Libros UCLV { BETA }

For several decades, we have seen dramatic fluctuations in fuel and electricity prices accompanied by real and perceived uncertainty about energy availability. These conditions, and the resultant public policy initiatives they have spawned, have promoted investment in energy efficiency. The energy efficiency industry has had its fits and starts, but over time it has steadily increased our overall resource utilization efficiency. The evolving deregulated energy market has opened some opportunities and closed others. However, the dynamics and complexity of utility deregulation has also led some consumers to delay acting on energy efficiency initiatives until the market matures. Environmental regulatory intensity has also fluctuated, but generally the trend has also been toward increasing incentive to reduce pollution, notably air emissions associated with energy conversion and consumption. Concerns over environmental protection, national energy security, and reliance on imported oil and nuclear power have spawned many energy regulations, utility sponsored demand-side management programs, and other public policy initiatives. There is a pervasive feeling among many that resources such as energy, water, and clean air remain undervalued. The reasoning is that the full range of external cost factors – security, public health, and environmental damage mitigation to name a few – have not been captured, or monetized, through the combined impact of market price and regulation. Hence, price signals may still not match the true cost benefits of resource conservation and environmental protection. As recently as one-half century ago, low market prices, subsidies promoting increased energy use, and widespread disregard for environmental protection led to market decisions that were generally both polluting and energy inefficient. Today, market pricing and public policy signals generally encourage energy efficiency and environmental protection. While these efforts have perhaps not succeeded to the extent warranted, they are certainly much more mainstream than in the past. Much of the potential for conservation of resources, dramatically increased energy efficiency, and decreased pollution still lies ahead. Increased vehicular efficiency, expansion of renewable resource utilization, cogeneration technology, and a litany of other energy efficiency improvements are well within our grasp, requiring only modest additional shifts forward in public policy. While public consciousness and associated policies are certainly needed, within current economic and regulatory conditions, much can be gained by simply pursuing economic efficiency. Therefore, while the author honors past public policy accomplishments and acknowledges the need for more, this book is not intended to promote energy resource efficiency from a socio/ethical standpoint. In its time, one-half century ago, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was perhaps the only viable route to elevating the public consciousness toward environmental protection. Today, there are sufficient commercially available technologies and mechanisms in place to achieve some of these ends through pursuit of economic efficiency. What is needed to more fully capture this potential is a better road map. The purpose of this book is to provide such a road map. While the author wishes to facilitate and encourage commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities to become more energy efficient for its pure environmental benefits, this book focuses on the alignment of self-interest with these objectives. Hence, other than in this introduction, there is no preaching to be “greener”. Instead, this book provides information, guidance, and techniques to achieve better economic returns through investment in energy resource optimization. It is, therefore, intended to be useful for the concerned public, as well as the self-interested, because generally speaking, it pays to be energy and environmentally efficient.