Peak Oil? Try Conservation 101 First

[FRED]

How to reduce fixed energy use by 2/3.

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: Peak Oil? Try Conservation 101 First

As a rule, I don't watch youtube stuff, but this one is quite pertinent.

When I worked, some of the best research affecting what I did came out of the Netherlands, Copenhagen, and Malmo in particular and Sweden in general. It struck me 25 years ago that the scientific training and the subsequent approach to problem solutions in the area of my interest was significantly better in those three particular places than it was anywhere in the entire US, and rather much the world for that matter. The youtube video was eye opening to me, but I was not surprised to see how attainment of better education and apparently much better government can lead to fruitful solutions to pressing problems.

Overall the video once again leaves me with little pride in the United States.

[jk]

Re: Peak Oil? Try Conservation 101 First

i built my home during the last energy crisis, in the late '70's, so it's combined passive solar, oil hot air, wood stove, and in a later addition radiant electric. i remember in the early 80's reading about cogeneration engines. my oil furnace burns heating oil which is essentially identical with diesel fuel. why isn't that fuel being run through an engine that generates electricity while the heat is collected for my house? the technology was obvious 25 years ago, but what is required is a mandate for the utilities to let me run my meter backwards by putting the power back into the grid.

so much of this has to do with an abdication of leadership and responsibility by our government.

[Pervilis Spurius]

Re: Peak Oil? Try Conservation 101 First

The scandinavians have a seemingly long tradition in efficient energy use. In the 1700's when faced with a deforestation problem they developed and implemented widely the Masonry Furnace, which is far and away more efficient than a fireplace or wood stove. The downside of the Masonry Furnace is that you can't get heat on demand since the radiant heat transfer gradient is long and slow.