About the approval of the climate bill (in Portuguese)

Soromenho-Marques: aprovação da Lei do Clima traz dinâmica política inédita aos EUA
Viriato Soromenho Marques, a portuguese Professor of Philosophy and Environment, says that this approval is not so much about reducing greenhouse gases, but more about the politics that were involved and the future possibilities it opens.

"O resultado mais positivo da aprovação da Lei americana do Clima, pela Câmara dos Representantes, não é a redução de emissões mas sim uma dinâmica política inédita e o que esta permitirá fazer no futuro, comentou hoje Viriato Soromenho-Marques, coordenador do Programa Gulbenkian Ambiente."

House of Representatives passes Climate change bill

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the country's first climate change legislation.
House Passes Bill to Address Threat of Climate Change
This bill goes to the Senate for approval.

Historic day for Energy and Climate in the US?

Today the United States of America will be discussing the proposal for energy and climate, Barack Obama's priority.
The goal is to reduce 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 2005, through a trading scheme.
If this proposal is approved, the US can participate in the Copenhagen Conference and a post Kyoto agreement would be more plausible with the US.

Solar impulse

Solar impulse is an airplane driven by solar energy. It has about 12 thousand photovoltaic cells and it has an autonomy of about 36 hours. During the day, it uses solar energy. At night it uses energy accumulated in lituim batteries. It has been developed by a team coordinated by Bertrand Piccard.
The final goal of the project is a flight around the world with no stops.

Climate Action

Climate Action is a European gateway to the EU climate change policy.
EU targets are displayed in the figure.

It also promotes environmental awareness advising European citizens on action to take to tackle climate change.

Green Week

EU is promoting the Green Week from 23rd to 26th June.
This is an annual conference about Europe's environment policy.
Key issues are:

"What are the prospects for reaching a new global deal to control climate change at the crucial Copenhagen conference in December?
How can we best 'climate-proof' our economies against the impacts of present and future climate change?
How can we create a carbon-free society by 2050?
How can we ensure action to address climate change best serves conservation of the ecosystems that support life on Earth?"

Energy Efficiency Guide (in spanish)

Centro de Eficiencia Energética, Union Fenosa, has published the Energy Efficiency Guide. It is in spanish.

"La eficiencia energética se sitúa en el centro de los tres ejes de la política energética mundial:
• La garantía de suministro, particularmente relevante en España [e Portugal], que importa casi el 80% de su energía primaria.
• La competitividad, que recobra mayor importancia en el escenario económico y financiero actual.
• La sostenibilidad, con sus implicaciones sobre el cambio climático.
Según la Agencia Internacional de la Energía, en el escenario tendencial el consumo energético se incrementaría un 50% en los próximos 25 años, lo que provocaría un mayor aumento de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. De acuerdo al cuarto informe del Grupo Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el Cambio Climático (IPCC), publicado a finales del 2007, este escenario tendencial nos llevaría a un incremento de las temperaturas de más de 6 ºC a finales de este siglo."

Gadgets and Gigawatts, new publication by IEA

"The IEA expects that residential energy use by information and communication technologies (mobile phones, PCs etc.) and electronic devices (TVs, DVs, MP3 players, etc.) will double by 2022 and increase threefold by 2030, equivalent to the current combined total residential electricity consumption of the US and Japan."

According to IEA, by 2010 there will be over 3.5 billion mobile phones subscribers, 2billion TVs in use around the world and 1 billion personal computers. Electronic devices can count between 20 and 30 separate items in our homes.
What are the impacts for the environment in terms of energy consumption?

International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation

EU proposed to create an international partnership for energy efficiency between the G8, which will be hosted by IEA.
The main goal is to explore, together with the International Energy Agency, the most effective means to promote energy efficiency internationally.

"The Partnership will add value to existing structures and agreements that tackle energy efficiency, its purpose being to facilitate those actions that yield high energy efficiency gains and improvements, and where the participating countries see an added value for themselves and therefore choose to take action in the areas of their interest on a voluntary basis."

Source:
European Energy Forum

White certificates

White certificates are energy efficiency certificates that confirm the energy savings claims of market actors as a consequence of energy efficiency improvement measures (Directive 2006/32/EC). This is a market-oriented approach in which white certificates can be traded or used for compliance purposes.
Measuring and verifying compliance requires the calculation of savings through comparative measurements of energy use and/or demand before (baseline energy use) and after the implementation. However, baseline conditions can change after the saving measure has been installed. To overcome these challenges in a cost-effective way, pre-defined saving factors can be used.

Energy efficiency certificates (EEC)

According to the European Commission Science for Environment Policy newsletter some EU Member States are considering using Energy Efficiency Certificates schemes.
These EEC schemes impose obligations on a target group, usually energy suppliers, to achieve a certain quantity of 'energy savings' through improvements in efficiency. Projects are awarded certificates for the amount of energy saved and trading may occur between projects and suppliers.
However, a study that examined the effectiveness of these schemes concluded that this is difficult to measure. This study compared different policy measures and, for EEC , if business-as-usual energy use and GHG emissions are higher than expected, the EEC scheme could not reduce emissions to the originally intended level without continual revision of targets.

For more information: Passey, R. and MacGill, I. (2009). Energy sales targets: An alternative to White Certificate schemes. Energy Policy. 37: 2310-2317.

CHP: advantages

How CHP works
Source: The advantages of CHP presentation, 2004

Efficiency comparison

I found this figure in the Energy and Environment Report, 2008 from EEA and I think it is very interesting because it compares average efficiency in EU-27 with the minimum efficiency for CHP power plants. Is it feasible to install only CHP power plants in EU?

Energy and air pollution

Production and use of energy has also impacts in air quality, mainly due to the release of particulate matter (PM10 - particulate that have size inferior to 10 micrometers and that can be easily inhaled), acidifying substances (such as sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides and ammonia) and ozone precursors (VOC - volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxides).
The following figures show emissions of air pollutants in 2005 for EU-27.
Ozone precursors
Acidifying substances
PM10
Energy related activities (including transport) have the highest share. They are responsible for approximately 55% of EU-27 emissions of acidifying substances, 76% of emissions of tropospheric ozone precursors and about 67% of PM10.
The good news is that between 1990-2005 these emissions have decreased respectively by 59%, 45% and 53%, due to strict legislation (introduction of low NOx burners, and integrated control of pollution, that introduced the best available techniques concept (BAT)), improvements in efficiency and fuel switching (from coal and oil to natural gas). Some old plants have also been closed.

Source of the data: Energy and Environment Report 2008, EEA

Energy and environmental impacts

So far I have not referred to the environmental impacts of energy production and its use.
This and some following posts will be dedicated to energy and environment.
The most notorious environmental impact of energy production is greenhouse gas emissions.
According to EEA Energy and Environment Report 2008 energy related greenhouse gas emissions account for about 80% of total emissions. By sectors electricity and heat production have the highest share, followed by transport.
Total greenhouse gas emissions by sector, EU 27
Note that this includes carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, SF6, HFC e PFC.
The figure below shows the CO2 emissions per capita in 2005.
CO2 emissions per capita by country in 2005
Energy related emissions have the highest share per country. Luxembourg emits more than 25 t CO2 per capita. Portugal emits about 10 t CO2 per capita.

EPBD Buildings

"The EPBD Buildings Platform is a European Commission initiative in the framework of the Intelligent Energy - Europe (2003-2006) programme, which provides information services for practitioners and consultants, experts in energy agencies, interest groups and national policy makers in the European Member States for helping the implementation of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)."

EU target for energy efficiency: 20 % in 2020

In 2007, the EU approved an Energy Policy for Europe that has the following goals:
- 20% energy saving
- 20% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- 20% share of renewables in overall EU energy consumption
- 10% renewable energy component in transport fuel

Improving energy efficiency for the consumer means lower energy bills and creation of jobs.
For governments it means less greenhouse gas emissions and less dependency on gas and oil.
Energy efficiency in buildings can reduce 30% energy use, a reduction of 11% of the EU's final energy.

Electrical and electronic equipment labeling

Electrical appliances such as refrigerators, freezer, dishwashers and microwaves display a label with their energy efficiency. This has been implemented in EU since 1992 (Council Directive 92/75/EEC of 22 September 1992).
Electrical equipment labeling
This label is highly visible to the consumer to increase its awareness on the real energy use of household appliances.
Manufactures are also compelled to improve the product design to lower the energy consumption at their use and to have minimal energy consumption requirements.
Although A appliances are more expensive than D and E appliances, their energy savings will pay off in a couple of years.

For electronic equipment there is the Energy Star symbol.
Energy Star symbol
This is a voluntary labeling scheme that helps consumers choose more energy-efficient equipments.

EU legislation: Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

Directive 2002/91/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002 regulates energy performances of buildings. Member States must implement a method of calculating a building's energy performance that will take into account insulation levels, lighting, efficiency and performance of heating and air conditioning systems and the outdoor climate. Buildings must have an energy performance certificate, so that owners, tenants and users can assess its running costs and energy consumption. The Directive also introduces minimum standards for energy performance, which are calculated and set by Member States and applied to new buildings, as well as existing large properties as to and when they are considerably refurbished.

"This Directive introduces a holistic approach for energy efficient buildings, which is complemented by other pieces of legislation introduced by the EU, such as on the energy performance of boilers and on construction products."

This Directive is currently under revision. It aims to clarify and simplify Directive 2002/91/EC, strengthen some of its provisions so that their impact is more effective, and to provide for the leading role of the public sector.

Electricity and buildings

A 2007 study by the Institute for Environment and Sustainability states that electricity consumption in EU-27 Member States has continued to grow. From 1999 to 2004 the increased was of 10.8 percent, almost the same rate as the economy.

The study identifies four major factors for this trend:
1. More penetration of appliances such as dishwashers, driers, air conditioners, computers, and introduction of consumer electronics and information and communication technology with standby losses
2. Increased used of equipments: more hours of TV watching, more hours in front of the computer
3. Increased number of double or triple appliances
4. More single family houses, each with some basic appliances, and larger houses and apartments.

The largest electricity use is heating (26%), followed by refrigerators and freezers (15%) and lighting (12%). The Figure is for EU-15.


Comparing this figure with the Electricity consumption in portuguese households from Ecocasa project the percentages are of the same order of magnitude.

Energy and buildings

Energy use in residential, commercial and public buildings accounts for 35 percent of total global energy consumption.
According to IEA heating is the main end-use of energy in buildings.

The World's Ten Largest Renewable Energy Projects

Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park, Spain


Scientific American presents a slide show with the World's ten largest renewable energy projects. They are:

1. Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center - onshore wind farm in Texas with 421 wind turbines producing 735 megawatts of peak power
2. Lynn and Inner Dowsing Wind Farm - offshore wind farm in Lincolnshire, England producing 194 megawatts of electricity at peak
3. Rance Tidal Barrage - producing electricity from tides in Bretagne, France. Differences between low and high tides is 8 meters
4. SeaGen Turbine - transforms tides or deep ocean currents into electricity in Strangford Lough, Ireland
5. Solar Energy Generating Systems -nine separate solar thermal power plants spread across the Mojave Desert in Southern California, which collectively can produce 354 megawatts of power
6. Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park - 162,000 flat solar photovoltaic panels in Spain that deliver 60 megawatts of electricity on a sunny day
7. The Geysers - the most productive geothermal park in the world in Sonoma and Lake Counties, Northern California. Its peak production is about 1000 megawatts, providing nearly 60 percent of the electricity used in California's North Coast region
8. Oy Alholmens Kraft - dry biomass plant in Pietarsaari, Finland. it produces a peak output of 240 megawatts of electricity and also generates 160 megawatts of steam used by nearby industry and for district heating. Fuels are peat, wood by-products and wood are harvested in a sustainable way
9. Aguçadoura Wave Farm - wave power plant near Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. It resembles a wide floating snake, half-submerged on the sea surface. Currently there are three units installed perpendicular to the beach, having each 0.75 megawatt of electricity capacity
10. Three Gorges Dam - this dam in China has an electricity capacity of 14.1 gigawatts. By 2011, it will produce 18 gigawatts of electricity, or as much as 18 large nuclear power plants.

For those of you that do not consider large dams renewable projects, there is the Puente Hills landfill gas recuperation power plant in California. This power plant uses gas released from landfills (a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide) to produce electricity. It accepts solid waste from Los Angeles county and is currently active and still growing. The peak capacity is about 50 megawatts.

Home

A documentary released today everywhere in the world.

Home, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

"We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate."

World Environment Day 2009

Today is the World Environment Day (WED).

"WED, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action."

Follow UNEP on twitter!

"Plant a tree! Help achieve UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign target of planting seven billion trees – one for every person on the planet – by the end of this year! Three billion are planted. Five billion are pledged. On every continent in the world trees can be planted in June, so start your efforts on WED."

Electricity consumption in households

This picture is from Ecocasa Program, a study developed in Portugal by the environmental organization Quercus that analyzed consumption in 225 portuguese homes and proposed measures for savings.

Electricity consumption in portuguese households

About 24% corresponds to electric appliances destined to preserve food: refrigerator and the freezer. Washing machines (clothes and dishes) accounts for 16%. Illumination for 8% and air conditioning (hot or cold) the air for 9%. Technological appliances and entertainment are responsible for 13%. The rest (30%) is from electrical equipment for water heating and small household appliances.

Electricity consumption per sector

Electricity consumption per sector, Eurostat (data from 2007)

Electricity consumption (GWh): evolution per year, Eurostat (data from 2007)

Households and services are major consumers of electricity in Portugal and this trend is increasing.
According to Eurostat (Panorama of Energy 2009 Edition) installed electricity capacity nearly doubled between 1991 and 2006 mostly supported by natural gas, wind and hydro.

Electricity generation evolution by source, Eurostat

Households and services sectors

We spend on average about 90% of our time indoors. Closed environments are most of the time consuming energy.
What is the share of households and services sectors in energy consumption?
It's about 30% of final energy consumption.
Final energy consumption by households and services per year in Portugal (1000 toe), Eurostat 2009
The picture shows that final energy consumption in households and services has been increasing.
Electricity consumption in Portuguese households and services per year has also been increasing.
Electricity consumption by households and services per year in Portugal (1000 toe), Eurostat 2009