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123-805: Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates ( soot ), hydrocarbons , carbon monoxide , ozone , lead , and various oxides of nitrogen . Although not considered emission pollutants by the original California Air Resources Board (CARB) or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) definitions, the most recent common use of the term also includes volatile organic compounds , several toxic airborne compounds (such as 1,3-Butadiene ), and pollutants of global significance such as carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases . Examples of zero-emission vehicle with different power sources can include muscle-powered vehicles such as bicycles , electric bicycles , and gravity racers . Also other battery electric vehicles , which may shift emissions to

246-520: A diameter of 10 micrometers (μm) or less; fine particles, designated PM 2.5 , with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less; ultrafine particles , with a diameter of 100 nm or less; and soot . Airborne particulate matter is a Group 1 carcinogen . Particulates are the most harmful form (other than ultra-fines ) of air pollution as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and brain from blood streams, causing health problems such as heart disease , lung disease , cancer and preterm birth . There

369-478: A BAS to automatically update the plaque, providing a near-real-time view of performance. The USGBC office in Washington, D.C. is one of the first buildings to feature the live-updating LEED Dynamic Plaque. Industries use a large amount of energy to power a diverse range of manufacturing and resource extraction processes. Many industrial processes require large amounts of heat and mechanical power, most of which

492-464: A building can reduce the need for artificial lighting. Increased use of natural and task lighting has been shown by one study to increase productivity in schools and offices. Compact fluorescent lamps use two-thirds less energy and may last 6 to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs . Newer fluorescent lights produce a natural light, and in most applications they are cost effective, despite their higher initial cost, with payback periods as low as

615-555: A building's compliance with the following criteria: Sustainable sites , water efficiency , energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design. In 2013, USGBC developed the LEED Dynamic Plaque, a tool to track building performance against LEED metrics and a potential path to recertification. The following year, the council collaborated with Honeywell to pull data on energy and water use, as well as indoor air quality from

738-502: A climate feedback) by the IPCC due to the interdependence between it and the hydrological cycle. However, it has previously been classified as a negative radiative forcing. Sulfate aerosols are mostly inorganic sulfur compounds like (SO 4 ),HSO 4 and H 2 SO 4 , which are mainly produced when sulfur dioxide reacts with water vapor to form gaseous sulfuric acid and various salts (often through an oxidation reaction in

861-522: A completely enclosed system or facility, and fit any vent or exhaust with an effective fabric filter or equivalent air pollution control system or equipment, enclose the scaffolding of the building with dust screens, use impervious sheeting to enclose both material hoist and debris chute, wet debris with water before it is dumped into a debris chute, have water sprayed on the facade surface before and during grinding work, use grinder equipped with vacuum cleaner for facade grinding work, spray water continuously on

984-428: A constant speed, but a variable speed drive allows the motor's energy output to match the required load. This achieves energy savings ranging from 3 to 60 percent, depending on how the motor is used. Motor coils made of superconducting materials can also reduce energy losses. Motors may also benefit from voltage optimization . Industry uses a large number of pumps and compressors of all shapes and sizes and in

1107-627: A danger to health. Particulate toxicity has been found to vary by region and source contribution which affects the particles chemical composition. The chemical composition of the aerosol directly affects how it interacts with solar radiation. The chemical constituents within the aerosol change the overall refractive index . The refractive index will determine how much light is scattered and absorbed. The composition of particulate matter that generally causes visual effects, haze , consists of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, mineral dust, and organic matter. The particles are hygroscopic due to

1230-418: A documented methodology for calculating and reporting on energy savings and energy efficiency for countries and cities. The first EU-wide energy efficiency target was set in 1998. Member states agreed to improve energy efficiency by 1 percent a year over twelve years. In addition, legislation about products, industry, transport and buildings has contributed to a general energy efficiency framework. More effort

1353-534: A few months. LED lamps use only about 10% of the energy an incandescent lamp requires. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system organized by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to promote environmental responsibility in building design. They currently offer four levels of certification for existing buildings (LEED-EBOM) and new construction (LEED-NC) based on

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1476-410: A first step or "pre-cleaner" to other more efficient collectors. Well-designed cyclonic separators can be very efficient in removing even fine particulates, and may be operated continuously without requiring frequent shutdowns for maintenance. Fabric filters or baghouses are the most commonly employed in general industry. They work by forcing dust-laden air through a bag-shaped fabric filter leaving

1599-597: A flexible energy tax which rises as petrol prices fall, thereby incentivizing fuel conservation despite low oil prices. In Spain, four out of every five buildings use more energy than they should. They are either inadequately insulated or consume energy inefficiently. The Unión de Créditos Immobiliarios (UCI), which has operations in Spain and Portugal, is increasing loans to homeowners and building management groups for energy-efficiency initiatives. Their Residential Energy Rehabilitation initiative aims to remodel and encourage

1722-523: A global mean radiative forcing of +0.2 W/m (was +0.1 W/m in the Second Assessment Report of the IPCC, SAR), with a range +0.1 to +0.4 W/m . A study published in 2013 however, states that "the best estimate for the industrial-era (1750 to 2005) direct radiative forcing of atmospheric black carbon is +0.71 W/m with 90% uncertainty bounds of (+0.08, +1.27) W/m " with "total direct forcing by all-black carbon sources, without subtracting

1845-562: A high sulfur content, primarily coal and certain less-refined fuels, like aviation and bunker fuel , had dominated. By 1990, global human-caused emissions of sulfur into the atmosphere became "at least as large" as all natural emissions of sulfur-containing compounds combined , and were at least 10 times more numerous than the natural aerosols in the most polluted regions of Europe and North America, where they accounted for 25% or more of all air pollution. This led to acid rain , and also contributed to heart and lung conditions and even

1968-556: A long trend in a wider recognition of energy efficiency as the "first fuel", meaning the ability to replace or avoid the consumption of actual fuels. In fact, International Energy Agency has calculated that the application of energy efficiency measures in the years 1974-2010 has succeeded in avoiding more energy consumption in its member states than is the consumption of any particular fuel, including fossil fuels (i.e. oil, coal and natural gas). Moreover, it has long been recognized that energy efficiency brings other benefits additional to

2091-446: A low-energy mode after a certain time. Many countries identify energy-efficient appliances using energy input labeling . The impact of energy efficiency on peak demand depends on when the appliance is used. For example, an air conditioner uses more energy during the afternoon when it is hot. Therefore, an energy-efficient air conditioner will have a larger impact on peak demand than off-peak demand. An energy-efficient dishwasher, on

2214-562: A mixture of both, monthly. The size distribution time series shows that in the planet's most southerly latitudes, nearly all the aerosols are large, but in the high northern latitudes, smaller aerosols are very abundant. Most of the Southern Hemisphere is covered by the ocean, where the largest source of aerosols is natural sea salt from dried sea spray. Because the land is concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere,

2337-431: A negligible amount of electricity while charging via a standard wall outlet. Wind-powered land vehicles operating on wind exist (using wind turbines and kites ). For boats and other watercraft , regular and special sails (as rotorsails , wing sails , turbo sails , skysails ) exist that can propel them without emissions. An electric aircraft is an aircraft powered by electric motors. Electricity may be supplied by

2460-1018: A net increase in resource use and associated pollution. These are examples of the direct rebound effect . Estimates of the size of the rebound effect range from roughly 5% to 40%. The rebound effect is likely to be less than 30% at the household level and may be closer to 10% for transport. A rebound effect of 30% implies that improvements in energy efficiency should achieve 70% of the reduction in energy consumption projected using engineering models. Modern appliances, such as, freezers , ovens , stoves , dishwashers , clothes washers and dryers, use significantly less energy than older appliances. Current energy-efficient refrigerators, for example, use 40 percent less energy than conventional models did in 2001. Following this, if all households in Europe changed their more than ten-year-old appliances into new ones, 20 billion kWh of electricity would be saved annually, hence reducing CO 2 emissions by almost 18 billion kg. In

2583-426: A net negative radiative forcing. The magnitude of the resultant radiative forcing due to the direct effect of an aerosol is dependent on the albedo of the underlying surface, as this affects the net amount of radiation absorbed or scattered to space. For example, if a highly scattering aerosol is above a surface of low albedo it has a greater radiative forcing than if it was above a surface of high albedo. The converse

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2706-403: A new energy efficiency target of 27% or greater by 2030. One mechanism used to achieve the target of 27% is the 'Suppliers Obligations & White Certificates'. The ongoing debate around the 2016 Clean Energy Package also puts an emphasis on energy efficiency, but the goal will probably remain around 30% greater efficiency compared to 1990 levels. Some have argued that this will not be enough for

2829-486: A number of processes and energy services that are widely used in many industries. Various industries generate steam and electricity for subsequent use within their facilities. When electricity is generated, the heat that is produced as a by-product can be captured and used for process steam, heating or other industrial purposes. Conventional electricity generation is about 30% efficient, whereas combined heat and power (also called co-generation ) converts up to 90 percent of

2952-408: A particle. The SSA tends to unity if scattering dominates, with relatively little absorption, and decreases as absorption increases, becoming zero for infinite absorption. For example, the sea-salt aerosol has an SSA of 1, as a sea-salt particle only scatters, whereas soot has an SSA of 0.23, showing that it is a major atmospheric aerosol absorber. The Indirect aerosol effect consists of any change to

3075-511: A per capita basis while national US consumption doubled. As part of its strategy, California implemented a "loading order" for new energy resources that puts energy efficiency first, renewable electricity supplies second, and new fossil-fired power plants last. States such as Connecticut and New York have created quasi-public Green Banks to help residential and commercial building-owners finance energy efficiency upgrades that reduce emissions and cut consumers' energy costs. Energy conservation

3198-772: A regional scale. The failure of the Indian monsoon has been linked to the suppression of evaporation of water from the Indian Ocean due to the semi-direct effect of anthropogenic aerosol. Recent studies of the Sahel drought and major increases since 1967 in rainfall in Australia over the Northern Territory , Kimberley , Pilbara and around the Nullarbor Plain have led some scientists to conclude that

3321-482: A significant rise in energy efficiency investments reported by SMEs and mid-cap companies. Energy efficiency is central to energy policy in Germany . As of late 2015, national policy includes the following efficiency and consumption targets (with actual values for 2014): Recent progress toward improved efficiency has been steady aside from the financial crisis of 2007–08 . Some however believe energy efficiency

3444-546: A significant role, both between improved vehicle efficiency and the distance travelled, and between improved vehicle efficiency and an increase in vehicle weights and engine power. In 2014, the German federal government released its National Action Plan on Energy Efficiency (NAPE). The areas covered are the energy efficiency of buildings, energy conservation for companies, consumer energy efficiency, and transport energy efficiency. The central short-term measures of NAPE include

3567-467: A variety of methods including batteries, ground power cables, solar cells, ultracapacitors, fuel cells and power beaming. Between 2015 and 2016, Solar Impulse 2 completed a circumnavigation of the Earth using solar power. Japanese public transport is being driven in the direction of zero emissions due to growing environmental concern. Honda has launched a conceptual bus which features exercise machines to

3690-671: A wide variety of applications. The efficiency of pumps and compressors depends on many factors but often improvements can be made by implementing better process control and better maintenance practices. Compressors are commonly used to provide compressed air which is used for sand blasting, painting, and other power tools. According to the US Department of Energy, optimizing compressed air systems by installing variable speed drives, along with preventive maintenance to detect and fix air leaks, can improve energy efficiency 20 to 50 percent. The estimated energy efficiency for an automobile

3813-479: Is 280 Passenger-Mile/10 Btu. There are several ways to enhance a vehicle's energy efficiency. Using improved aerodynamics to minimize drag can increase vehicle fuel efficiency . Reducing vehicle weight can also improve fuel economy, which is why composite materials are widely used in car bodies. More advanced tires, with decreased tire to road friction and rolling resistance, can save gasoline. Fuel economy can be improved by up to 3.3% by keeping tires inflated to

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3936-503: Is a first order effect and therefore classified as a radiative forcing by the IPCC . An increase in cloud droplet number due to the introduction of aerosol acts to reduce the cloud droplet size, as the same amount of water is divided into more droplets. This has the effect of suppressing precipitation, increasing the cloud lifetime, known as the cloud lifetime aerosol effect, second indirect effect or Albrecht effect. This has been observed as

4059-400: Is a significant change in lowering the carbon footprint . A building's location and surroundings play a key role in regulating its temperature and illumination. For example, trees, landscaping, and hills can provide shade and block wind. In cooler climates, designing northern hemisphere buildings with south facing windows and southern hemisphere buildings with north facing windows increases

4182-428: Is also dependent upon air flow rates and the partial pressure of the gases in the inspired air. The fate of a specific contaminant is dependent upon the form in which it exists (aerosol or particulate). Inhalation also depends upon the breathing rate of the subject. Another complexity not entirely documented is how the shape of PM can affect health, except for the needle-like shape of asbestos fibres which can lodge in

4305-458: Is because they make energy services cheaper, and so consumption of those services increases. For example, since fuel efficient vehicles make travel cheaper, consumers may choose to drive farther, thereby offsetting some of the potential energy savings. Similarly, an extensive historical analysis of technological efficiency improvements has conclusively shown that energy efficiency improvements were almost always outpaced by economic growth, resulting in

4428-417: Is broader than energy efficiency in including active efforts to decrease energy consumption, for example through behaviour change , in addition to using energy more efficiently. Examples of conservation without efficiency improvements are heating a room less in winter, using the car less, air-drying your clothes instead of using the dryer, or enabling energy saving modes on a computer. As with other definitions,

4551-409: Is classified as the direct effect. It encompasses many individual mechanisms, and in general is more poorly defined and understood than the direct and indirect aerosol effects. For instance, if absorbing aerosols are present in a layer aloft in the atmosphere, they can heat surrounding air which inhibits the condensation of water vapour, resulting in less cloud formation. Additionally, heating a layer of

4674-483: Is composed of pure carbon clusters, skeleton balls and fullerenes , and is one of the most important absorbing aerosol species in the atmosphere. It should be distinguished from organic carbon (OC): clustered or aggregated organic molecules on their own or permeating an EC buckyball. Black carbon from fossil fuels is estimated by the IPCC in the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC, 4AR, to contribute

4797-438: Is delivered as natural gas , petroleum fuels , and electricity . In addition some industries generate fuel from waste products that can be used to provide additional energy. Because industrial processes are so diverse it is impossible to describe the multitude of possible opportunities for energy efficiency in industry. Many depend on the specific technologies and processes in use at each industrial facility. There are, however,

4920-492: Is dictated by whatever process (such as coal-burning, hydroelectric, or renewable source) created the power. Plug-ins can typically drive for around 40 miles (64 km) purely on electricity without recharging; if the battery runs low, a gas engine kicks in allowing for extended range. Finally, all-electric cars are also growing in popularity; the Tesla Model S sedan is the only high-performance all-electric car currently on

5043-672: Is highest near the source of emission. Any information regarding DPM and the atmosphere, flora, height, and distance from major sources is useful to determine health effects. Particulate matter emissions are highly regulated in most industrialized countries. Due to environmental concerns , most industries are required to operate some kind of dust collection system. These systems include inertial collectors ( cyclonic separators ), fabric filter collectors (baghouses) , electrostatic filters used in facemasks, wet scrubbers , and electrostatic precipitators . Cyclonic separators are useful for removing large, coarse particles and are often employed as

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5166-727: Is mainly because the presence of sulfate and nitrate causes the aerosols to increase to a size that scatters light effectively. Organic matter (OM) found in aerosols can be either primary or secondary, the latter part deriving from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); organic material in the atmosphere may either be biogenic or anthropogenic . Organic matter influences the atmospheric radiation field by both scattering and absorption. Some aerosols are predicted to include strongly light-absorbing material and are thought to yield large positive radiative forcing . Some secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) resulting from combustion products of internal combustion engines, have been identified as

5289-584: Is needed to address heating and cooling: there is more heat wasted during electricity production in Europe than is required to heat all buildings in the continent. All in all, EU energy efficiency legislation is estimated to deliver savings worth the equivalent of up to 326 million tons of oil per year by 2020. The EU set itself a 20% energy savings target by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, but member states decide individually how energy savings will be achieved. At an EU summit in October 2014, EU countries agreed on

5412-851: Is no safe level of particulates. Worldwide, exposure to PM 2.5 contributed to 4.1 million deaths from heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic lung disease, and respiratory infections in 2016. Overall, ambient particulate matter is one of the leading risk factor for premature death globally. Human activities generate significant amounts of particulates. For example: Some types of dust, e.g., ashes , soot , paint , glass , plastic and dust from certain man-made fibres, which are brittle and break easily (can fragment and "proliferate"), can pose greater threats and irritations to humans. Those with sharp edges may be even more problematic. The number, shapes, stickiness, etc. of particulates may also be altered by different meteorological conditions. Human-made (anthropogenic) aerosols account for about 10 percent of

5535-521: Is not needed, or it can be connected to the grid to use the excess electricity from the grid and produce electricity, e.g. at hydrogen pump stations. As a result, development of FCVs can be a big step toward sustainable development and reducing GHG emission in a long-term perspective. Other countries have a different definition of ZEV, noteworthy the more recent inclusion of greenhouse gases , as many European rules now regulate CO 2 emissions. CARB's role in regulating greenhouse gases began in 2004 based on

5658-482: Is not only equivalent to a 1.4-liter 16v engine, but fuel consumption is 30% lower." Energy-efficient vehicles may reach twice the fuel efficiency of the average automobile. Cutting-edge designs, such as the diesel Mercedes-Benz Bionic concept vehicle have achieved a fuel efficiency as high as 84 miles per US gallon (2.8 L/100 km; 101 mpg ‑imp ), four times the current conventional automotive average. The mainstream trend in automotive efficiency

5781-446: Is still under-recognized in terms of its contribution to Germany's energy transformation (or Energiewende ). Efforts to reduce final energy consumption in transport sector have not been successful, with a growth of 1.7% between 2005 and 2014. This growth is due to both road passenger and road freight transport. Both sectors increased their overall distance travelled to record the highest figures ever for Germany. Rebound effects played

5904-719: Is the National Partnership Agreement on Energy Efficiency. In August 2017, the Government of Canada released Build Smart - Canada's Buildings Strategy, as a key driver of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change , Canada's national climate strategy. A 2011 Energy Modeling Forum study covering the United States examined how energy efficiency opportunities will shape future fuel and electricity demand over

6027-548: Is the process of reducing the amount of energy required to provide products and services. There are many technologies and methods available that are more energy efficient than conventional systems. For example, insulating a building allows it to use less heating and cooling energy while still maintaining a comfortable temperature . Another method is to remove energy subsidies that promote high energy consumption and inefficient energy use. Improved energy efficiency in buildings , industrial processes and transportation could reduce

6150-561: Is the rise of electric vehicles (all-electric or hybrid electric). Electric engines have more than double the efficiency of internal combustion engines. Hybrids, like the Toyota Prius , use regenerative braking to recapture energy that would dissipate in normal cars; the effect is especially pronounced in city driving. Plug-in hybrids also have increased battery capacity, which makes it possible to drive for limited distances without burning any gasoline; in this case, energy efficiency

6273-438: Is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hence work towards climate action . A focus on energy efficiency can also have a national security benefit because it can reduce the amount of energy that has to be imported from other countries. Energy efficiency and renewable energy go hand in hand for sustainable energy policies. They are high priority actions in the energy hierarchy . Energy productivity , which measures

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6396-445: Is true of absorbing aerosol, with the greatest radiative forcing arising from a highly absorbing aerosol over a surface of high albedo. The direct aerosol effect is a first-order effect and is therefore classified as a radiative forcing by the IPCC . The interaction of an aerosol with radiation is quantified by the single-scattering albedo (SSA), the ratio of scattering alone to scattering plus absorption ( extinction ) of radiation by

6519-580: The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference , one of the adopted declaration was the GLOBAL RENEWABLES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PLEDGE signed by 123 countries. The declaration includes obligations to consider energy efficiency as "first fuel" and double the rate of increase in energy efficiency from 2% per year to 4% per year by the year 2030. China and India did not signed this pledge. International standards ISO   17743 and ISO   17742 provide

6642-465: The Council of Australian Governments , which represents the individual states and territories of Australia, agreed to a National Strategy on Energy Efficiency (NSEE). This is a ten-year plan accelerating the implementation of a nationwide adoption of energy-efficient practices and a preparation for the country's transformation into a low carbon future. The overriding agreement that governs this strategy

6765-809: The Innovation Fund for the development of the Joule. The Joule is a five-seater car, planned to be released in 2014. However the company ceased trading in 2012. Several cities have implemented low-emission zones . Launched in 2019 and set to expand in 2023, the implementation of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) incentivizes and accelerates the widespread adoption of cleaner vehicles through setting daily charge rates for driving vehicles that are non-compliant with ULEZ emission standards. Particulates Particulates or atmospheric particulate matter (see below for other names) are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in

6888-483: The U.K. and 19% in China . Apart from animal-powered and human-powered vehicles , battery electric vehicles (which include cars , aircraft and boats) also do not emit any of the above pollutants, nor any CO 2 gases during use. This is a particularly important quality in densely populated areas, where the health of residents can be severely affected. However, the production of the fuels that power ZEVs, such as

7011-573: The air . The term aerosol refers to the particulate/air mixture , as opposed to the particulate matter alone, though it is sometimes defined as a subset of aerosol terminology. Sources of particulate matter can be natural or anthropogenic . They have impacts on climate and precipitation that adversely affect human health , in ways additional to direct inhalation. Types of atmospheric particles include suspended particulate matter; thoracic and respirable particles; inhalable coarse particles, designated PM 10 , which are coarse particles with

7134-485: The clouds ), which are then thought to experience hygroscopic growth and coagulation and then shrink through evaporation . Some of them are biogenic (typically produced via atmospheric chemical reactions with dimethyl sulfide from mostly marine plankton ) or geological via volcanoes or weather-driven from wildfires and other natural combustion events, but in the recent decades anthropogenic sulfate aerosols produced through combustion of fossil fuels with

7257-607: The 1960s, the Flying Pigeon bicycle became the single most popular mechanized vehicle on the planet. Some 210 million electric bikes are on the road in China. Segway Personal Transporters are two-wheeled, self-balancing, battery-powered machines that are eleven times more energy-efficient than the average American car. Operating on two lithium-ion batteries, the Segway PT produces zero emissions during operation, and utilizes

7380-452: The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo which caused a global cooling of approximately 0.5 °C lasting several years. Research tracking the effect of light-scattering aerosols in the stratosphere during 2000 and 2010 and comparing its pattern to volcanic activity show a close correlation. Simulations of the effect of anthropogenic particles showed little influence at present levels. Aerosols are also thought to affect weather and climate on

7503-568: The 2002 Pavley Act (AB 1493) , but was blocked by lawsuits and by the EPA in 2007, by rejecting the required waiver. Additional responsibilities were granted to CARB by California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), which includes the mandate to set low-carbon fuel standards . As a result of an investigation into false advertising regarding "zero-emissions" claims, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in

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7626-573: The EU to meet its Paris Agreement goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to 1990 levels. In the European Union, 78% of enterprises proposed energy-saving methods in 2023, 67% listed energy contract renegotiation as a strategy, and 62% stated passing on costs to consumers as a plan to deal with energy market trends. Larger organisations were found more likely to invest in energy efficiency, green innovation, and climate change, with

7749-586: The Earth's radiative budget due to the modification of clouds by atmospheric aerosols and consists of several distinct effects. Cloud droplets form onto pre-existing aerosol particles, known as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Droplets condensing around human-produced aerosols such as found in particulate pollution tend to be smaller and more numerous than those forming around aerosol particles of natural origin (such as windblown dust ). For any given meteorological conditions, an increase in CCN leads to an increase in

7872-485: The Paris Agreement's goals. Energy can be conserved by increasing the technical efficiency of appliances, vehicles, industrial processes, and buildings. If the demand for energy services remains constant, improving energy efficiency will reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, many efficiency improvements do not reduce energy consumption by the amount predicted by simple engineering models. This

7995-560: The UK ruled in March 2010 to ban an advertisement from Renault UK regarding its "zero-emission vehicles" because the ad breached CAP (Broadcast) TV Code rules 5.1.1, 5.1.2 (Misleading advertising) and 5.2.1 (Misleading advertising- Evidence) and 5.2.6 (Misleading advertising-Environmental claims.) Greenhouse gases and other pollutant emissions are generated by vehicle manufacturing processes. The emissions from manufacturing are many factors larger than

8118-471: The US, the corresponding figures would be 17 billion kWh of electricity and 27,000,000,000 lb (1.2 × 10  kg) CO 2 . According to a 2009 study from McKinsey & Company the replacement of old appliances is one of the most efficient global measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Modern power management systems also reduce energy usage by idle appliances by turning them off or putting them into

8241-427: The United States alone. Yet, around the same time, research had shown that sulfate aerosols were affecting both the visible light received by the Earth and its surface temperature , and as the so-called global dimming ) began to reverse in the 1990s in line with the reduced anthropogenic sulfate pollution, climate change accelerated. As of 2021, state-of-the-art CMIP6 models estimate that total cooling from

8364-470: The aerosol haze over South and East Asia has been steadily shifting tropical rainfall in both hemispheres southward. The size of particulate matter (PM) is a key determinant of its potential to cause health problems. Particles of different sizes deposit in different regions of the respiratory tract , leading to various health effects. The particles are grouped by sizes: Particles can cause health effects through several mechanisms: inflammation in

8487-473: The air around the car, which can affect the efficiency of the energy expended. Turbochargers can increase fuel efficiency by allowing a smaller displacement engine. The 'Engine of the year 2011' is the Fiat TwinAir engine equipped with an MHI turbocharger. "Compared with a 1.2-liter 8v engine, the new 85 HP turbo has 23% more power and a 30% better performance index. The performance of the two-cylinder

8610-464: The amount of generated electricity compared to fossil fuel power plants; most renewable energy sources are intermittent energy sources . Therefore, development of these resources will lead to excess energy which can be better used by development of EVs. Moreover, most EVs can benefit from regenerative brakes and other optimization systems which increases the energy efficiency in these vehicles. Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) can help even more in terms of

8733-711: The amount of small aerosols from fires and human activities is greater there than in the Southern Hemisphere. Overland, patches of large-radius aerosols appear over deserts and arid regions, most prominently, the Sahara Desert in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where dust storms are common. Places where human-triggered or natural fire activity is common (land-clearing fires in the Amazon from August–October, for example, or lightning-triggered fires in

8856-479: The amount of sun (ultimately heat energy) entering the building, minimizing energy use, by maximizing passive solar heating . Tight building design, including energy-efficient windows, well-sealed doors, and additional thermal insulation of walls, basement slabs, and foundations can reduce heat loss by 25 to 50 percent. Dark roofs may become up to 39 °C (70 °F) hotter than the most reflective white surfaces . They transmit some of this additional heat inside

8979-479: The atmosphere relative to the surface results in a more stable atmosphere due to the inhibition of atmospheric convection . This inhibits the convective uplift of moisture, which in turn reduces cloud formation. The heating of the atmosphere aloft also leads to a cooling of the surface, resulting in less evaporation of surface water. The effects described here all lead to a reduction in cloud cover i.e. an increase in planetary albedo. The semi-direct effect classified as

9102-486: The boundary between efficient energy use and energy conservation can be fuzzy, but both are important in environmental and economic terms. Energy efficiency—using less energy to deliver the same goods or services, or delivering comparable services with less goods—is a cornerstone of many sustainable energy strategies. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has estimated that increasing energy efficiency could achieve 40% of greenhouse gas emission reductions needed to fulfil

9225-437: The building. US Studies have shown that lightly colored roofs use 40 percent less energy for cooling than buildings with darker roofs. White roof systems save more energy in sunnier climates. Advanced electronic heating and cooling systems can moderate energy consumption and improve the comfort of people in the building. Proper placement of windows and skylights as well as the use of architectural features that reflect light into

9348-479: The burning of living and dead vegetation would be different from those emitted from the burning of joss paper or construction wastes . Particles emitted from fuel combustion are not the same as those emitted from waste combustion. The particulate matter generated from the fire of a recycling yard or a ship full of scrap metal may contain more toxic substances than other types of burning. Efficient energy use Efficient energy use , or energy efficiency ,

9471-451: The climate of the Earth by changing the amount of incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial longwave radiation retained in the Earth's system. This occurs through several distinct mechanisms which are split into direct, indirect and semi-direct aerosol effects. The aerosol climate effects are the biggest source of uncertainty in future climate predictions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated in 2001: While

9594-473: The composition of sea water , and thus include magnesium , sulfate , calcium , potassium , and others. In addition, sea spray aerosols may contain organic compounds like fatty acids and sugars, which influence their chemistry. Some secondary particles derive from the oxidation of primary gases such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides into sulfuric acid (liquid) and nitric acid (gaseous) or from biogenic emissions. The precursors for these aerosols—i.e.

9717-457: The cooling from sulfate pollution while minimizing the negative effects on health through deploying in the stratosphere , where only a fraction of the current sulfur pollution would be needed to avoid multiple degrees of warming, but the assessment of costs and benefits remains incomplete, even with hundreds of studies into the subject completed by the early 2020s. Black carbon (BC), or carbon black, or elemental carbon (EC), often called soot,

9840-467: The correct pressure. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve a cars fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent on older vehicles. On newer vehicles (1980s and up) with fuel-injected, computer-controlled engines, a clogged air filter has no effect on mpg but replacing it may improve acceleration by 6-11 percent. Aerodynamics also aid in efficiency of a vehicle. The design of a car impacts the amount of gas needed to move it through air. Aerodynamics involves

9963-560: The currently present aerosols is between 0.1 °C (0.18 °F) to 0.7 °C (1.3 °F); the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report uses the best estimate of 0.5 °C (0.90 °F), with the uncertainty mainly caused by contradictory research on the impacts of aerosols of clouds . Some are certain that they cool the planet, though, and this led to solar geoengineering proposals known as stratospheric aerosol injection , which seeks to replicate and enhance

10086-410: The development of sustainable energy sources because these cars use hydrogen as their fuel. Compressed hydrogen can be used as an energy storage element, while electricity must be stored in batteries. The hydrogen can be produced by electricity through electrolysis , and this electricity can come from green sources. Hydrogen can be produced in situ, e.g. excess at wind farm when the generated electricity

10209-507: The dirty air through a scrubbing solution (usually a mixture of water and other compounds) allowing the particulate to attach to the liquid molecules. Electrostatic precipitators electrically charge the dirty air as it passes through. The now charged air then passes through large electrostatic plates which attract the charged particle in the airstream collecting them and leaving the now clean air to be exhausted or recirculated. For general building construction, some places that have acknowledged

10332-466: The early 20th century. The earliest methods included relatively crude Ringelmann charts , which were grey-shaded cards against which emissions from smokestacks could be visually compared, and deposit gauges , which collected the soot deposited in a particular location so it could be weighed. Automated, modern methods of measuring particulates include optical photodetectors , tapered element oscillating microbalances , and Aethalometers . Besides measuring

10455-511: The emissions from tailpipes, even in gasoline engine vehicles. Most reports on ZEVs' impact to the climate do not take into account these manufacturing emissions, though over the lifetime of the car the emissions from manufacturing are relatively small. Considering the current U.S. energy mix , a ZEV would produce an average 58% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per mile driven. Given the current energy mixes in other countries, it has been predicted that such emissions would decrease by 40% in

10578-513: The ever-increasing use of renewable energy throughout the supply-chains. The term zero-emissions or ZEV, as originally coined by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), refers only to motor vehicle emissions from the onboard source of power. Therefore, CARB's definition is accounting only for pollutants emitted at the point of the vehicle operation, and the clean air benefits are usually local because depending on

10701-407: The forests of northern Canada in Northern Hemisphere summer) are dominated by smaller aerosols. Human-produced (fossil fuel) pollution is largely responsible for the areas of small aerosols over developed areas such as the eastern United States and Europe, especially in their summer. Satellite measurements of aerosols, called aerosol optical thickness, are based on the fact that the particles change

10824-586: The fuel into usable energy. Advanced boilers and furnaces can operate at higher temperatures while burning less fuel. These technologies are more efficient and produce fewer pollutants. Over 45 percent of the fuel used by US manufacturers is burnt to make steam. The typical industrial facility can reduce this energy usage 20 percent (according to the US Department of Energy ) by insulating steam and condensate return lines, stopping steam leakage, and maintaining steam traps. Electric motors usually run at

10947-562: The gases from which they originate—may have an anthropogenic origin (from biomass and fossil fuel combustion ) as well as a natural biogenic origin. In the presence of ammonia , secondary aerosols often take the form of ammonium salts; i.e. ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate (both can be dry or in aqueous solution ); in the absence of ammonia, secondary compounds take an acidic form as sulfuric acid (liquid aerosol droplets) and nitric acid (atmospheric gas). Secondary sulfate and nitrate aerosols are strong light-scatterers . This

11070-607: The ground by gravity in a matter of hours. The smallest particles (less than 1 micrometer) can stay in the atmosphere for weeks and are mostly removed by precipitation . There are evidence that aerosols can "travel across the ocean". For example, in September 2017 wildfires burning across the western United States and Canada, and the smoke was found to have arrived over the United Kingdom and northern France in three days, as shown by satellite images. Diesel particulate matter

11193-461: The introduction of competitive tendering for energy efficiency, the raising of funding for building renovation, the introduction of tax incentives for efficiency measures in the building sector, and the setting up energy efficiency networks together with business and industry. In 2016, the German government released a green paper on energy efficiency for public consultation (in German). It outlines

11316-566: The local council. The composition and toxicity of aerosols , including particles, depends on their source and atmospheric chemistry and varies widely. Wind-blown mineral dust tends to be made of mineral oxides and other material blown from the Earth's crust ; this particulate is light-absorbing . Sea salt is considered the second-largest contributor in the global aerosol budget, and consists mainly of sodium chloride originated from sea spray ; other constituents of atmospheric sea salt reflect

11439-614: The location where the electricity is generated (if the electricity comes from coal or natural gas power plants—as opposed to hydro-electric, wind power , solar power or nuclear power plants); and fuel cell vehicles powered by hydrogen , which may shift emissions to the location where the hydrogen is generated. It does not include hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles because these do generate some emissions (although being near-emissionless ). It also does not include vehicles running on 100% biofuel as these also emit exhaust gases, despite being carbon neutral overall. Emissions from

11562-408: The lungs. Geometrically angular shapes have more surface area than rounder shapes, which in turn affects the binding capacity of the particle to other, possibly more dangerous substances. The table below lists the colours and shapes of some common atmospheric particulates: Composition of particles can vary greatly depending on their sources and how they are produced. For example, dust emitted from

11685-470: The manufacturing process are thus not included in this definition, and it has been argued that the emissions that are created during manufacture are currently of an order of magnitude that is comparable to the emissions that are created during a vehicle's operating lifetime. However, these vehicles are in the early stages of their development; the manufacturing emissions may decrease by the development of technology, industry, shifting toward mass production and

11808-773: The market. Cities around the globe light up millions of streets with 300 million lights. Some cities are seeking to reduce street light power consumption by dimming lights during off-peak hours or switching to LED lamps. LED lamps are known to reduce the energy consumption by 50% to 80%. There are several ways to improve aviation's use of energy through modifications aircraft and air traffic management. Aircraft improve with better aerodynamics, engines and weight. Seat density and cargo load factors contribute to efficiency. Air traffic management systems can allow automation of takeoff, landing, and collision avoidance, as well as within airports, from simple things like HVAC and lighting to more complex tasks such as security and scanning. At

11931-400: The monetary value of these multiple benefits have been developed, including e.g. the choice experiment method for improvements that have a subjective component (such as aesthetics or comfort) and Tuominen-Seppänen method for price risk reduction. When included in the analysis, the economic benefit of energy efficiency investments can be shown to be significantly higher than simply the value of

12054-408: The number of cloud droplets. This leads to more scattering of shortwave radiation i.e. an increase in the albedo of the cloud, known as the cloud albedo effect, First indirect effect or Twomey effect . Evidence supporting the cloud albedo effect has been observed from the effects of ship exhaust plumes and biomass burning on cloud albedo compared to ambient clouds. The Cloud albedo aerosol effect

12177-415: The other hand, uses more energy during the late evening when people do their dishes. This appliance may have little to no impact on peak demand. Over the period 2001–2021, tech companies have replaced traditional silicon switches in an electric circuit with quicker gallium nitride transistors to make new gadgets as energy efficient as feasible. Gallium nitride transistors are, however, more costly. This

12300-482: The output and quality of goods and services per unit of energy input, can come from either reducing the amount of energy required to produce something, or from increasing the quantity or quality of goods and services from the same amount of energy. From the point of view of an energy consumer , the main motivation of energy efficiency is often simply saving money by lowering the cost of purchasing energy. Additionally, from an energy policy point of view, there has been

12423-422: The particulate to collect on the outer surface of the bag and allowing the now clean air to pass through to either be exhausted into the atmosphere or in some cases recirculated into the facility. Common fabrics include polyester and fiberglass and common fabric coatings include PTFE (commonly known as Teflon). The excess dust buildup is then cleaned from the bags and removed from the collector. Wet scrubbers pass

12546-430: The pollution control facilities and retain the videos for one month for future inspections. Besides removing particulates from the source of pollution, they may also be cleaned in the open air (e.g. smog tower , moss wall , and water truck), while other control measures employ the use of barriers. Particulates have been measured in increasingly sophisticated ways since air pollution was first systematically studied in

12669-511: The possible health risks of construction dust for decades legally require the relevant contractor to adopt effective dust control measures, although inspections, fines and imprisonments are rare in recent years (for example, two prosecutions with a total fines of HKD$ 6000 in Hong Kong in the year 2021). Some of the mandatory dust control measures include load, unload, handle, transfer, store or dispose of cement or dry pulverized fuel ash in

12792-543: The potential challenges and actions needed to reduce energy consumption in Germany over the coming decades. At the document's launch, economics and energy minister Sigmar Gabriel said "we do not need to produce, store, transmit and pay for the energy that we save". The green paper prioritizes the efficient use of energy as the "first" response and also outlines opportunities for sector coupling , including using renewable power for heating and transport. Other proposals include

12915-466: The preindustrial background, is estimated as +0.88 (+0.17, +1.48) W/m ". Volcanoes are a large natural source of aerosol and have been linked to changes in the Earth's climate often with consequences for the human population. Eruptions linked to changes in climate include the 1600 eruption of Huaynaputina which was linked to the Russian famine of 1601–1603 , leading to the deaths of two million, and

13038-465: The presence of sulfur, and SO 2 is converted to sulfate when high humidity and low temperatures are present. This causes reduced visibility and red-orange-yellow colors. Human-produced aerosols such as particle pollution tend to have a smaller radius than aerosol particles of natural origin (such as windblown dust). The false-color maps in the map of distribution of aerosol particles on the right show where there are natural aerosols, human pollution, or

13161-504: The problem some new laws were introduced since 2021. In some towns and cities in New South Wales wood smoke may be responsible for 60% of fine particle air pollution in the winter. There are a few ways to reduce wood smoke, e.g., buying the right wood heater and maintaining it well, choosing the right firewood and burning it the right way. There are also regulations in some countries where people can report smoke pollution to

13284-402: The production of hydrogen from fossil fuels , may produce more emissions per mile than the emissions produced from a conventional fossil fueled vehicle. A well-to-wheel life cycle assessment is necessary to understand the emissions implications associated with operating a ZEV. In the mid-19th century, bicycle ownership became common (during the bike boom )—predating mass car ownership. In

13407-494: The radiative forcing due to greenhouse gases may be determined to a reasonably high degree of accuracy... the uncertainties relating to aerosol radiative forcings remain large, and rely to a large extent on the estimates from global modeling studies that are difficult to verify at the present time. The direct aerosol effect consists of any direct interaction of radiation with atmospheric aerosols, such as absorption or scattering. It affects both short and longwave radiation to produce

13530-604: The rear of the vehicle to generate kinetic energy used for propulsion. Due to the stop-start nature of idling in public transport, regenerative braking may be a possibility for public transport systems of the future. In an attempt to curb carbon emissions as well as noise pollution in South African cities , the South African Department of Science & Technology (DST), as well as other private investments, have made US$ 5 million available through

13653-475: The reduction of energy consumption. Some estimates of the value of these other benefits, often called multiple benefits , co-benefits , ancillary benefits or non-energy benefits , have put their summed value even higher than that of the direct energy benefits. These multiple benefits of energy efficiency include things such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions , reduced air pollution and improved health, and improved energy security . Methods for calculating

13776-856: The respiratory tract oxidative stress via reactive oxygen species, leading to cellular damage, and systemic effects, such as translocation of ultrafine particles into circulation affects organs beyond the lungs. Exposure to particulate matter is linked to various diseases across body systems, such as respiratory system (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and rhinosinusitis), cardiovascular system (heart attacks, hypertension, arrhythmias, and atherosclerosis), nervous system (cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases), metabolic system (diabetes and metabolic syndrome due to inflammatory pathways). The World Health Organization (WHO) provides guidelines to limit exposure: The site and extent of absorption of inhaled gases and vapors are determined by their solubility in water. Absorption

13899-517: The risk of preterm birth and low birth weight . Sulfate pollution also has a complex relationship with NOx pollution and ozone, reducing the also harmful ground-level ozone , yet capable of damaging the stratospheric ozone layer as well. Once the problem became clear, the efforts to remove this pollution through flue-gas desulfurization measures and other pollution controls were largely successful, reducing their prevalence by 53% and causing healthcare savings valued at $ 50 billion annually in

14022-440: The saved energy. Energy efficiency has proved to be a cost-effective strategy for building economies without necessarily increasing energy consumption . For example, the state of California began implementing energy-efficiency measures in the mid-1970s, including building code and appliance standards with strict efficiency requirements. During the following years, California's energy consumption has remained approximately flat on

14145-541: The source of the electricity used to recharge the batteries, air pollutant emissions are shifted to the location of the electricity generation plants. In a broader perspective, the electricity used to recharge the batteries must be generated from renewable or clean sources such as wind , solar , hydroelectric , or nuclear power for ZEVs to have almost none or zero well-to-wheel emissions. In other words, if ZEVs are recharged from electricity generated by fossil fuel plants, they cannot be considered as zero emissions. However,

14268-526: The spread of electrical-powered vehicles can help the development of systems for charging the EV batteries from excess electricity which cannot be used otherwise. For instance, electricity demand is lowest at night and the excess generated electricity at this time can be used for recharging the EVs' batteries. It's worth mentioning that renewable sources such as wind turbines or solar panels are less controllable in terms of

14391-546: The suppression of drizzle in ship exhaust plume compared to ambient clouds, and inhibited precipitation in biomass burning plumes. This cloud lifetime effect is classified as a climate feedback (rather than a radiative forcing) by the IPCC due to the interdependence between it and the hydrological cycle. However, it has previously been classified as a negative radiative forcing. The Semi-direct effect concerns any radiative effect caused by absorbing atmospheric aerosol such as soot, apart from direct scattering and absorption, which

14514-524: The surface for any pneumatic or power-driven drilling, cutting, polishing or other mechanical breaking operation that causes dust emission, unless there is the operation of an effective dust extraction and filtering device, provide hoarding of not less than 2.4 m in height along the whole length of the site boundary, have hard paving on open area and wash every vehicle that leaves the construction sites. Use of automatic sprinkler equipment, automatic carwash equipment and installation of video surveillance system for

14637-591: The total mass of aerosols in the atmosphere as estimated in 2010. The remaining 90 percent comes from natural sources such as volcanoes , dust storms , forest and grassland fires, living vegetation and sea spray , emitting particulates such as volcanic ash, desert dust, soot and sea salt. In the United Kingdom domestic combustion is the largest single source of PM 2.5 and PM 10 annually, with domestic wood burning in both closed stoves and open fires responsible for 38% of PM 2.5 in 2019. To tackle

14760-422: The total mass of particles per unit volume of air (particle mass concentration), sometimes it is more useful to measure the total number of particles per unit volume of air ( particle number concentration ). This can be done by using a condensation particle counter (CPC). To measure the atomic composition of particulate samples, techniques such as X-ray spectrometry can be used. Atmospheric aerosols affect

14883-483: The use of renewable energy in at least 3720 homes in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville. The works are expected to mobilize around €46.5 million in energy efficiency upgrades by 2025 and save approximately 8.1 GWh of energy. It has the ability to reduce carbon emissions by 7,545 tonnes per year. In May 2016 Poland adopted a new Act on Energy Efficiency, to enter into force on 1   October 2016. In July 2009,

15006-441: The way the atmosphere reflects and absorbs visible and infrared light. As shown in this page , an optical thickness of less than 0.1 (palest yellow) indicates a crystal clear sky with maximum visibility, whereas a value of 1 (reddish-brown) indicates very hazy conditions. In general, the smaller and lighter a particle is, the longer it will stay in the air. Larger particles (greater than 10 micrometers in diameter) tend to settle to

15129-443: The world's energy needs in 2050 by one third. There are two main motivations to improve energy efficiency. Firstly, one motivation is to achieve cost savings during the operation of the appliance or process. However, installing an energy-efficient technology comes with an upfront cost, the capital cost . The different types of costs can be analyzed and compared with a life-cycle assessment . Another motivation for energy efficiency

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