1 / 22

Motivation

Motivation. We are at what many feel is a turning point in human history: More humans than ever before Increasing use of coal and Concerns about irreversible climate change Serious Global Economic downturn.

illias
Download Presentation

Motivation

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Motivation We are at what many feel is a turning point in human history: • More humans than ever before • Increasing use of coal and • Concerns about irreversible climate change • Serious Global Economic downturn

  2. More humans – data from UN study. Even “low” projection has population increasing for some time to come.

  3. With increasing population, and also increasing industrialization of India and China, use of fossil fuels will continue to rise.Figure source: World Coal Institute

  4. Environmental Concerns: Carbon Dioxide ConcentrationSource: NASA

  5. Environmental Concerns: Temperatures are risingSource: NASA/GISS

  6. The Greenhouse effect

  7. Example of Environmental Impact: Strip mining in WV. Source: Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition

  8. Sustained Economic Downturn:US Unemployment RateSource: US Dept. of Labor, Google.

  9. EERE - Background Motivated by environmental and economic considerations, inclination is to go for the renewable energy installations including photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and more. Almost always, the first dollars spent should be on efficiency, including for example: • more efficient lighting, • better insulation and eliminating drafts, • ensuring that equipment is operating properly

  10. Energy Efficiency:A home-level example • Getting a newer fridge (about $500) • Putting electronics on “strips” to eliminate ghost loads • Turning off dehumidifier • Swapping out light bulbs for compact fluorescents

  11. Fridge - Before Circa 1995 fridge – likely inefficient, poorly insulated

  12. Fridge - After 2008 fridge – energy star compliant. Examples of both types are in MC apartments.

  13. Results: simple, low costs actions = dramatic reduction in consumption The March 07 bill was $206.25, the March 08 bill was $79.48.

  14. My office – day one of playing with the new IR camera from FLIR!

  15. IR photos of corner, taken when outside temp about 50 F

  16. Solar Hot Water Modulesource: Genersys

  17. An exampleSource: Digi International

  18. Data AcquisitionSource: OurCoolHouse.com

  19. Data Acquisition- exampleSource: OurCoolHouse.com

  20. Opportunity: Significant Savings In very rough terms, the college spends about • $1,000,000/year on electricity • $1,000,000/year on gas If, with a combination of efficiency, renewable energy, and a shift in culture, we could save 10 - 20%, this is $200,000 - $400,000/year. Similar to having received $4,000,000 - $8,000,000 permanent endowment that increases proportionately to the cost of energy!

  21. Opportunity: Cultural Shift “I leave the AC cranked up all day – after all I am paying $40k/year to go here!” Not to make this student wrong – this is a common US attitude, and we can help to shift this attitude.

  22. IT opportunities • Use lower powered computers – really! We have a 11 watt (peak) Linux Server in our lab that fully meets its needs • Thin clients, running off a central server • IN USE in EE: switch to hibernate mode. What IS hibernate mode, you ask? • Setting new policy. At one college they *talk* to incoming Freshmen, so they know what to expect

More Related