This document discusses renewable energy resources applied to zero energy houses and buildings. It provides examples of zero energy building projects in various countries and communities that have achieved high percentages of energy from renewable sources. It also analyzes the costs and payback times of different sized solar and wind power projects for residential and commercial buildings. While the upfront costs can be substantial, the analysis shows most projects achieve payback within 6-10 years and are cost effective over the long term as they provide free energy for 80% or more of the project lifetime. The document concludes zero energy buildings and greater use of renewable resources can help make the world more sustainable and reduce pollution from fossil fuel use.
Impacts and opportunities from large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) electricit...Turlough Guerin GAICD FGIA
With large-scale solar photovoltaics in Australia experiencing unprecedented levels of investment,
now is a unique opportunity for the national economy and for the communities in regional
Australia. Environmental impacts are minimal and community benefits can accrue from both largeand
utility-scale solar projects, such as jobs and regional investment. But there are questions for
the agricultural sector to consider as these opportunities open up:
• To what extent is the concern of energy generation versus food production warranted?
• Should large-scale solar power stations even be built on agricultural land?
The author uses a case study from the Central West of New South Wales (NSW) to explore
these issues as well as briefly reviewing critical research into the international development of
agrivoltaics.
The first quarter of 2009 has ushered in a new era for the alternate energy market in the US. This has resulted in a visible increase in interest on alternate energy technologies. Most would think the attention to alternate energy has come just in time, especially with the rise in fossil fuel prices, stringent environmental regulations, and significant changes in preferences among consumers.
Impacts and opportunities from large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) electricit...Turlough Guerin GAICD FGIA
With large-scale solar photovoltaics in Australia experiencing unprecedented levels of investment,
now is a unique opportunity for the national economy and for the communities in regional
Australia. Environmental impacts are minimal and community benefits can accrue from both largeand
utility-scale solar projects, such as jobs and regional investment. But there are questions for
the agricultural sector to consider as these opportunities open up:
• To what extent is the concern of energy generation versus food production warranted?
• Should large-scale solar power stations even be built on agricultural land?
The author uses a case study from the Central West of New South Wales (NSW) to explore
these issues as well as briefly reviewing critical research into the international development of
agrivoltaics.
The first quarter of 2009 has ushered in a new era for the alternate energy market in the US. This has resulted in a visible increase in interest on alternate energy technologies. Most would think the attention to alternate energy has come just in time, especially with the rise in fossil fuel prices, stringent environmental regulations, and significant changes in preferences among consumers.
Sesti project: Global Sustainable Energy optionsVictor Van Rij
This presentation gives the result of the emerging issues analysis of the SESTI project on the energy domain in 2010. It provides the questions around 5 of the less well known future sustainable options/risks that were discussed in the project. The topics that were addressed are still worth while to review today.
These topics were :
1. Enhancement of the photosynthetic cycle on global scale to provide all food, energy and maintain biodiversity (briefly biomimics)
2. Use of desert areas for gaining solar energy (the DESERTEC scheme)
3. Hybrid nuclear fission-fusion to speed up nuclear fusion
4. The unknown risks of going deeper and further for energy mining
5. The unknown risks of and hydrogen leaking economy
Study about Germany’s efforts to implement the energy transition is summarized in the book “Energy Transition in Nutshell: 8 Q & A on the German Energy Transition and Its Relevance for Indonesia”
Bring Solar Home Campaign for DOE Solar America Cities ConferenceSolar San Antonio
An overview of the Bring Solar Home campaign by Solar San Antonio's executive director, Lanny Sinkin, at the DOE's Solar America Cities Conference 2011 in Philadelphia.
District department of environment:
DDOE’s mission is to improve the quality of life for District residents by protecting and restoring the environment. DDOE works through partnerships with other District agencies, business groups, nonprofits and residents to conserve natural resources and energy and promote policies that support a sustainable city.
A Review of Nano -Technology and Renewable Energy: Challenges and scope ijiert bestjournal
The objective of this research is to cover both old and the latest and emerging technologies in the field of re newable energy sources. The topic describes the various forms of renewable sources of energy and their applications. The term Nano technology and its applications have captured the worldwide market. The nanomaterials which are developing using this technol ogy can be incorporated into the devices so that renewable energy can be converted or generated more efficiently. Nanomaterials have the potential to change the way we generate,deliver and use energy.
Dr Dong Joo Kim, Jeju Energy Corporation - Carbon-Free Island Jeju by 2030: L...OECD Environment
Presentation by Dr Dong Joo Kim - OECD Focus Group Discussion: Investment models for scaling up renewable energy deployment in Indonesia's eastern islands, 21 October 2020
A Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year; legislation and technology are combining to create a future where buildings actually contribute energy to the grid.
Sesti project: Global Sustainable Energy optionsVictor Van Rij
This presentation gives the result of the emerging issues analysis of the SESTI project on the energy domain in 2010. It provides the questions around 5 of the less well known future sustainable options/risks that were discussed in the project. The topics that were addressed are still worth while to review today.
These topics were :
1. Enhancement of the photosynthetic cycle on global scale to provide all food, energy and maintain biodiversity (briefly biomimics)
2. Use of desert areas for gaining solar energy (the DESERTEC scheme)
3. Hybrid nuclear fission-fusion to speed up nuclear fusion
4. The unknown risks of going deeper and further for energy mining
5. The unknown risks of and hydrogen leaking economy
Study about Germany’s efforts to implement the energy transition is summarized in the book “Energy Transition in Nutshell: 8 Q & A on the German Energy Transition and Its Relevance for Indonesia”
Bring Solar Home Campaign for DOE Solar America Cities ConferenceSolar San Antonio
An overview of the Bring Solar Home campaign by Solar San Antonio's executive director, Lanny Sinkin, at the DOE's Solar America Cities Conference 2011 in Philadelphia.
District department of environment:
DDOE’s mission is to improve the quality of life for District residents by protecting and restoring the environment. DDOE works through partnerships with other District agencies, business groups, nonprofits and residents to conserve natural resources and energy and promote policies that support a sustainable city.
A Review of Nano -Technology and Renewable Energy: Challenges and scope ijiert bestjournal
The objective of this research is to cover both old and the latest and emerging technologies in the field of re newable energy sources. The topic describes the various forms of renewable sources of energy and their applications. The term Nano technology and its applications have captured the worldwide market. The nanomaterials which are developing using this technol ogy can be incorporated into the devices so that renewable energy can be converted or generated more efficiently. Nanomaterials have the potential to change the way we generate,deliver and use energy.
Dr Dong Joo Kim, Jeju Energy Corporation - Carbon-Free Island Jeju by 2030: L...OECD Environment
Presentation by Dr Dong Joo Kim - OECD Focus Group Discussion: Investment models for scaling up renewable energy deployment in Indonesia's eastern islands, 21 October 2020
A Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year; legislation and technology are combining to create a future where buildings actually contribute energy to the grid.
BFH The Path to Net Zero Energy Houses in Cold ClimatesShawna Henderson
The basis of a presentation built by Bfreehomes as a teaching tool for builders interested in understanding how to become a builder of Net Zero Energy Houses. Includes three case studies.
General principles – Direct gain systems - Glazed walls, Bay windows,
Attached sun spaces etc. Indirect gain systems – Trombe wall, Water wall, Solar Chimney, Transwall, Roof
pond, etc - Isolated gain systems – Natural convective loop etc. Active Heating Systems : Solar water
heating systems
Analysis and Design of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System – Lebanon CaseIJERA Editor
The depletion of fossil fuels and their environmental consequences have prompted searching for other sources of energy aiming to global status amelioration. In the recent past, renewable energy sources have been considered as alternatives for the fossil fuel energy sources. The unexpected pattern of natural resources assesses integrated utilization of these sources to provide persistent and reliable power supply to the consumers. The technology’s advantages, requirements and related improvements are underlined and results are generalized. This paper covers the design of a solar and wind based hybrid renewable system presenting calculations and considerations in order to achieve an optimized design. Since hybrid systems performance relies mainly on geographical an d meteorological aspects, the study will consider the case of the Mediterranean area and in particular Lebanon.
A public lecture on RENEWABLE ENERGY: HOW READY ARE WE AS A NATION delivered by Engr Kayode Odunlami at National Association of Electrical Engineering Students 2018 Annual Public Lecture Series.
Spreng, D. (2005). Distribution of energy consumption and the 2000 W/capita t...morosini1952
Abstract
This viewpoint discusses the intra- and international distribution of energy consumption and their implications for
intergenerational equity. For global development to be sustainable, the inequality of energy consumption must have an upper
limit. A graphic depiction of energy consumption distributions (intra- and international) shows that today’s inequalities are large
andit is arguedthat we may have already reachedor perhaps even surpassed the sustainability limit of energy consumption
inequality.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Development (IJERD)IJERD Editor
call for paper 2012, hard copy of journal, research paper publishing, where to publish research paper,
journal publishing, how to publish research paper, Call For research paper, international journal, publishing a paper, IJERD, journal of science and technology, how to get a research paper published, publishing a paper, publishing of journal, publishing of research paper, reserach and review articles, IJERD Journal, How to publish your research paper, publish research paper, open access engineering journal, Engineering journal, Mathemetics journal, Physics journal, Chemistry journal, Computer Engineering, Computer Science journal, how to submit your paper, peer reviw journal, indexed journal, reserach and review articles, engineering journal, www.ijerd.com, research journals,
yahoo journals, bing journals, International Journal of Engineering Research and Development, google journals, hard copy of journal
OverviewIntroduction to WeatherizationPeople are using more en.docxalfred4lewis58146
Overview
Introduction to Weatherization
People are using more energy in their homes today than ever before. Unfortunately, much of this energy is wasted.
The Department of Energy began the Weatherization Assistance Program in 1976 to aid low-income families by weatherizing their homes. These families, in turn, conserve energy, save money on energy bills, and invest in their local communities.
There are many agencies and organizations that can help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:
1A
identify how buildings can consume large amounts of energy.
1B
explain the purpose of the Weatherization Assistance Program.
1C
recall the names different organizations involved in the green building industry.
Module 1 Reading Assignment
Krigger, J., & Dorsi, C. (2012). Residential Energy: Cost Savings and Comfort for Existing Buildings (6th ed.). Helena: Saturn Resource Management, Inc. Introduction.
Supplemental Reading Assignments (Required):
Bradshaw, J. L. (2010). Cost-effectiveness of weatherization in low-income urban housing stock. Unpublished master's thesis, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, (pp. 1-105).
Millhone, J. P. (2010). The "longest running and perhaps most successful" U.S. energy efficiency program. Federation of American Scientists, (pp.1-17).
Lecture Notes
Introduction to Weatherization
Buildings consume 40 percent of the world’s total energy. Buildings use 25 percent of the planet’s wood harvest and 16 percent of its water resources. Building use represents 70 percent of total human resource consumption, including energy, water, and materials combined. Energy is defined as the ability to produce tasks such as:light
heat
motion
sound
growth
technology
Appetite for Energy
The world population is increasing exponentially. No one knows exactly how many human beings there are on the face of the Earth, but a healthy estimate by the University of North Carolina places it at just under 7 billion people and increasing at a rate of 3-4 people per second.
In 1800, the worldwide population estimate was about 978 million people. In 1850, the estimate was 1.262 billion people. In 1900, at the beginning of the 20th century, an estimated 1.650 billion people populated the Earth. The world’s population is greater than ever before and, because of this growth, the global energy appetite is unprecedented.
In the 1800s, when people were scattered over the face of the Earth and the congregated masses formed clusters of mere thousands, energy consumption was not a critical issue. When they burned wood or straw for heat and cooking, they had little impact on the environment. However, as the population grew and more people moved into cities, the demand for energy began to increase.
A Period of Change
The global energy appetite is beginning to experience a period of change that will affect everyone. Eventually, petroleum products will become scarce an.
Evaluating expected and comparing with observed risks on a large-scale solar ...Turlough Guerin GAICD FGIA
The overwhelming benefits of building solar power plants instead of fossil fuel powered sites for new generation
capacity outweigh the less significant risks, some of which are identified in this study on the construction stage
of a utility-scale solar energy (USSE) project. This project confirmed and clarified the nature of environmental
and community risks to be expected on Australian construction sites. Expected risks from desk top studies and
related planning requirements captured the majority of those risks actually experienced in the field during the
construction phase. The large number of approval conditions (set by the relevant regulatory authorities; state
and local) for the construction stage of the project, are arguably excessive compared with the risk profile of the
project, and the overall positive benefits to the environment, economy and local community. The environmental
and community risks of greatest concern (including dust control, optimising vegetation growth under the
panels, waste management, a lack of common understanding of expectations for local job opportunities), while
planned and eventually managed, could have been more efficiently addressed by further upfront investigations,
and questioning and enhancing the governance processes by the engineering procurement construction (EPC)
entity (or constructor). For example, managing the end-of-life packaging materials (EOLPMs) was a specific
unexpected risk on the project during the construction stage, which can be overcome on future remote location
projects by enhancing the design and execution of project-level contracts and securing partners such as resource
recovery companies or other end users (of EOLPMs) at the earlier, planning stage. Recommendations for
regulators include to reduce approval constraints on new low-emissions electricity developments, particularly at
the state and local government level. These should be considerably less onerous than building new fossil fuel
electricity generation infrastructure. A sharper focus on regulatory red tape reduction will enhance USSE project
adoption.
As you know, our world is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for me.docxdavezstarr61655
As you know, our world is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for meeting our energy needs. In Chapter 6 of Contemporary Environmental Issues, you have read that there is concern about the possibility of reaching a peak in oil production, and even coal and natural gas will eventually run out. (Next week, in Chapter 7 of the textbook, we will read about an even more pressing reason for no longer relying on fossil fuels: global climate change.) Chapter 8 of Contemporary Environmental Issues introduces a variety of possible alternative energy sources, including nuclear power and many renewable options like wind power and solar energy.
Next week, you will be participating in a collaborative project aimed at developing an alternative energy plan for a particular community – the details of which won’t be revealed until then. For now, let’s all pool our research into what possible energy choices might be able to help us move away from fossil fuels.
In your main post this week, please
· Identify two alternatives to fossil fuels that are currently available.
· Discuss the barriers that keep these alternatives from replacing coal, oil, and natural gas as our primary means of energy.
· Discuss the role that government plays in ensuring a transition to these renewable alternatives in a post-carbon world.
Be creative here – the ideas you explore now might become the building blocks for next week’s sustainable energy plan.
Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Utilize at least two scholarly or reputable resources and your textbook to support your claims, using the Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. document for guidance. Cite your sources in APA style (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., as outlined in Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Quoted text should constitute no more than ten percent of your post.
Guided Response: Review several of your classmates’ posts and respond to at least two of your peers by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful and interactive discourse in this discussion. In your reply, be sure to help strengthen each other’s ideas through constructive dialogue.
Comstock/Stockbyte/Thinkstock
Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
• Describe how solar and wind power systems work and how—along with other forms of renewable
energy—these technologies can help us move away from a dependence on fossil fuel energy sources.
• Explain how hydropower and geothermal energy systems work, and review their advantages and disad-
vantages relative to other forms of energy.
• Discuss the major drawbacks of nuclear power and why this technology may not be the best approach to
reducing the carbon footprint of our energy system.
• Explain what energy efficiency means and h.
Running head CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY .docxsusanschei
Running head: CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY
1
Construction of the National Energy Policy
Weltee Wolo
Rasmussen College
Author Note
This paper is being submitted on November 28, 2017 for Jaime Farrow’s
Human Uses of the Environment
G328/EVR3410 course
Construction of the National Energy Policy
In the present day world, non-renewable energy has been heavily utilized as an ultimate source of energy both in for domestic and industrial use. Although the prospecting of energy has proven to be well-organized in the manufacturing of energy, the perpetual utilization of fossil fuels keeps posing a danger to the future generations as well as to the environment. The 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) research well indicated that the continuous emission of Green House Gas by the numerous industries across the globe have increased by a significant degree in the atmosphere. This trend has no doubt posed an imminent threat to the environment since the accumulation of hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in the atmosphere has reached the alarming proportions as compared to the previous research, which was conducted way back in 1996 (Making National Energy Policy, 2017). It is for these worrying symptoms that there dire need for a national energy policy arises to orchestrate the manufacturing and utilization of renewable energy; solar, hydro, thermal as opposed to non-renewable sources of power; which entails oil, coal and natural gas.
How to construct this policy
The National Energy Policy will be concerned with the creating mechanisms to process or rather establish the sources of energy, which are essentially environmentally friendly and which would still be moderate on the gross domestic product (GDP). The best example is displayed by the government of the United Kingdom (UK), which recently proposed the adoption of Photovoltaic innovation to be converting solar energy into electric energy for domestic and industrial usage (Anger, Zannier & Centre for European Policy Studies (Brussels, Belgium), 2017). This initiative has proven to be brilliant idea, which most manufacturing industries in particular must embrace as solar energy is renewable and freely available at each person’s disposal. Above all, this form of energy is overly friendly with the environmental and is not associated with any health threats to the users.
There is every need therefore, for the government to select wind and solar power energy as sources of renewable energy. In the new National Energy Policy, the government is required to exhaustively deliberate upon the effects of perpetual utilization of the non-renewable energy, not just to the environment alone, but also to individual health. The government should work with speed to launch a policy mechanism through the Energy Saving Trust to begin effecting the proposed changes as soon as possible. This mechanism should be designed to accelerate investment in energy technologies that are re ...
Center For Community Renewal Hybrid Alternative Energy System
Final Paper
1. Running head: ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
Renewable Energy Resources Applied to Zero Energy Houses and Buildings
Lucas Gimenes de Almeida
ESL Academy
ESL Academy
Ms. Marissa Michael
08/11/2014
2. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 2
Introduction
Renewable energy resources (RER) have become popular in the last few years due to
environmental problems that have been developed since the Industrial Revolution, and
worldwide policies also have been stated to decrease the emission of pollutants. Since then,
people have been thinking about how to reduce the amount of pollutants in a large scale and
what can be innovative in the RER usage. Thus, the Zero Energy Houses (ZEH) and Zero Energy
Buildings (ZEB) were created to be that innovation since many countries, such as China and US
use fossil fuel to generate energy. This is a good way to contribute to the clean energy
generation.
As RER popularity has grown, their technology has followed it as well. The efficiency of
each resource developed has increased with improvements that new technology can offer to it.
Some of these improvements are, for example, gear’s transmission for wind generators and solar
panels sun rays extraction and storage. Additionally, a few communities spread all of the world
showed that ZEH and ZEB can supply these communities during a period of a year. For instance,
the Kaupuni community in Hawaii which had a 99% clean energy consumption generated by
their ZEH. (Norton, Kiatreungwatanna and Kelly, 2013, p.)
Therefore, this paper will address the investment and payback time of RER systems in
ZEH and ZEB projects, new RER technologies that have been developed and how much energy
can be saved with ZEH and ZEB.
Zero Energy Houses and Buildings in cities and countries
Because of popularity growth and worldwide policies, countries and cities have already
implemented RER and ZEH and ZEB to generate clean energy. For instance, nineteen, 1-story
3. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 3
and 2-story houses in a Hawaii community have a photovoltaic panels system and these were
studied with the intention to analyze how much energy clean could be generated in a year as well
as how much of this energy would supply the houses’ needs. Moreover, 99% out of a 100% of
the energy consumption by the houses’ was clean energy generated by the solar panels. Thus, it
is possible to verify how Zero Energy Houses and Buildings can be crucial if applied in
neighborhoods and communities.
Furthermore, countries have been adopting these houses and buildings to increase their
clean energy generation potential. China has invested into many projects related to ZEH & ZEB
in the last few years in which the varieties of buildings encompass hotels, residential area, office,
factory building, resort, market, school and hospital building (Fig 1).
Depending on the house’s or building’s design, its energy needs, the number of people
living there and their consumption habit, the renewable energy’s project size and energy
generation will be directly affected by them. The design will directly affect the potential
available space for renewable energy project application, such as water heater, small wind power
generators and extended solar panels. In addition, if the house or building has this available
space engaged and its energy need is quite high, so the energy generation by the RER might not
cover all its energy need and will be affected as well. Thus, the best option should be chosen
4. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 4
during the house project or, if the house or building already exists, according to its blueprint. For
instance, if the right project was not chosen for a house with 4 people living and their energy
consumption habit is moderate, the renewable energy system (RES) maybe not be sufficient or it
can be over projected to the house’s needs, and if is not sufficient so the house will keep
consuming energy from the grid. Moreover, if it is over projected, the city policies may not want
or can buy the exceeded energy because it does not have technical support for it.
Types of ZEB
The ZEB have some definitions which depending of the chosen one for a project, it will
influence in the economic aspects. Each kind of ZEB has its advantages and disadvantages as
shown on table 1.
New technologies
5. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 5
As the renewable energy resources have been developed, the implemented technology
over them has been improved as well, such as a sun tracking system and the use of graphene with
other chemical compounds to enhance the efficiency of solar panels. The sun tracking concept is
that the solar panels can be capable to track the sun as it moves. Therefore, a microprocessor will
run an algorithm that will interpret the voltage difference in each photo sensor which one will be
attached in the center and other four on the corners of the panel. With the reading of the voltage
difference, the microprocessor will orientate the panels to Sun’s position with the help of stepper
motors. (Cellatoglu and Balasubramanian, 2010, p. 341)
In other words, the solar tracking system will be a better, efficient, and accurate way to collect
sun rays instead the fixed panels which only absorb the energy during a part of the day because
they are not always targeted a 100% to the sun.
A solar panel’s prototype using nanoparticles of graphene and titanium dioxide was
proposed to reduce costs and increase the solar energy conversion efficiency which reached
15.6%. (Tse-Wei Wang et al, 2013, p. A) This efficiency increase reflects the power generated
by the solar panels because it has a more powerful conversion system. Thus it will be capable to
generate more energy from the sun rays collect.
Examples of Zero Energy Buildings and Houses
6. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 6
Many ZEH and ZEB projects have been implemented during the last years for future
research focusing the DOE’s goal with the intention to facilitate ZEB market, such as (Torcellini
et al. 2004):
“Oberlin”—The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, Oberlin College.
“Zion”—The Visitor Center at Zion National Park, Springdale, Utah.
“Cambria”—The Cambria Department of Environmental Protection Office Building,
Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.
“CBF”—The Philip Merrill Environmental Center, Chesapeake Bay Foundation,
Annapolis, Maryland.
“TTF”—The Thermal Test Facility, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden,
Colorado.
“BigHorn”—The BigHorn Home Improvement Center, Silverthorne, Colorado.
(Torcellini, Pless, Deru and Crawley, 2006, p. 5)
Projects and Costs
Every ZEH and ZEB has its projects costs which will depend the project’s size and the
sector that it will be applied. The tables below show details of a solar and wind project for a
general residential and commercial area as well as the specific areas of New York City and Long
Island.
Long Island NYC
Project Size (kW) 6.16 6.9
Total System Fully Installed $32,435 $55,269
Net Cost of System After All Incentives $10,159 $16,597
Estimated Life of System 30 years 30 years
Greenhouse Gases Saved Over Life of System (lbs) 430,923 482,690
Greenhouse Gases Saved Per Year (lbs) 14,364.1 16,089.67
Annual Return on Investment (IRR): (after tax!) 20% 16%
Solar electric residential project for NYC and Long Island
7. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 7
Long Island NYC
Project Size (kW) 30 50
Total System Fully Installed $119,226 $311,738
Net Cost of System After All Incentives $22,638 $23,752
Estimated Life of System 30 years 30 years
Greenhouse Gases Saved Over Life of System (lbs) 2,098,652 3,052,784
Greenhouse Gases Saved Per Year (lbs) 69,955.07 101,759.5
Annual Return on Investment (IRR): (after tax!) 28% 52%
Solar electric commercial project for NYC and Long Island
Small
Commercial
Large
Commercial
Project Size (kW) 10 100
Total System Fully Installed $ 85,000 $ 556,000
Net Cost of System After All Incentives $ 5,726 $ 139,706
Estimated Life of System 20 years 20 years
Greenhouse Gases Saved Over Life of System (lbs) 500,840 6,925,520
Greenhouse Gases Saved Per Year (lbs) 25,042 346,276
Annual Return on Investment (IRR): (after tax!) 45% 21%
Wind power project for small and large commercial
As is possible to see on the tables above, the bigger a project is, it will result in a higher cost. If
compared the costs between the commercial sectors (table 4) is possible to verify that the energy
generation difference is 10 times greater, and the cost is $133,980 higher.
Considering the amount emitted of SO2 and NOx by coal power plants in the first quarter
of 2014 which was 244,092.80 tons [488,185,600 lbs.] (United States environmental Protection
Agency, 2014) and this production is linear for the whole year, the final estimated amount would
reach 732,278.4 tons [1,464,556,000 lbs.]. Comparing this amount to the Greenhouse gases
saved per year of each project mentioned above it is a considerable value over a solar or wind
power project, but analyzing this data into a broader way of course will be easier to reach annual
amount of SO2 and NOx. Applying the solar electric projects data of the residential area in NYC
and Long Island into a larger number of houses, the minimum number of houses to achieve the
SO2 and NOx varies from 91,000 - 102,000 houses. That means roughly 91,000 houses, based in
8. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 8
the yearly saving of Greenhouse gases for NYC, let to emit 1,464,556,000 lbs. of pollutants per
year, and this concept is also applied to the 102,000 houses in Long Island. Furthermore, for the
wind power project data for the commercial sector, the minimum number of buildings varies
from 4,500 – 59,000 .Thus, increasing the number of ZEH and ZEB, this will result in less
pollution of atmosphere since the usage of fossil fuel is reduced and maybe try to do this usage
just when it will be really necessary.
Interpreting the data of project’s annual return on investment, is possible to assert that the
payback time is not that much long. For example, let’s use the longest and the shortest payback
time for every presented project. The NYC residential solar project is the longest one and will
have 6 years and 3 months of payback time, and shortest one is the NYC commercial solar
project which will have a payback time of 2 years. The longest payback time represents 20.8% of
the project’s lifetime, thus for the other 79.2% [23 years and 9 months] will not be paid a single
dime for it. On the other hand, for the shortest payback time project, this time will decrease
greatly to 6.67% and the non-paid time will be 93.33% [28 years]. As a result, both projects
show a great cost benefit since 80% or above of the project life will be non-paid time which
means saved money.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the renewable energy resources mixed with the concept of Zero Energy
Buildings and Houses have shown that are a great kick starter to make the world become cleaner
with low-medium projects costs. Obviously as all things in the world, it has pros and cons, such
as the payback time which is considerable short, but the projects will directly depend if the
available site’s space will be suitable for them. On the other hand, new studies for improvement
9. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 9
of the renewable energy resources have been developed to increase its efficiency of energy
conversion and collect.
In a general vision, is necessary to put on the balance and weight what is the most
important thing. On the one hand we have the concerns related to the costs, payback time and if
this would be a waste of money instead of a great investment. On the other hand we have our
comfortable zone where we just sit and turn on every electronic which consumes non-renewable
energy coming from the coal or thermoelectric power plants that are polluting more and more to
attend the consumption of energy. Thus, is necessary to think if we want to turn Earth in a
chamber of pollutants or make a better place for us and the next generations and the ZEB and
ZEH are a better way to turn the world into a self-sufficient clean energy generator.
10. ZEH, ZEB AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES 10
References
Cellatoglu, Akin and Balasubramanian, Karuppanan (2010). Renewable energy resources for
residential applications in coastal areas: A modular approach. DOI:
10.1109/SSST.2010.5442813.
Norton, Paul, Kiatreungwatanna, Kosol and Kelly, Kenneth J. (2013). Evaluation of Model
Results and Measured Performance of Net-Zero Energy Homes in Hawaii.
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