Plan B 4.0 Mobilizing to Save Civilization

Chapter 4: Stabilizing Climate: An Energy Efficiency Revolution

Clark BockelmanCole RussertJames Howe

Lighting Technology Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL)

75% less energy than an incandescentLasts 10 times as longEnergy saved over its lifetime is equivalent to

driving a Prius from New York to San Francisco

Lighting TechnologyLight Emitting Diode (LED)

Uses 85% less energy than an incandescentLast 50 times as longLED installed at time of child’s birth will still be

working when they graduate from college

Energy Comparison

Energy Efficient Appliances

Large potential for reducing electricity usage in China, United States and the European Union

Small drops in electricity usage could close down multiple coal-fired plants

Energy Efficient Appliances

China1980-manufactured 50,000 refrigerators2008-manufactured 48 million refrigerators, 90

million color TV’s, 42 million clothes washersFor every 100 households there are 138 TV’s, 97

washing machines, and 88 air conditionersIncreased China’s electricity use by 11-fold from

1980 to 2007

Energy Efficient Appliances

United States5% of total electricity usage is with appliances in

standby modeDrop of just 1% could close down 17 coal-fired

plantsFlat screen TV’s use 4 times as much electricity as

normal TV’s

Energy Efficient Appliances

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is putting development into reducing the power consumed by appliances when they’re not in use as a top priority

Steps being taken by Japan to increase energy efficiency 1990-2007 raised efficiency standards between

15-83% percent for various appliances

Zero-Carbon BuildingsBuildings (commercial/residential) account for

72% of electricity use and 38% of Carbon Dioxide emissions worldwide

Zero-Carbon BuildingsU.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has

authority world wide on green buildingsPerform Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design (LEED) certification and rating program

Zero-Carbon BuildingsLEED

4 Certifications; points add up off of basic certification based on higher levels of efficiencyCertifiedSilverGoldPlatinum

Electrifying the Transport System

High-speed rail systemsBenefit

Save time and energyReduce the need for carsOutput of non-harmful emissions (1/3 emissions of a

car and ¼ of a plane per passenger)Goal is to have zero emission use by using renewable

electricity resourcesGoals to triple the amount of rail systems in China

and Europe by 2020

Electrifying the Transport System

JapanNot a single death in over 40 years1,360 miles of High-speed rail systems

Reduces an 8 hour drive to a 2 hour train ride between Tokyo and Osaka

Electrifying the Transport System

Japan

Europe

China

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000

High-speed Rail Projection

ProjectedCurrent

Miles

Countr

y

Electrifying the Transport System

U.S. government passed an $8 billion stimulus plan in 2009 for high-speed rail systems in different sections

California passed a $10 billion bond in 2008 to help build a high-speed rail system from the south to north

Energy Grids The lack of transmission capacity in the eastern United States is estimated to

cost consumers $16 billion a year

Fixing the non-efficient grid Creating a strong National grid “Smart” grid-appliances relay information between consumers and the utility

companies “Smart meters” shift electricity geographically during periods of peak demand and

off-peak demand Metaphorically as successful as the interstate highway system in the U.S.

Energy Saving Potential Switching to more energy efficient lighting, appliances, buildings,

transportation, and grids can offset 30% growth in global energy demands

Switching to more efficient lighting alone would lower world electricity demands by 12%

Simple way to achieve all efficiency models is to adopt a carbon tax