Energy
From WikiClimate
The use of Energy sources from fossil fuels is the largest single contributor to the increase in the atmospheric concentration of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), the principal cause of global climate change. In the context of climate change, energy is usually taken to mean energy resources (including coal, oil, gas and biomass - such as wood) as well as electricity generated from nuclear power or renewable energy sources such as hydro-electric power, wind, waves, tides or the sun). This contrasts with the strict dictionary definition of energy as being the ability of matter or radiation to do work.
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Sources of Energy
Broadly these may be split into three categories:
- Fossil Fuels - coal, petroleum oil, gas
- Non-fossil, but finite resources - nuclear
- Renewable resources which are effectively limitless in supply - geothermal and ground source heat, hydro, wind, waves, tidal, solar, biomass, liquid biofuels
Fossil fuels have the greatest direct emissions of carbon dioxide.
It is often also helpful to consider energy in terms of production of either electricity or heat (including transport).
Main Uses of Energy
The main uses of energy, by sector are:
- Domestic, principally heating and lighting homes, plus smaller amounts for cooking and running electrical appliances
- Non-domestic, which is often broken down into industrial (including energy conversion such as oil refining), commercial (ships and offices) and public sector uses (including education, health and administration)
- Agriculture
- Transport
In a typical developed country such as the UK, the three main sectors are domestic, non-domestic and transport with roughly equal usage, with only a small amount used in the agricultural sector. Transport is typically the fastest growing sector, especially aviation. The demand for road fuels tends to be rising globally, but static in much of Europe.
Conservation of Energy
Again, in scientific terms, energy cannot be destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another. However the term "energy conservation" is loosely used to mean the avoidance of unnecessary energy waste. This includes energy efficiency but extends further to include reductions through modifying behaviour - typically switching lights and appliances off at home, and introducing energy management techniques in the workplace.
Energy Management
In organisations, the first step is to introduce a structure for energy management, which will include appointing a person responsible for controlling energy (the energy manager), identifying the existing use of energy and opportunities for improvement through an energy audit and then drawing up an action plan and allocating an investment budget. Although this process has been carried out by many larger companies since the 1970s, when a sharp rise in energy prices led to a surge of interest in energy management.
Energy Management is seen by some as a natural extension of formal management systems, typified by ISO 9001 (general management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management), based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach. This approach is being adopted by CEN for the draft European standard prEN 23001. Others see it as being a more informal process, with a focus on outcomes (using less energy).
In the UK, the Carbon Trust has promoted the concept of Carbon Management, as a form of energy management with a greater focus on CO2 reductions.
Energy Efficiency
In strict terms, energy efficiency is the ratio between an output of performance, service, goods or energy, and an input of energy. In practice, however, it is usually taken to mean actions taken to improve the energy efficiency of a system (such as a house, an office building or an industrial process).
Energy Efficiency is sometimes seen as being complementary to Renewable Energy; in practice it should often be undertaken first to reduce the need for energy that can then be supplied from clean or renewable sources.
See also
Internal links to follow when constructed
