Modular Systems for Energy Usage Management

Yatish T. Shah

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781000763843
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Energy Industry
• Index: Business

"…[a] very unique book that integrates benefits of modular systems for enhanced sustainability to meet the global challenges of rapid and sometimes uncontrolled industrialization in the 21st century."—Pinakin Patel, T2M Global

This book examines the role of the modular approach for the back end of the energy industry—energy usage management. It outlines the use of modular approaches for the processes used to improve energy conservation and efficiency, which are preludes to the prudent use of energy.

Since energy consumption is conventionally broken down into four sectors—residential, transportation, industrial, and commercial—the discussions on energy usage management are also broken down into these four sectors in the book. The book examines the use of modular systems for five application areas that cover the sectors described above: buildings, vehicles, computers and electrical/electronic products, district heating, and wastewater treatment and desalination. This book also discusses the use of a modular approach for energy storage and transportation. Finally, it describes how the modular approach facilitates bottom-up, top-down, and hybrid simulation and modeling of the energy systems from various scientific and socioeconomic perspectives. Aimed at industry professionals and researchers involved in the energy industry, this book illustrates in detail, with the help of concrete industrial examples, how a modular approach can facilitate management of energy usage.

1 Modular Systems for Energy Conservation and Efficiency: Residential and Transportation Sectors

1.1 INTRODUCTION

In the previous volume, we examined a modular approach for energy systems related to energy and fuel recovery and conversion [1]. This is the front end of the energy industry. In this volume, we evaluate the importance of modular systems for the back end of the energy industry, namely, energy usage management. Once the energy or fuel are recovered and converted to its end use (such as electricity or other useful fuels), they are often stored and transported for their end uses. Energy usage management strategies depend on the sectors where energy is used, the source of energy, and the technology adopted for its use. Energy conservation and high usage efficiency are essential in prudent energy usage management. The United States is the second-largest single consumer of energy in the world. The U.S. Department of Energy [2, 3] categorizes national energy use in four broad sectors: transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial. Energy usage in transportation and residential sectors (about half of U.S. energy consumption) is largely controlled by individual domestic consumers. Commercial and industrial energy consumption is determined by businesses entities and other facility managers. National energy policy has a significant effect on energy usage across all four sectors (see Figure 1.1).

FIGURE 1.1 Energy usage by sector [3].

This book evaluates all the steps involved in energy usage management and the modular systems attached to each step. For all types of usages, energy conservation and efficiency are the preludes to responsible energy consumption. The efforts made for energy conservation and for improving energy conversion and its usage efficiency would save fuels, help environments, and allow responsible and rational use of energy for generations to come. We, therefore, first address modular systems used to improve energy conservation and efficiency. It is important to note that though energy conservation and efficiency both result in saving energy, energy conservation is more human-initiated while energy efficiency is often related to equipment and processes used in energy conversion and usages. Often both conservation tactics and efficiency improvements simultaneously affect energy consumption. They may overlap in efforts to build zero-energy houses using both active and passive solar building designs. In this case, passive solar heating is initiated by human beings but the efficiency of active solar heating is more process-oriented. Both active and passive solar heating can be modular in nature, and if properly designed, they can reduce energy consumption. In other words, both active and passive solar heating can complement each other. It is important that both conservation and efficiency measures are fully implemented before the full usage of energy.

Furthermore, both conservation and efficiency are the best methods to reduce overall energy consumption and thereby reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if fossil fuels are used. With the finite level of energy generation at a given time, the increase in population growth, and the human desire to improve quality of life through better economics and convenient lifestyle will limit the overall global energy use per capita. The best method for achieving energy use neutrality is to reduce waste through means of conservation and efficiency. Thus, energy conservation and efficiency are the underpinnings of the strategies for energy usage management. In this chapter, we examine the use of a modular approach for energy conservation and efficiency for residential and transportation sectors. In the following chapter, we will examine the same subject for the industrial and commercial sectors. In line with the theme of the book, major emphasis is placed on the use of modular systems.

Further, to illustrate the role of modular operations in energy usages, we pick five application areas, namely, buildings, vehicles, computer and electrical/electronic applications, district heating and wastewater treatment, and water desalination. Collectively, these areas represent all four sectors of energy usages. These five applications are chosen because of their energy consumption levels and their interests in society. Building and vehicle industry consumes about half of the total energy usage. Computer and electrical/electronic industry is the fastest growing and most personalized industry. For electronic applications, although micro- and nano-level devices use small amount of energy per unit, the number of units is very large and rapidly growing. Besides electricity, heating and cooling is the largest segment of energy consumption. District heating is becoming more popular and it is an efficient method to provide heating and cooling to the communities in colder countries. In both Europe and North America, its use is rapidly expanding. Finally, the need for cleaner and potable water is increasing faster than ever. In addition, clean and potable water shortage has been predicted to be one of the important problems facing the global community in the 21st century. Furthermore, water desalination is one of the most energy-consuming industries. These five applications give a broad base picture of energy usage. As shown in this book, modular systems are becoming very popular in all of these applications.

Along with these applications, energy and fuel storage and transport are very important parts of the energy usage management process. Energy storage is particularly important for promoting renewable sources of energy like solar and wind, which are intermittent by their basic nature. Both storage and transport allow the steady use of energy from a wide variety of sources. The book will show that the modular approach is heavily infused in building meaningful storage and transport systems. The book ends with a brief demonstration of the usefulness of modular approach for simulation and modeling of the energy industry as whole and its parts. There are various types of modeling efforts being carried out in the energy industry. The book will show that the modular method of simulation, both at global and individual system levels, profoundly facilitates theoretical efforts.

1.2 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY

The first step in energy consumption management is energy conservation and efficiency. Energy conservation is an effort made to reduce the consumption of energy by using less of an energy service [1–10]. It is always desirable to reduce consumption by adopting various energy-saving mechanisms to make less use of fuel, less emission of GHGs, and achieve the same end results. Energy conservation, to the extent possible, is therefore very essential prerequirement to the overall process of energy consumption management.

While saving in energy consumption can be achieved either by using energy more efficiently (using less energy for a constant service) or by reducing the amount of service used (for example, by driving less) without expense of human comfort. While increasing efficiency of an energy system is tantamount to conserving energy, improving thermal energy efficiency (like in cogeneration) also means more usages for a given input of energy source. As pointed out above, while energy conservation efforts are initiated by humans, improving energy efficiency largely depends on the equipment or process. Energy conservation is a part of the concept of eco-sufficiency. It reduces the need for energy services and can result in increased environmental quality, national security, personal financial security, and higher savings. It is at the top of the sustainable energy hierarchy. It also lowers energy costs by preventing future resource depletion.

While improving energy efficiency results in similar outcomes, the means of achieving it are different. Energy use can be reduced by minimizing wastage and losses, and improving efficiency through technological upgrades and by improved operation and maintenance. On a global level, energy use can also be reduced by the stabilization of population growth. Energy can only be transformed from one form to other, such as heat energy to motive power in cars, or kinetic energy of water flow to electricity in hydroelectric power plants. These transformations involve energy efficiency which can be altered with innovative equipment or process designs. Machines and processes are required to transform energy from one form to other. The wear and friction of the components of these machines or ill-conceived processes can incur significant waste of energy. Machine running causes loss of quadrillions of British thermal unit (BTU) and revenue loss of $500 billion in industries only in the United States. It is possible to minimize these losses by adopting green engineering practices to improve the lifecycle of the components. The use of nonrenewable sources of energy can also be reduced by replacing them with more renewable, environment-friendly sources or clean nuclear energy. As shown later, this type of conservation of nonrenewable sources of energy is an integral part of the greening energy usages.

Some countries employ energy or carbon taxes to motivate energy users to reduce their consumption. Carbon taxes can force energy users to shift to nuclear power and other energy sources that carry different sets of environmental side effects and limitations. On the other hand, taxes on all energy consumption can reduce energy use across the board while reducing a broader array of environmental consequences arising from energy production. This method also pushes more energy conservation or efforts to improve the energy efficiency of equipment and processes. California employs a tiered energy tax whereby every consumer receives a baseline energy allowance that carries a low tax. As usage increases above that baseline, the tax increases drastically. Such programs aim to protect poorer households while creating a larger tax burden for high energy consumers [4].

While the efforts to conserve energy are made at global level, out of four sectors of energy consumption, building and transportation sectors (which are more human choice dependent) appear to have made significant progress in implementing various techniques to reduce or replace fossil energy consumption. Other sectors, particularly industrial, are, however, also making significant efforts to comply with new government regulations and improve their financial productivity through improved energy efficiency. In both industrial and commercial sectors, energy conservation and efficiency play very important roles to the company bottom-line profits.

Another aspect of energy conservation and efficiency is using Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) [10]. This program is not mandatory but voluntary and has many categories in which energy and atmosphere prerequisite applies to energy conservation. This focuses on energy performance, renewable energy, and many more. This program is also designed to promote energy efficiency and a green building concept. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 included incentives which provided a tax credit of 30% of the cost of the new item with a $500 aggregate limit; the program extended to 2010. By Executive Order 13514, U.S. President Barack Obama mandated that by 2015, 15% of the existing federal buildings conform to new energy efficiency standards and 100% of all new federal buildings will be zero net energy (ZNE) by 2030.

Consumers are often poorly informed of the savings of energy-efficient products. A prominent example of this is the energy savings that can be made by replacing an incandescent light bulb with a more modern alternative. When purchasing light bulbs, many consumers opt for cheap incandescent bulbs, failing to take into account their higher energy costs and lower lifespans when compared to modern compact fluorescent and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. LED lamps use at least 75% less energy, and last 25 times longer, than traditional incandescent light bulbs. The price of LED bulbs has also been steadily decreasing in the past 5 years due to improvements in semiconductor technology. Estimates by the U.S. Department of Energy state that widespread adoption of LED lighting over the next 20 years could result in about $265 billion worth of savings in the United States’ energy costs. All light bulb industries are modular and can be constantly improved through infusion of new innovation [1, 10].

1.3 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY IN RESIDENTIAL SECTOR

The residential sector is all private residences, including single-family homes, apartments, manufactured homes, and dormitories. Energy use in this sector varies significantly across the country, due to regional climate differences and different regulations. On average, about half of the energy used in U.S. homes is expended on space conditioning (i.e. heating and cooling). Despite technological improvements on furnaces and air conditioners, many American lifestyle changes have put higher demands on heating and cooling resources. The average size of homes built in the United States has increased from 1,500 sq ft (140 m²) in 1970 to 2,300 sq ft (210 m²) in 2005. The single-person household has become more common, ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Series Preface
• Preface
• Author
• Chapter 1 Modular Systems for Energy Conservation and Efficiency: Residential and Transportation Sectors
• Chapter 2 Modular Systems for Energy Conservation and Efficiency: Industrial and Commercial Sectors
• Chapter 3 Modular Systems for Energy Usage in Buildings
• Chapter 4 Modular Systems for Energy Usage in Vehicles
• Chapter 5 Modular Systems for Energy Usage in Computer and Electrical/Electronic Applications
• Chapter 6 Modular Systems for Energy Usage in District Heating
• Chapter 7 Modular Systems for Energy Usage for Desalination and Wastewater Treatment
• Chapter 8 Modular Systems for Energy and Fuel Storage
• Chapter 9 Modular Systems for Energy and Fuel Transport
• Chapter 10 Modular Approach for Simulation, Modeling, and Design of Energy Systems
• Index