SKILLS FOR SUSTAINABLE
LITERACY:
ENERGY LITERACY
&
TECHNOLOGY APPRAISAL
Gavin D. J. Harper, B.R.A.S.S., Cardiff University
EAUC Conference, 2nd April 2009, Warwick University,

UNDERSTANDING ENERGY UNITS
¢Some understanding of “quantitative”
methods essential in energy literacy
to avoid being branded as
“emotional” or “unscientific” when
addressing energy arguments.
¢Energy vs. Power – Crucial Distinction
and scaling of units (SI prefixes!)
¢Units

SERVICES VS. ENERGY
consume services, “not
¢People
energy” – they are more interested in
the amenity delivered than the means
of delivery.
¢Changing to service delivery modes of
provision incentivises “service
suppliers” to meet the need in the most
efficient way.

RESTORING FEEBACK
anyone tell me their last
¢Can
electricity bill and how many units
were used?
If not… why not?
¢
¢ Direct Debit
¢ Billed Quarterly
¢ Meter Hidden Under Stairs
¢ Bills come via. Email… never read them?
of Feedback!
¢Lack
“You can’t control what you don’t monitor”

APPROPRIATE SCALES
at scaling factors between
¢Look
technologies of different sizes…
¢Is the relationship “linear” or a
“power” relationship – how does this
inform scale?
¢ Solar Cells – Twice as many cells, twice
as much power (linear)
¢ Wind Turbines – Twice as windy eight
times as much power (cube power) also..
Twice diameter (pr2) swept area.

LANGUAGE…
colours how we view things:
¢Language
Alternative Energy vs. “Ambient Energy”
¢
Long term – is there an alternative?
¢
Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent vs. Gigawatt Hours
¢
Technology neutral terms…
¢
Carbon Capture Ready?
¢
¢ Ready for what?... Someone to prove CCS works?
Nuclear talked about as “Zero CO2”…
¢
¢ …what about the uranium supply chain?
¢ Subtlehalf truths advanced by technology
promoters. As educators we should be mindful
to them and more “critical”.

THE EDISON ILLUMINATING
COMPANY
¢ Sold the “service” of
illumination.
¢ Modern utility
companies sell you
“energy”
WHERE IS THE
INCENTIVE TO
IMPROVE EFFICIENCY?

TECHNOLOGY APPRAISAL
¢ We are bombarded
with a myriad of green
Innovations…
¢ Are all of them “really green”
¢ Is it “bolt on” green for green sake?
¢ How do we appraise “green-ness?”
Illustration: JVC “Plant Pot” HiFi Speakers

TECHNOLOGY LOCK-IN
¢ Path dependency
¢ Decisions taken now affect the range of
possible future decisions.
¢ “Format Wars”

WHO USES IT?
it fulfil a genuine
¢Does
articulated societal
need?
— “Or is it like the
adjacent solar powered
dancing panda”
¢“Eco Tat”

GREEN MATERIALS DON’T
MAKE IT GREEN…
a thin-veneer of “green material” is
¢Often
used to impart some kind of “eco-
credential” to a product.
should question
¢We
more deeply the design
ethic of the product
beyond the superficial.

BOLT-ON RENEWABLES
¢Are they just “eco-jewellery”
mounted on a moving object, would
¢If
that same technology be better
deployed in a stationary application?