Can EROEI (EROI) serve as a measure of energy efficiency?

Abstract

Until now, there is no single assessment of the energy activity of mankind. The efficiency factor widely used in technology is not such, as it is not able to assess the prospects for the development of new fossil fuel deposits or the introduction of new types of energy production, especially renewable sources. EROEI (English energy returned on energy invested), or EROI (energy return on investment - the ratio of energy received to spent, energy profitability) in physics, economic and environmental energy - the ratio of the amount of usable (useful) energy received from a particular source energy (resource), to the amount of energy spent to obtain this energy resource. If for some resource the EROI is less than or equal to one, then such a resource turns into an “absorber” of energy and can no longer be used as a primary source of energy.” It should be noted that, strictly speaking, EROEI and EROI are not quite the same thing. If the first is the ratio of received and invested energy, then the second is the ratio of received energy and investments! But for some simplification, we will further consider these concepts identical. Moreover, which is very significant, when determining these coefficients, natural or natural sources of energy, such as insolation or the energy of fissile nuclides, are not taken into account. Only the energy costs associated with human activities are taken into account. At first glance, everything is correct and the EROI indicator can really be used as a kind of universal criterion. Based on the above analysis, it can be quite definitely said that EROEI is not a universal energy efficiency criterion, but can be used along with other well-known criteria and coefficients. EROEI should only be used in quantitative assessments of the efficiency of energy produced both directly from combustible fuels and in power plants. The calculation of EROEI faces certain difficulties, which are associated with the complexity of calculating the ancillary costs and losses of energy produced, as well as the costs associated with human labor. EROEI does not take into account the environmental component of the energy production process, which can be critical.