Could energy efficiency save money, jobs, and water?
31 January 2012
5 Comments
Energy Conservation in South Could Save Billions, Create Jobs, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100412121018.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
releases/2010/04/
100412121018.htm
ScienceDaily (Apr. 15, 2010) — Energy-efficiency measures in the southern U.S. could save consumers billion on their energy bills, open 380,000 new jobs, and save 8.6 billion gallons of water by 2020, according to a new study from the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. The study concludes that investing 0 billion in energy efficiency programs by 2030 could return 8 billion in savings.
Yes. California is a great example. Here due to energy efficiency measures we haven’t increased per capita energy consumption for about 30 years.
"California has cut annual peak demand by 12 GW — and total demand by about 40,000 GWh — over the past three decades. The cost of efficiency programs has averaged 2-3¢ per kW — which is about one fifth the cost of electricity generated from new nuclear, coal and natural gas-fired plants."
And obviously by using less energy, you’re also saving water, since power plants often require high water inputs.
Yes it could. The numbers are probably inflated by 50% but still, there is much to be gained by being efficient and, well, frugal with energy.
I switched to all energy efficient stuff in my house and my electric bill went down 55%!
yes, but beware the rebound effect.
I assume you mean save money and water and either maintain or increase the number of jobs?
The short answer is yes. As someone else pointed out, fossil-fuelled and nuclear power stations use a lot of water. Reducing the amount of goods carted all over the world would reduce energy consumption in ships, trucks, planes, trains and provide jobs for people producing food and goods more locally. Mining is capital and energy intensive, not labour intensive – reducing mining would save energy but not cause the loss of huge numbers of jobs. Recycling more, rather than mining, would increase jobs and save energy. Ditto reusing (I live in a wine-making region; wineries throw out pallets of new bottles, rather than rinsing them, if they get dusty; it’s cheaper in the short term, but obviously making new bottles rather than rinsing existing ones is terribly energy-inefficient.)
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