SKILLS FOR SUSTAINABLELITERACY:

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

¢Units and scaling of units (SI prefixes!)

SERVICES VS. ENERGY

¢People consume services, “not 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¢Can anyone tell me their last

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?

¢Lack of Feedback!“You can’t control what you don’t monitor”

APPROPRIATE SCALES¢Look at scaling factors between

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…¢Language colours how we view things:

¢ 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?

¢ Subtle half truths advanced by technology promoters. As educators we should be mindful to them and more “critical”.

THE EDISON ILLUMINATINGCOMPANY¢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 greenInnovations…

¢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?¢Does it fulfil a genuine

articulated societal need?

� “Or is it like the adjacent solar powered dancing panda”

¢“Eco Tat”

GREEN MATERIALS DON’TMAKE IT GREEN…¢Often a thin-veneer of “green material” is

used to impart some kind of “eco-credential” to a product.

¢We should questionmore deeply the designethic of the productbeyond the superficial.

BOLT-ON RENEWABLES¢Are they just “eco-jewellery”

¢If mounted on a moving object, would that same technology be better deployed in a stationary application?