316 Energy andtransport for thefuture
7 Visit a large electrical store and collate information relating to the energy con-
sumption and the performance of domestic appliances: refrigerators, cook-
ers, microwave ovens and washing machines. Which do you think are the
most energy efficient and how do they compare with the least energy effi-
cient? Also how well labelled were the appliances with respect to energy
consumption and efficiency?
8 Consider a flat-roofed house of typical size in a warm, sunny country
with a flat roof incorporating 50 mm thickness of insulation (refer to
Table 11.3). Estimate the extra energy which would have to be removed
by air conditioning if the roof were painted black rather than white. How
much would this be reduced if theinsulation were increased toa thickness
of 150 mm?
9 Rework the calculations of total heating required for the building considered
in Table 11.3 supposing insulation 250 mm thick (the Danish standard) were
installed in the cavity walls and in the roof.
10 Look up articles about the environmental and social impact of large dams.
Do you consider the benefits of the power generated by hydroelectric means
are worth the environmental and social damage?
11 Suppose an area of 10 km^2 was available for use for renewable energy sources,
to grow biomass, to mount PV solar cells or to mount wind generators. What
criteria would determine which use would be most effective? Compare the
effectiveness for each use on a typical area of your country.
12 What do you consider the most important factors which prevent the greater
use of nuclear energy? How do you think their seriousnesscompares with
the costs or damages arising from other forms of energy production?
13 In the IPCC 1995 Report chapter 19, you will find information about the
LESS scenarios. In particular estimates are provided, for the different alter-
natives, of the amount of land that will be needed in different parts of the
world for the production of energy from biomass. For your own country or
region, find out how easily, on the timescale required, it is likely that this
amount of land could be provided. What would be the likely consequences
arising from using the land for biomass production rather than for other
purposes?
14 In making arguments for a carbon tax would you attempt to relate it to the
likely cost of damage from Global Warming (Chapter 9), or would you relate
it to what is required to enable appropriate renewable energies to compete
at an adequate level? From the information in Table 11.6 and any further
data to which you have access, what level of carbon tax do you consider
would be likely to enable there to be greater employment of different forms
of renewable energy: (1) at the present time, (2) in 2020?
15 In discussing policy options, attention is often given to ‘win-win’ situations
or to those with a ‘double dividend’, i.e. situations in which, when a particular
action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, additional benefits arise
as a bonus. Describe examples of such situations.
16 Of the policy options listed towards the end of the chapter, which do you
think could be most effective in your country?