Chapter 24. Chapter 24: Sun, Wind, and Water Energy
What role do conservation and energy efficiency play...?
Guiding Question 24.5
What role do conservation and energy efficiency play in helping us meet our energy needs sustainably?
Why You Should Care
Because for generations fossil fuels were plentiful and cheap, North Americans have not needed to have energy-efficient cars or homes or to conserve energy resources. You probably already know that it is hard to change one person's mind. How much harder is it to change the culture of an entire country? Only very recently has it become truly mainstream to care about energy efficiency and conserving resources (the popularity of hybrid cars being a notable example). Efficiency and conservation are important in both the short and long term for people to continue to have their energy needs met. In the short term, it is an inescapable fact that the world runs on fossil fuels. If we are to avert a global energy crisis, efficiency standards will have to be in place to conserve our remaining supplies of fossil fuels long enough to develop more sustainable sources. Although sustainable energy sources are by their nature renewable, their production is limited. Wind, water, solar, and biomass energy require land for their production, land that will become increasingly important as a resource for growing food and preserving biodiversity. Wind, water, and geothermal are not suited to all regions. The more efficient our energy use becomes, the more land and other resources we can conserve by not having to put it into energy production.
Test Your Vocabulary
Fill in the blank with the correct term for each of the following definitions:
The term for how long it would take to save enough money in operation costs to pay for the equipment is .
Efforts that reduce waste and increase efficient use of resources are known as .
1.
Most energy advisors agree that the "greenest" kilowatt-hour is one that:
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5.
Energy Conservation Quiz: Choose whether the following are no-cost, quick-payback, or longer-payback:
Be sure to close the fireplace damper when not in use to prevent loss of heat:
Weatherstrip and caulk doors and window frames; insulate electrical outlets on outside walls with inexpensive foam cutouts; check heating ducts for leaks and seal if needed:
Replace the heating, ventilation, and air cooling (HVAC) system with an energy-efficient model; consider a ground-source heat pump:
Lower the thermostat on your hot-water heater to 120°F; turn it off if you will be away for several days:
Look for the Energy Star label on home appliances and light bulbs. Energy Star products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA:
Have an energy assessment performed to identify where your home is energy inefficient:
In the winter, open curtains on south-facing windows to let in heat and light during the day; close them at night to reduce heat loss:
Insulate hot-water pipes and the hot-water heater, especially if it is located in an unheated area of your home:
Upgrade to a front-loading washing machine that uses less energy (and less water—which also saves energy):
Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes; wash clothes with cold water:
Install attic and wall insulation to meet recommendations for your area:
Install a programmable thermostat—you can program it to automatically adjust the temperature when you are not at home or are sleeping:
Install an on-demand (tankless) hot-water heater; this saves energy because water is not constantly being heated, only to cool back down, requiring that it be heated again:
Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use:
Take short showers instead of baths to reduce hot-water use:
Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use:
Replace older windows with double-pane windows suitable for your area—a variety of low emissivity (low-e) window products restrict loss of heating or cooling while allowing in plenty of light:
6.
Energy Star certification is an energy-efficiency rating system that can be found applied to everything EXCEPT:
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Short-Answer Questions
After hearing you criticize the poor fuel efficiency of large sport-utility vehicles, a friend asks, “What do you think a suitable alternative would be—electric cars?”
1) You reply that, no, in most cases, electric cars are not without their own carbon footprint, although they are a good alternative. What do you mean?
2) Your friend continues the debate by asking you why we don't get all of our electricity from hydropower. What is your reply?
3) "Ok," your friend begins, "Why don't we convert to biofuel then?"
4) Your friend asks, "What about wind power?"
5) Then your friend asks, "Solar?"
6) Finally, your friend asks, "Geothermal?"
7) Your friend frustratedly asks, "So, if none of these solutions works, what can we do about SUVs and our energy crisis?" How would you respond?
2) Hydropower causes environmental and cultural damage by flooding the areas behind dams. Also, hydropower requires that there be a river running through steep enough terrain to build a dam, which isn't the case in many areas.
3) Biofuel is a renewable resource, but it isn't always a sustainable resource since it requires the growing of crops, which also requires the use of fossil fuels to run farm equipment and requires a lot of land resources.
4) Wind power is not reliable because even the windiest places aren't always windy. Plus, many people object to the look and noise of wind turbines.
5) Solar holds a lot of promise, but it only works when the Sun shines and would not be sufficient in areas that are often overcast.
6) Geothermal power plants are great, but they can only be installed in areas that have enough volcanic/tectonic activity. Ground-source heating and cooling systems are also excellent choices, but they are expensive to install and require extensive digging around the home.
7) We now use a fairly universal source of power, fossil fuels, but we cannot rely on that source forever and should abandon it well before it runs out because of the other environmental damages it causes. We will have to become more adaptive and tailor our energy production to our respective regions and homes in a way that maximizes the use of all of the renewable-energy technologies. It will be expensive to switch to renewable-energy sources, but the hidden expenses of continuing to use fossil fuels are greater.
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