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Other part of the equation is how do we reduce consumption e.g. moving to LED based lighting, natural cooling etc. The less energy we consume, the less energy

Other part of the equation is how do we reduce consumption e.g. moving to LED based lighting, natural cooling etc. The less energy we consume, the less energy we need to generate

kerbalspacepro 8y ago
You either have to build more efficient buildings or retrofit existing buildings. Most home/office energy expenditure is on heating/cooling/fridging/hot showers. Only 10% is based on lighting [1]. The best way to tackle cooling/heating is by improving insulation, but unfortunately, there is little ability/reason to. Those that would get the most utility out of it are poor and therefore cannot afford it. Those who can afford it are rich, and therefore don't care about a few dollars lost to heating/cooling the outside air. Even if the rich do care, it often isn't worth the emotional/mental hassle of having massive construction done to your abode. [1]https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/ https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/
- youngtaff 8y ago
  Depends where you are… in the UK domestic electricity consumption fell by 2.4% between 2016 and 2017 due to increased efficiency lighting / appliance efficiency [1] There was a noticeable decrease in our personal electricity consumption when we switched to LED bulbs (our heating and hot water are gas) [1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/729317/Energy_Consumption_in_the_UK__ECUK__2018.pdf https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/...
  - toomuchtodo 8y ago
    Consider switching your heating and hot water to heat pumps.
jillesvangurp 8y ago
Sounds nice but the reality is that demand for energy consistently grows faster than our ability to conserve energy. The challenge that is being met with the deployment of clean energy technologies is meeting that demand in a sustainable way. It's a good thing; cheap clean energy unlocks economic growth. Instead of strangling ambition, we need to empower it. The more clean energy we consume, the better. This needs to be a growth market and it is. You can bicker over the timelines when coal is switched off permanently and lots of people seem to argue that the timeline in this article is a bit optimistic but the reality is that there's lot of growth in this sector with year on year increases in deployed capacity, price drops, etc.
- youngtaff 8y ago
  Jevons Paradox!

Other part of the equation is how do we reduce consumption e.g. moving to LED based lighting, natural cooling etc. The less energy we consume, the less energy we need to generate

kerbalspacepro 8y ago

You either have to build more efficient buildings or retrofit existing buildings. Most home/office energy expenditure is on heating/cooling/fridging/hot showers. Only 10% is based on lighting [1]. The best way to tackle cooling/heating is by improving insulation, but unfortunately, there is little ability/reason to. Those that would get the most utility out of it are poor and therefore cannot afford it. Those who can afford it are rich, and therefore don't care about a few dollars lost to heating/cooling the outside air. Even if the rich do care, it often isn't worth the emotional/mental hassle of having massive construction done to your abode. [1]https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/ https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/

youngtaff 8y ago
Depends where you are… in the UK domestic electricity consumption fell by 2.4% between 2016 and 2017 due to increased efficiency lighting / appliance efficiency [1] There was a noticeable decrease in our personal electricity consumption when we switched to LED bulbs (our heating and hot water are gas) [1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/729317/Energy_Consumption_in_the_UK__ECUK__2018.pdf https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/...
- toomuchtodo 8y ago
  Consider switching your heating and hot water to heat pumps.

jillesvangurp 8y ago

Sounds nice but the reality is that demand for energy consistently grows faster than our ability to conserve energy. The challenge that is being met with the deployment of clean energy technologies is meeting that demand in a sustainable way. It's a good thing; cheap clean energy unlocks economic growth. Instead of strangling ambition, we need to empower it. The more clean energy we consume, the better. This needs to be a growth market and it is. You can bicker over the timelines when coal is switched off permanently and lots of people seem to argue that the timeline in this article is a bit optimistic but the reality is that there's lot of growth in this sector with year on year increases in deployed capacity, price drops, etc.

youngtaff 8y ago
Jevons Paradox!