What does it mean to improve energy efficiency?
How much and in what ways is commercial energy wasted (i.e., it does not produce useful work)?
We rely heavily on five energy-inefficient devices. What are they?
To most energy analysts, what are the benefits of improving energy efficiency?
Industry accounts for about 30% of the world’s energy consumption (33% in the US). List 4 ways industry can improve its energy efficiency.
In the US, transportation accounts for about 28% of energy consumption. Why do consumers buy large and energy-inefficient vehicles? What are some of the hidden costs?
Energy expert Amory Lovins has proposed a fee-bate program. How would such a program work?
How does a hybrid car work? How efficient are they in terms of energy and pollution reduction?
How does a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle work? How efficient are they in terms of energy?
True or False. Fully electric cars do not contribute any CO2 to the atmosphere. Explain the reason for your answer.
If hybrid cars are so great, why don’t more people have them?
If a building is oriented to face the sun, how much can it cut its heating costs?
What is green architecture?
What is the LEED program?
List some ways we can make existing buildings more energy efficient.
List 3 reasons why so little emphasis is placed on improving energy efficiency.
Explain how passive solar heating systems work.
Explain how active solar heating systems work.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of passive and active solar heating?
Explain how solar thermal systems (concentrated solar power – CSP) work. Where are they mainly located and why?
What are advantages and disadvantages of solar thermal systems?
What are photovoltaic (PV) cells (a.k.a solar cells) and how do they work?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar cells?
Hydropower is the leading renewable energy resource. How much of the world’s electricity does it produce?
What countries are the world’s top 4 producers of hydropower?
Explain the concern regarding methane gas (CH4) and hydropower dams.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydropower?
Where have most of the world’s wind farm been built? Where is the frontier of winding energy?
Wind is abundant, widely distributed, and inexhaustible. Wind farms can be built quickly, can be expanded as needed and have a small land footprint. Wind power also has a high net energy yield. So, what are the drawbacks?
What is meant by the fuel-wood crisis in less developed countries?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of burning solid biomass?
What are liquid biofuels?
Which countries are the biggest producers of biofuels?
Read the case studies, “Is Biodiesel the Answer?” and “Is Ethanol the Answer?” What are the advantages and disadvantages of these biofuels? Do you think they are the answer? Why or why not?
Explain how geothermal energy can be utilized to heat or cool a home.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal energy?
Why is hydrogen so intriguing as a possible energy source?
Currently, there are major drawbacks to using hydrogen. What are they?
What are the three general conclusions that scientists and energy experts have come to with regard to possible energy futures?