Losee ncam 2015v2

Sustainable energyin engineering applications

Presentation to the National Committee of Applied Mechanics Sustainability in Practical

Engineering, Series 2, Energy, Manufacturing and Infrastructure

Scott LoseeScott Losee Consulting

19/2/2015, NCAM Sustainability in Practical Engineering, Series 2. Brisbane

Scott LoseeConsultingFocus

How can the concept of

sustainability guide engineers in

making decisions that concern

energy?

Losee, NCAM Sustainability in Practical Engineering, Series 2, Brisbane, 19/2/2015 loseeconsulting.com.au

http://www.loseeconsulting.com.au/

Scott LoseeConsultingOutline

Lest we forget: remembering why Think sustainable Technology perspectives

The supply side silver bullet

Tyranny of the status quo

Sketching a sustainable energy future Infrastructure

Measuring the unmeasurable



Lest we forget. Remembering why

Scott LoseeConsultingEcological footprint

Number of Earth's required Number available

If all the world lived like Australians...



The world’s lights at night

Photo: Fernando Hidalgo Molina, 2008Picture taken near to Cascavel - PR - Brazil. Detail of the HVDC Line of Furnas (600kV)

1.3 billion~20% of the

world, have no electricity

The carbon budget conceptBy The World Resources Institute

When my Dad was born

When I was born

When my 1st daughter was

born

Athabasca Glacier, 1978

Athabasca Glacier, 2003

Scott LoseeConsulting

Not just climate impacts

Think sustainable.

Image source: imgkid.com


Sustainability: used and abused

Low environmental impact Consumer products Lifestyles Tack on design consideration Added cost, discretionary, fashionable accessory? Accreting assumptions

Such as the idea that renewable is, by definition, sustainable




Environmental Protection

Economic Prosperity

Social Advancement

Thinking about sustainability




Sustainability = f (Environment, Society, Economy)

1

Equation 2: Integration

Balance versus integration

Equation 1: Balance

Environment + Society + Economy3

Sustainability =



Scott LoseeConsulting‘Eighties’ sustainability



Scott LoseeConsultingAustralia NSESD 1992

Development safeguards future generations

Equity within and between generations

Protect biodiversity, ecological processes

Integrated decision making

Precautionary principle

Global environmental dimension

Strong economy can enhance capacity for environmental protection

International competitiveness in an environmentally sound manner

Cost-effective/flexible policy instruments

Broad community involvement on issues



Scott LoseeConsultingRefreshed considerations

The well-being of people, social equity and fairness

The interests of future generations Involvement of people in decisions that

affect them Precaution where there are risks and

uncertainty Future as well as immediate implications

(including the impacts of climate change) Effects that extend beyond project

boundaries Potential interaction amongst the above

considerations

Protection of the natural environment, communities and local economies

Opportunities for improved environmental and resource outcomes

Maintenance and efficient use of natural resources:

Energy efficiency and renewable energy

Water efficiency and protection of surface and groundwater

Building materials (e.g. recycled content, recyclability, embodied energy, lifespan, toxicity)

Waste (e.g. construction and demolition waste)Source: after Gibson, R., Sustainability Assessment

- Criteria and Processes, 2005



Scott LoseeConsultingWhat does this mean?



Scott LoseeConsultingHierarchies

Waste

ReduceReuseRecycleRecoverTreatDispose

Water useEnd use needsEfficiencyMatch qualityRecover/recycleTreatDispose

Energy useEnd use needsEfficiencyMatch qualityRecover/recycleOffset/trading



Scott LoseeConsultingWhat we want

Hot showers

Cold beer



Scott LoseeConsultingNot electricity



Scott LoseeConsultingEarly thinking

Sustainable Energy Systems:

1. Rely on renewable energy flows

2. Diverse

3. Flexible and relatively low-tech

4. Scale and geographic distribution matched to end use needs

5. Energy quality matched to end-use needs

1977



Scott LoseeConsultingEnd-use/least cost

How much energy of what kind at what scale and from what source would do each desired task in the cheapest way?

Amory Lovins



Scott LoseeConsultingDiesel

What kind? – source/fuel substitution exampleDiesel provides some lifecycle energy and GHG benefit over petrol



Scott LoseeConsultingHybrid

Smart technology in hybrids offer further energy benefits



Scott LoseeConsultingElectric

Energy benefits of electric cars depend on where the electricity came fromElectrification generally can allow for easier decarbonisation



Scott LoseeConsultingBananas and muesli



Scott LoseeConsultingTrade-off rules

1. Maximise net gain

2. Burden of argument on proponent

3. Avoid significant adverse effects

4. Protection of the future

5. Explicit justification

6. Open process

Source: Gibson, Sustainability Assessment- Criteria and Processes, 2005



Scott LoseeConsultingTrade-offs in practice

The tube that never was. Traded off with community engagement for more optimal outcomes



Example of major infrastructure with significant energy demand4.6 km tunnel connecting Western Freeway and Inner City Bypass. Opening this year and will be run by Transurban

Scott LoseeConsultingTunnel energy use

Electricity Demand

VentilationLightingPresurisation fansPumps

Legacy Way example

Based on EIS

22,873 MWh pa

21,513 tCO2-e pa

=1,434 Households




Image source: http://www.bmd.com.au

Ventilation outlet vs. portals

Potential optimising between energy hungry stack ventilation and portal emissions




Result of systematic approach

Leads us to more sustainable solutions, choices and decisions

Shows why

Avoids jumping to conclusions e.g. not just renewable supply for its

own sake



Technology perspectives

Image source: Ratcliffe Power Plant, Nottinghamshire, by Alan Zomerfled, Wikipedia, 2006

Scott LoseeConsultingThe supply side silver bullet

There is a tendency to think in terms of finding a single, major new energy source that will fulfil all our needs cleanly and affordably




Sustainable energy technologies

Today’s examples Solar concentrating with storage (Prof. Gurgenci)

Personal microturbines (Dr Skoufa)

Supply side: more sustainable generation? Solar PV, wind, tidal, wave, hydrogen, offshore wind, solar thermal, biomass,

biogas…

Demand side: energy efficiency technologies? LED lights, variable speed drives, chilled beams, smart grids, batteries,

daylighting, hybrid motors, smart grids…



Scott LoseeConsultingCompetition between sources

Example of former Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke becoming fixated on a tidal power opportunity




Logic and messy reality

Big ‘P’ politics Small ‘p’ politics

Who wins/who loses among voters and stakeholders

Image, posturing Dogma

Who is the smartest engineer? Whose feels threatened? Hobby horses, pet projects, bias

Graphic source: Australian Renewable Energy Agency, 2014



Good technologyis not enough

Council buses on theroads in 1999


Image source: www.busesworldwide.org

EOI and tender evaluation looked at performance instead of fuel type

Engineers argued to wait for H fuel cell and WA Government promoted this view

Old technology electric storage hot water systems removed during sustainable retrofitting project, presented as art at Powerhouse Museum

Image source: http://aaa-lux-lighting.com/schiphol/

LEDs – breakthrough happing now

Sketching a sustainable energy future

Image source: Scott Losee


Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy - Opportunities for Australia? 2006

Macro-level choices



Scott LoseeConsultingWhy not nuclear?

Issues: No solution for high level waste

½ life of plutonium = 24,000 years

Upstream low level waste

Security risk

Radiation leaks, meltdowns

Nuclear priesthood

Would you call it sustainable?

Image source: logo-kid.com



Scott LoseeConsultingFuel mix transition

BREE, Australian Energy Projections to 2050, Dec. 2012

2013 2035 20500

100

200

300

400

GeothermalSolarBioenergyWindHydroOilGasBrown coalBlack coal

Image source: Origin Energy advertising campaign

Scott LoseeConsultingSmart grids

Image source: Space-Time Insight via Smart Grid News



Scott LoseeConsultingSmart grid possibilities

Image source (above): Scott LoseeImage source (left): Amazon.com, Leviton EVB22-3PM Evr-Green 160 Home Charging Station, 3.8kW output, Level 2



Infrastructure –measuring the unmeasurable

Image source: easysewingforbeginners.com


Defining sustainability for buildings




The rating schemeInfrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia

A scheme to guide (and rate) the sustainability of design, construction and operations of Australia’s infrastructure




55+ member organisations

employing

70,000+ people

Industry leadership



Scott LoseeConsultingIS benefits

Common national language for sustainability Consistent application and evaluation in tendering Scoping whole-of-life risks for projects and assets,

enabling smarter solutions that reduce risks and costs Fosters resource efficiency and waste reduction,

reducing costs Fosters innovation and continuous improvement Builds an organisation’s credentials and reputation



Scott LoseeConsultingIS rating tool scorecard

Release date: 16/03/2012Original release date: 29/02/2012

Themes Categories Categories No. Credits Score Possible

Management Systems Man 8 10.5

Procurement and Purchasing Pro 4 5.0

Climate Change Adaptation Cli 2 5.0

Energy and Carbon Ene 3 10.5

Water Wat 3 7.0

Materials Mat 2 7.0

Discharges to Air, Land and Water Dis 5 10.5

Land Lan 4 7.0

Waste Was 3 7.0

Ecology Ecology Eco 4 10.5

Community Health, Well-being and Safety Hea 3 5.0

Heritage Her 2 5.0

Stakeholder Participation Sta 4 5.0

Urban and Landscape Design Urb 4 5.0

51 100

Innovation Innovation Inn 1 5

Using Resources

Emissions, Pollution and

Waste

People and Place

Management and

Governance

Graphical Summary >>

Credit Summary >>

Project/Asset Input >>

Instructions >>

Introduction >>

Start Credits >>

Menu

Infrastructure Sustainability Rating ToolVersion 1.0


Original tunnel design(note fans)

– Redesigned for natural ventilation

– Roof slopes up

– No fans (i.e. no replacement, testing, substations or fan control gear)

– Some natural light

Scott LoseeConsultingISCA project energy achievements

Project/asset Energy outcomes

Whitsunday STP UpgradesDesign and As Built

• 20,700 tCO2e reduced over lifecycle• 15.5% reduction in energy use• Further savings from Design Rating

Gold Coast Light RailDesign

• 55% improvement in embodied carbon against reference design

• 104,000 tCO2e embodied carbon reduction

Googong Water Treatment Plant Chemical Facility Upgrade (ACT)Design

• 275 tCO2e avoided• 16 t of steel reduced• Halved the use of crushed rock

Great Eastern Highway Upgrade (WA)As Built

• Extensive use of recycled materials• Reducing use of limestone, sand and bitumen• 43% of imported material recycled



Scott LoseeConsultingWrap-up

Climate change is one of several pressing challenges

Sustainability more than just a word Opportunities in infrastructure abound End use/least cost What role will you play in facing sustainable

energy choices? Best technology not enough to create

changeImage source: Scott Losee



Thank you

Scott Losee / 0404 467 228 / [email protected]

@Scott_Losee

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