Abstract
The analysis of useful exergy (UE), which is the minimum amount of work required to produce a given end-use, provides insights on the relationships between structural changes and energy transitions because it focuses on what energy is used for, i.e., energy services, rather than where it comes from, i.e., energy carriers. In this paper, UE was accounted for Mexico in 1971–2009. It was found that UE experienced a six-fold growth, led by the increasing share of mechanical drive and electric energy uses. Structural changes such as industrialization and complete electrification mainly drove UE transitions. Technological progress, mainly driven by the industrial sector, and electricity availability caused an improvement in the aggregate final-to-useful efficiency of the economy. In addition, the trend of increasing UE economic intensity shows that Mexico became more dependent on UE per unit of economic output during industrialization. The results suggest that UE trends were more influenced by structural transitions while final exergy trends were more influenced by economic fluctuations. It is concluded that energy policy design in developing countries undergoing or starting the process of industrialization should focus on: (1) improvements in final-to-useful efficiency, especially of the transportation sector and (2) growth of the productivity of UE.
Highlights
Energy transitions describe the changes in energy quantity and quality and the way in which energy carriers (“either a substance or a phenomenon that can be used to produce mechanical work or heat or to operate chemical or physical processes” [1]) are used in the economy [2,3]
Useful exergy reflects the evolution of exergy uses and services, which are influenced by Useful exergy reflects the evolution of exergy uses and services, which are influenced by structural structural changes of the economy
The trend of useful exergy was highly influenced by the industrial sector, which held the largest share of useful exergy over the studied period (Figure 8); and, to a less extent, by the transportation sector, especially during the interval 1971–1982
Summary
Energy transitions describe the changes in energy quantity and quality and the way in which energy carriers (“either a substance or a phenomenon that can be used to produce mechanical work or heat or to operate chemical or physical processes” [1]) are used in the economy [2,3]. Sheinbaum et al [33] decomposed the driving factors of primary energy consumption of all manufacturing industries of the country between 1970 and 2008—An expansion and update of the analysis of Sheinbaum and Rodríguez [34] They identified the structure of production and energy intensity as the main contributors to changes in energy use and CO2 emissions in most industries. Ortiz [41] and Livas-García [42] analyzed the primary energy requirements of the Mexican economy for 1971–2007 and 1970–2010, respectively The former found that the efficiency of the energy sector decreased mainly due to the rise of final demand for oil products.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
