Energy Futures and Urban Air Pollution Challenges for China and the United States (2008) / Chapter Skim
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5 Energy Intensity and Energy Efficiency
5 Energy Intensity and Energy Efficiency
Pages 161-186
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From page 161... ...
For the economy as a whole, this is a broadly useful measure to compare countries and is frequently used as a proxy for energy efficiency, but it does aggregate numerous underlying factors and thus can obscure the lessons learned on specific efficiency improvements. Energy efficiency improves when a given level of service is provided with reduced energy inputs, or when services are enhanced for a given amount of energy input (EERE, 2007a)
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From page 162... ...
. China's energy intensity declined markedly from 1980 to 2000, but energy consumption has outpaced GDP growth since 2000.
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From page 163... ...
2.000 5-1 1.800 1.600 1.400 Index (1985 = 1.0) 1.200 1.000 0.800 0.600 Energy GDP 0.400 E/GDP 0.200 Intensity Index 0.000 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Time FIGURE 5-2 Energy intensity for the U.S.
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From page 164... ...
14 14 12 12 10 10 8 8 6 6 4 GDP 4 2 2 0 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Year FIGURE 5-3 Energy consumption and GDP in China, 1978-2004. SOURCE: NBS, 2005, 5-3 SUPPLY-SIDE ENERGY EFFICIENCIES Coal Combustion Efficiency in Electricity Generation The efficiency of electricity generation can be increased by improving coalfired plant thermal efficiency; this simultaneously reduces both CO 2 emissions and conventional emissions such as SO2, NOx, particulates, and heavy metals.
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From page 165... ...
Compared with the international advanced level of power generation, C hinese coal power plants are inefficient, averaging about 30 percent efficiency. This challenge is compounded by the rate at which such plants are being constructed; it is estimated that a new plant comes online every 7-10 days.
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From page 166... ...
Moreover, DE systems, particularly because they are located in or near populated areas, are characterized by cleaner technologies. Wind turbines and small-scale gas turbines are examples of technologies utilized in DE systems.
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From page 167... ...
as the major source, a CCHP system can integrate use of renewable energy to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel. A small gas turbine can be used as its energy supply and the system may incorporate solar energy, geothermal energy, a heat pump, and energy storage technologies (fuel cells)
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From page 168... ...
In North China, solar energy can provide domestic hot water in summer and can be used as a heat source for an absorption heat pump in winter. A geothermal energy system, adopted with an absorption heat engine, acts as a heat sink in summer and heat source in winter.
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From page 169... ...
Figure 5-5 shows the total energy consumption in the industrial sector and indicates that the sector's energy intensity has declined by 19 percent since 1985, most of this occurring after 1993 (EERE, 2007a)
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From page 170... ...
Between 1980 and 2000, the annual average increase ratio of energy consumption for industry was 4.2 percent. The building materials, steel production, and chemical engineering industries were the main energy consumers, accounting for 54 percent of energy consumption for all industries in 2000 (National Energy Strategy and Policy Report, 2004)
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From page 171... ...
The gap of energy intensity for highly energy intensive products between China and other developed countries decreased gradually in the same period. China's building material industry has the highest energy consumption rate of all industries.
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From page 172... ...
. TABLE 5-3 China's Specific Energy Consumption Reduction Targets 2000 2010 2020 Coal Consumption for Power Supply (thermal power plant)
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From page 173... ...
and any additional energy consumption (typically gas) for heating and cooling.
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Figure 5-6 shows the decrease in energy intensity for the U.S. residential sector from 1985 to 2004.
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. Presently the total energy consumption for buildings approaches 30 percent of the total energy consumption in China.
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From page 176... ...
, though their impact on total energy consumption is noticeable. At present, China does not have aggregate data on energy intensity in the transportation sector.
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From page 177... ...
Low fuel prices may also serve as a disincentive to improving vehicle fuel efficiency. However, China's recently enacted fuel economy standards (discussed later)
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From page 178... ...
The World Bank's Energy Conservation Project has established three pilot Energy Management Centers in Shandong, Beijing, and in Liaoning; these centers have supported and promoted several small-scale local energy-efficiency projects. The Bank has also funded 11 global environmental facilities in China that focus on either renewable energy or energy conservation and efficiency.
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From page 179... ...
from less than 400,000 units in 1999 to almost 5 million units in 2003; • A majority of refrigerators produced by a number of manufacturers are now energy-efficient products; and • It exceeded its goals of 20 million energy-efficient units sold, a lifetime product emissions reduction of 100 million tons of CO2 and energy savings of 66 billion kWh by a factor of 2 or more. Building Technologies and Standards New residential and commercial buildings in the United States are subject to energy-efficiency standards.
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From page 180... ...
Vehicle Fuel Efficiency The largest efficiency gains in the transportation sector will come from improved fuel economy. In the United States, the need for improved fuel efficiency arose in the wake of the 1973-1974 oil embargo.
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From page 181... ...
. It is noted in the 2002 report, however, that other approaches, such as higher fuel taxes, tradable credits for fuel economy improvements, taxes on light-duty vehicles that fall below CAFE standards combined with rebates for vehicles exceeding the standards, and/or standards based on vehicle attributes, such as weight, size, or payload, might be more successful at improving fuel economy.
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From page 182... ...
They are also fuel flexible; hybrids have been developed to run on gasoline, methanol, compressed natural gas, hydrogen, or other alternative fuels. A deterrent to the use of such vehicles in the United States is that the increment of initial higher purchase cost will not be returned in the cost of fuel saved at present prices in the lifetime of the vehicle A new type of hybrid, the plug-in hybrid, is in the demonstration stage, and the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory is leading efforts to develop such a vehicle, which would allow the driver to drive much longer on electric battery This is not to be confused with Flex-Fuel Vehicles which are designed to run on gasoline or an ethanol blend (E85)
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From page 183... ...
2006. Urban Air Quality I mpacts of Distributed Generation in the South Coast Air Basin and San Joaquin Valley.
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2006. Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey, 2002.
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From page 185... ...
Road. What Do the New Chinese Fuel Economy Standards Mean for Foreign Automakers?
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