half and sometimes up to 80% of the total impacts, according to a range of LCIA methods. Resource use for material feedstock is also important, whereas direct emissions from chemical plants may make up only 5% to 10% of the total environmental impacts. Additionally, the energy-related impacts of organic chemical production increase with the complexity of the chemicals. The results of this study offer important information for policy makers and sustainability experts in the chemical industry striving to reduce environmental impacts. We identify more sustainable energy production and use as an important option for improvements in the environmental profile of chemical production in industrial countries, especially for the production of advanced organic and fine chemicals.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency>>Energy efficiency
Sustainable consumption and production>> Sustainable production>>Sustainable manufacturing processes

Keywords

industrial ecology, inorganic chemicals, chemical manufacturing, life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), petrochemicals

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1530-9290.2010.00294.x/abstract
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

stefanie.hellweg@ifu.baug.ethz.ch

Title

Material and Energy Productivity

Reference

Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (4), pp 1169-1176
DOI: 10.1021/es1028537

Author(s)

Julia K. Steinberger and Fridolin Krausmann

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Resource productivity, measured as GDP output per resource input, is a widespread sustainability indicator combining economic and environmental information. Resource productivity is ubiquitous, from the IPAT identity to the analysis of dematerialization trends and policy goals. High resource productivity is interpreted as the sign of a resource-efficient, and hence more sustainable, economy. Its inverse, resource intensity (resource per GDP) has the reverse behavior, with higher values indicating environmentally inefficient economies. In this study, we investigate the global systematic relationship between material, energy and carbon productivities, and economic activity. We demonstrate that different types of materials and energy exhibit fundamentally different behaviors, depending on their international income elasticities of consumption. Biomass is completely inelastic, whereas fossil fuels tend to scale proportionally with income. Total materials or energy, as aggregates, have intermediate behavior, depending on the share of fossil fuels and other elastic resources. We show that a small inelastic share is sufficient for the total resource productivity to be significantly correlated with income. Our analysis calls into question the interpretation of resource productivity as a sustainability indicator. We conclude with suggestions for potential alternatives.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency>>Materials>>Material efficiency
Resource efficiency>>Energy efficiency

Keywords

N/A

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es1028537
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

julias@alum.mit.edu

Title

Unlocking the €53 billion savings from smart meters in the EU: How increasing the adoption of dynamic tariffs could make or break the EU's smart grid investment

Reference

Energy Policy
Volume 38, Issue 10, October 2010, Pages 6222-6231

Author(s)

Ahmad Faruqui, Dan Harris and Ryan Hledik

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

We estimate the cost of installing smart meters in the EU to be €51 billion, and that operational savings will be worth between €26 and 41 billion, leaving a gap of €10-25 billion between benefits and costs. Smart meters can fill this gap because they enable the provision of dynamic pricing, which reduces peak demand and lowers the need for building and running expensive peaking power plants. The present value of savings in peaking infrastructure could be as high as €67 billion for the EU if policy-makers can overcome barriers to consumers adopting dynamic tariffs, but only €14 billion otherwise. We outline a number of ways to increase the adoption of dynamic tariffs

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Climate change mitigation >> Energy infrastructure
Environmental technologies >> Climate change mitigation >> Low carbon technologies
Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency

Keywords

Dynamic pricing, Smart meters, Energy conservation

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421510004738
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

ahmad.faruqui@brattle.com

Title

Behaviour of green facades in Mediterranean Continental climate

Reference

Energy Conversion and Management
Volume 52, Issue 4, April 2011, Pages 1861-1867

Author(s)

G. Pérez L. Rincón, A. Vila, J.M. González and L.F. Cabeza

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

In order to obtain data on the behaviour of green facades in buildings as a passive system for energy savings in dry Mediterranean Continental climate a long-term work has been performed. This paper presents the first results of two actions developed during 2009. First, the growth of four different climbing plants as well as their ability to provide shadow was studied. Second, monitoring for a year of a real green facade was carried out. The results confirmed the great capacity of green facades to produce shade, reducing the heat on the facade wall of the building. It was also verified that a microclimate between the wall of the building and the green curtain are created, characterized by slightly lower temperatures and higher relative humidity. This means that the green screen acts as a wind barrier and confirms the evapotranspiration effect of the plants. On the other hand, these results did not allow withdrawing conclusions about the insulation effect of green facades.

Policy theme(s)

Resource efficiency >> Energy efficiency
Urban environment >> Urban planning >> Healthy cities

Keywords

Green facades, Passive energy system, Experimental work, Green curtain, Shadow effect, Evapotranspiration

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019689041000508X
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

lcabeza@diei.udl.cat