Aggressive Energy Efficiency Research Articles

Scenario and Strategy towards Energy Efficiency in Malaysia: A Review

Malaysia is among the highest consumers in term of consumption and intensity of energy per capita in Asia. Malaysia’s final energy consumption had increased from 13 million toe in 1990 to about 41 million toe in 2010, reflecting an annual average growth rate of 6%. Despites aggressive energy efficiency drives implemented for last 20 years, Malaysia has not shown any improvement in term of energy consumption and conservation. The Lower than anticipated results under previous energy efficiency initiatives had forced The Malaysian government to launch National Energy Efficiency Action Plan for 10 year implementation period of 2016-2025 (NEEAP) after taking into account the socio-culture, policy, financial, and administration barriers. The objective of this paper is to review Malaysian experience in their energy efficiency initiatives in comparison with other leading nations. Study reveals that overlapping and interchangeable terms for energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy approaches under NEEAP causes confusion during implementation and monitoring which raise the need for reinterpretation of the programme initiatives. The barriers are not only isolated for Malaysian context but also common problems experienced by other countries. This offer opportunities for leapfrogging and knowledge sharing for improving any possible measures under three major initiatives for equipment, industrial and building programmes as outlined under the NEEAP. Some suggestions are made in this paper as measures to improve the delivery mechanism.

Energy efficiency to reduce residential electricity and natural gas use under climate change

Climate change could significantly affect consumer demand for energy in buildings, as changing temperatures may alter heating and cooling loads. Warming climates could also lead to the increased adoption and use of cooling technologies in buildings. We assess residential electricity and natural gas demand in Los Angeles, California under multiple climate change projections and investigate the potential for energy efficiency to offset increased demand. We calibrate residential energy use against metered data, accounting for differences in building materials and appliances. Under temperature increases, we find that without policy intervention, residential electricity demand could increase by as much as 41–87% between 2020 and 2060. However, aggressive policies aimed at upgrading heating/cooling systems and appliances could result in electricity use increases as low as 28%, potentially avoiding the installation of new generation capacity. We therefore recommend aggressive energy efficiency, in combination with low-carbon generation sources, to offset projected increases in residential energy demand.

Modeling an aggressive energy-efficiency scenario in long-range load forecasting for electric power transmission planning

Improving the representation of end-use energy efficiency, and of the effects of policies and programs to promote it, is an emergent priority for electricity load forecasting models and methods. This paper describes a “hybrid” load forecasting approach combining econometric and technological elements that is designed to meet this need, in a novel application to long-run electric power transmission planning in the western United States. A twenty-year load forecast incorporating significant increases in energy-efficiency programs and policies across multiple locations was developed in order to assess the potential of efficiency to reduce load growth and requirements for expanded transmission capacity. Load forecasting and transmission planning background is summarized, the theoretical and empirical aspects of the hybrid methodology described, and the assumptions, structure, data development, and results of the aggressive efficiency scenario are presented. The analysis shows that substantial electricity savings are possible in this scenario in most residential and commercial end-uses, and in the industrial sector, with magnitudes depending upon the specific end-use as well as upon the geographic location of the utility or other entity providing the electricity.

Energy and Population Policies in Australia

The Australian Government is about to release Australia’s first sustainable population policy. Sustainable population growth, among other things, implies sustainable energy demand. Current modelling of future energy demand both in Australia and by agencies such as the International Energy Agency sees population growth as one of the key drivers of energy demand. Simply increasing the demand for energy in response to population policy is sustainable only if there is a radical restructuring of the energy system away from energy sources associated with environmental degradation towards one more reliant on renewable fuels and less reliant on fossil fuels. Energy policy can also address the present nexus between energy consumption per person and population growth through an aggressive energy efficiency policy. This paper considers the link between population policies and energy policies and considers how the overall goal of sustainability can be achieved. The methods applied in this analysis draw on the literature of sustainable development to develop elements of an energy planning framework to support a sustainable population policy. Rather than simply accept that energy demand is a function of population increase moderated by an assumed rate of energy efficiency improvement, the focus is on considering what rate of energy efficiency improvement is necessary to significantly reduce the standard connections between population growth and growth in energy demand and what policies are necessary to achieve this situation. Energy efficiency policies can only moderate unsustainable aspects of energy demand and other policies are essential to restructure existing energy systems into on-going sustainable forms. Policies to achieve these objectives are considered. This analysis shows that energy policy, population policy and sustainable development policies are closely integrated. Present policy and planning agencies do not reflect this integration and energy and population policies in Australia have largely developed independently and whether the outcome is sustainable is largely a matter of chance. A genuinely sustainable population policy recognises the inter-dependence between population and energy policies and it is essential that this is reflected in integrated policy and planning agencies.

Simulating the impacts of climate change, prices and population on California’s residential electricity consumption

This study simulates the impacts of higher temperatures resulting from anthropogenic climate change on residential electricity consumption for California. Flexible temperature response functions are estimated by climate zone, which allow for differential effects of days in different temperature bins on households’ electricity consumption. The estimation uses a comprehensive household level dataset of electricity bills for California’s three investor-owned utilities (Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Edison). The results suggest that the temperature response varies greatly across climate zones. Simulation results using a downscaled version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research global circulation model suggest that holding population constant, total consumption for the households considered may increase by up to 55% by the end of the century. The study further simulates the impacts of higher electricity prices and different scenarios of population growth. Finally, simulations were conducted consistent with higher adoption of cooling equipment in areas which are not yet saturated, as well as gains in efficiency due to aggressive energy efficiency policies.

The long-term forecast of Taiwan’s energy supply and demand: LEAP model application

The long-term forecasting of energy supply and demand is an extremely important topic of fundamental research in Taiwan due to Taiwan’s lack of natural resources, dependence on energy imports, and the nation’s pursuit of sustainable development. In this article, we provide an overview of energy supply and demand in Taiwan, and a summary of the historical evolution and current status of its energy policies, as background to a description of the preparation and application of a Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System (LEAP) model of Taiwan’s energy sector. The Taiwan LEAP model is used to compare future energy demand and supply patterns, as well as greenhouse gas emissions, for several alternative scenarios of energy policy and energy sector evolution. Results of scenarios featuring “business-as-usual” policies, aggressive energy-efficiency improvement policies, and on-schedule retirement of Taiwan’s three existing nuclear plants are provided and compared, along with sensitivity cases exploring the impacts of lower economic growth assumptions. A concluding section provides an interpretation of the implications of model results for future energy and climate policies in Taiwan.

Project GreenLight: Optimizing Cyber-infrastructure for a Carbon-Constrained World

Even with a variety of aggressive energy efficiency measures, the ICT sector's carbon emissions will nearly triple from 2002 to 2020. We must accelerate ICT energy efficiency so that we can increase the use of ICT in smart infrastructure capable of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

Overview of current energy-efficiency policies in China

From 1970 to 2001, China was able to significantly limit energy demand growth through aggressive energy-efficiency programs. Energy use per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) declined by approximately 5% per year during this period. However, the period 2002–2005 saw energy use per unit of GDP increase an average of 3.8% per year. To stem this out-of-control growth in energy demand, in November 2005 the Chinese government enunciated a mandatory goal of 20% reduction of energy intensity between 2006 and 2010. The National People's Congress passed legislation identifying the National Reform and Development Commission as the lead agency to design and carry out programs in support of this goal. These policies and programs, created after almost a decade of decline of the energy-efficiency policy apparatus, have had considerable impact. Although initial efforts have not been sufficient to meet the annual declines required to reach the ambitious 20% energy intensity target, the latest reports indicate that China may now be on track to meet this goal. The paper provides an assessment of these policies and programs to begin to understand issues that will play a critical role in China's energy and economic future. Activities undertaken in China will have a significant influence on the global effort to reduce the growth, and later the absolute quantity, of greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy efficiency as a preferred resource: evidence from utility resource plans in the Western US and Canada

This article examines the future role of energy efficiency as a resource in the Western US and Canada, as envisioned in the most recent resource plans issued by 16 utilities, representing about 60% of the region’s load. Utility and third-party-administered energy-efficiency programs proposed by 15 utilities over a 10-year horizon would save almost 19,000 GWh annually, about 5.2% of forecast load. There are clear regional trends in the aggressiveness of proposed energy savings. California’s investor-owned utilities (IOUs) had the most aggressive savings targets, followed by IOUs in the Pacific Northwest, and the lowest savings were proposed by utilities in Inland West states and by two public utilities on the West Coast. The adoption of multiple, aggressive policies targeting energy efficiency and climate change appears to produce sizeable energy-efficiency commitments. Certain specific policies, such as mandated energy savings goals for California’s IOUs and energy-efficiency provisions in Nevada’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, had a direct impact on the level of energy savings included in the resource plans. Other policies, such as revenue decoupling and shareholder incentives and voluntary or legislatively mandated greenhouse gas emission reduction policies, may have also impacted utilities’ energy-efficiency commitments, though the effects of these policies are not easily measured. Despite progress among the utilities in our sample, more aggressive energy-efficiency strategies that include high-efficiency standards for additional appliances and equipment, tighter building codes for new construction and renovation, as well as more comprehensive ratepayer-funded energy-efficiency programs are likely to be necessary to achieve a region-wide goal of meeting 20% of electricity demand with efficiency in 2020.

Introduction to Industrial Refrigeration Best Practices

ABSTRACT Despite origins dating to the late 19th century, industrial refrigeration has been slow to adopt aggressive energy efficiency strategies reflective of today's energy climate. This is partially due to a traditional, slow-moving industry that prefers proven designs and components, particularly when associated with critical applications in the food processing and storage sectors. Combined with relatively low electrical energy rates throughout the 20th century, it was well into the 1990s before efficiency became a major design criteria. Slowly, industrial refrigeration system designers, vendors, contractors, and end-users have begun focusing on ways to implement energy efficiency into major equipment components, system design, and advanced features offered by computer control and variable frequency drive (VFD) technology. This article is a brief introduction to the applications of industrial refrigeration, primary components, and the methods of implementing energy efficiency, both in new construction...

Renewable Energy Capability vs. Climate Necessity

A 450-ppm equivalent CO2 target by 2050 is an often-proposed goal under a future global emissions agreement, but there is considerable high side risk in global-warming models due to cloud formation, feedbacks in dissolved organic carbon from peat bogs in polar regions, and unaccounted solar dimming by particulates. The 450-ppm figure is predicated on absorption of some CO2 by oceans, but increasing acidification may dictate that CO2 produced during the next 50 years may have to be reduced further to preserve species diversity in the oceans. By consideration of industry capability, a 400-ppm target is shown to be affordable and achievable by renewables using 2/3 direct solar electricity by 2050 with technology currently being proven, together with aggressive energy efficiency. Sequestration of liquid CO2 under pressure in enormous continually excavated caverns at 2-km depth is technically much less certain and later in development.