Shuliang Sun

996007440
APS 510
Quiz 3, October 21, 2012



1


From Table 1 of Jacobsons article various renewable energy sources were listed along with data
about the parameters of the energy sources. The data presented were mostly taken from the year
2007 and 2005. Data in 2011 show that there was rapid growth in the installed capacity of the
renewable energy sector consisting of Solar PV, Wind, and Geothermal. The hydro-electric and
Nuclear displayed a slower or even negative growth compared to 2005 levels. The explanation
for this besides renewable energy being more and more attractive to investors is that the sector
started with a relatively low installed capacity. Therefore any addition to it increases the
percentage more significantly. For example, wind and hydroelectric added 145.8 GW and 112
GW of installed capacity since 2005 yet winds installed capacity increased by 154% and hydro
electrics installed capacity only increased by 14.4%.

Table 1.Installed capacity of various energy sources
Installed Capacity (GW) Increase/decrease from 2007/2005
2011 2007 2005
solar PV 69.3
1
9.56
1
625%
2

Wind 240
1
94.2
1
154%
Geothermal 11
1
9.13
1
20.5 %
Hydroelectric 890
3
778
2
14.4 %
Nuclear 360
1
371
1
-3%

Other sources that should be included are biofuel and natural gas because they have become a
major component of energy resources in recent years. Biofuel is measured by tons oil equivalent
which is converted into kilowatt-hour of energy (Table 2). Natural gas was measured in bcm
(billion cubic meters) and converted into kilowatt-hour of energy (Table 3).

Table 2.Consumption of Biofuel
tons oil equivalent Increase/decrease from 2005
2011 2005
tons equivalent 58,868
1
19,701
1

TWh 0.69
4
0.23 200 %







1
BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2012
2
Appendix Sample calculation 1
3
International Hydropower Association, 2012 World Activity Report
4
Appendix Sample calculation 2
Shuliang Sun
996007440
APS 510
Quiz 3, October 21, 2012



2

Table 3.Consumption of Natural gas
Billion cubic meter (bcm) 2011 2005 Increase/decrease from 2005
natural gas 3276.2
1
2770.4
1

TWh 33
5
28.0 17.9 %

Another assumption made in Jacobsons article was that the land area on earth was assumed
to be 135 x 10^6 k

. This is likely an underestimation as most sources estimates the area

on earth to be around 145 x 10 k

6
. This would increase total area by 7% which should
increase the total available energy by a factor of this amount too.

In table 4 of the article Jacobsons weightings of various non-cash externalities is well
summarized and thought out. Jacobsons non-cash externalities are appropriate from a
global scale but in my opinion individual weights should be applied to different regions and
countries. Because each region of the globe has its distinct characteristics therefore
Jacobsons overarching objective weighting may not be applicable to that particular part of
the globe.

For example, Saudi Arabia is in the Middle East region where resource abundance and
effects on wild life isnt a major issue but water resources, footprint, and spacing is.
Therefore the assigned weight percentage should reflect these concerns by assigning a
lighter weight percentage to

emissions (14%), Mortality (14%), and Effects on wild life

(2%). More weight should be assigned to water consumption (22%), footprint (12%), and
spacing (14%). After assigning the new weightings the weighted average of each energy
system changed. The overall ranking still has Wind-BEV as number 1, but tidal-BEV and
wave-BEV are ranked 2 and 5 due to their low water consumption (See Appendix table 2.
for details). This is different compared to Jacobsons article where tidal-BEV and wave-
BEV were ranked 5 and 7.

In the context of Canada within the North America region heavier weight (%) would be
assigned to

emissions (24%), mortality (24%), effects on wildlife (10%), and water

chemical pollution (10%). Less weight would be assigned to water consumption (2%),
spacing (2%), and resource abundance (2%). The ranking results using the Canadian
method of weighting mostly agree with Jacobsons ranking of energy systems (See
Appendix table1. for details).


In my opinion Jacobsons article is an effective tool for evaluating macroscopic global
energy demand usage. Because it considers a wide scope of energy systems and gives a
comprehensive review of each system with its advantages and draw backs. Although an

5
Appendix Sample calc 3
6
Pidwirny, Michael (2006-02-02). Surface area of our planet covered by oceans and continents.(Table 8o-1)
Shuliang Sun
996007440
APS 510
Quiz 3, October 21, 2012



3

excellent macroscopic overview but the document doesnt take into account the differences
in various regions that greatly influence their energy systems. There exists objective ways
to judge and rank various energy systems but each region has its unique features and needs
that an overarching objective criteria may not be able to meet. A colloquially analogy to
this would be although the Car and Driver magazine ranks the Porsche Cayman 193
7
as the
number one sports car in the world but if I am a mother with three children then I need a
mini-van, not a sports car.














Reference(s)

1. British Petroleum, BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2012, 2012,
Web Oct 23 2012<http://www.bp.com/statisticalreview>

2. Bodansky, David. The Energy Source Book. Ruth Howes and Anthony Fainberg, editors.
New York: American Institute of Physics, 1991.

3. International Hydropower Association, 2012 World Activity Report, 2012. June 2012.
London, United Kingdom.

4. Pidwirny, Michael. Surface area of our planet covered by oceans and continents.(Table
8o-1). University of British Columbia, Okanagan. Feb 02, 2006 Web Oct 24,
2012<http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8o.html. Retrieved 2007-11-26>

5. Gladwell, Malcom. What College Rankings Really Tell Us. The New Yorker. Feb 14,
2011. Web Oct 24, 2012
<http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage
=1>


7
Gladwell, Malcom. What College Rankings Really Tell Us
Shuliang Sun
996007440
APS 510
Quiz 3, October 21, 2012



4


Appendix

Sample calculations 1. Increase/decrease of data in Jacobson's article compared to 2011 data
Solar PV:
Installed
Capacity (GW)
2011 2007
solar PV 69.3 9.56
Increase/decrease =

x 100 = 625%

Sample calculation 2. Converting tons oil equivalent to kWh (biofuels)

1 ton oil equivalent (t.o.e.) = 42 GJ

= 11667 kwh / t.o.e.


Year 2011: 58,858 ( t.o.e)
58,868 t.o.e.x 11667 kwh/t.o.e. = 6.868 x

= 6.868 x

= 0.69 Twh


Sample calculation 3. Converting bcm to kwh (natural gas)

1 cubic meter natural gas (cm) = 34.6 38.4 MJ/

1 cm = (

= 10.1

natural gas 2011 2005
Billion cubic meter (bcm) 3276.2 2770.4
TWh 33 28.0
Year 2011: 3276.2 (bcm)
3276.2 bcm *

* 10.1

= 3.3 *

kwh
3.3 *

kwh *

= 33 Twh


Bio fuel 2011 2005
tons equivalent 58,868 19,701
TWh 0.69 0.23
table1.RankingofindividualenergysystemsforCanada
weight(%) WindBEV WindHFC PVBEV CSPBEV GeoBE HydroBWaveBTidalBENucBEVCCSBECornE85CelE85
resrouceabundance 2 2 3 1 4 7 10 6 5 9 8 11 12
CO2e 24 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 9 10 12 11
Mortality 24 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 10 9 11 12
Footprint 4 1 2 8 9 5 10 4 3 6 7 11 12
Spacing 4 8 9 5 6 2 10 7 1 4 3 11 12
Waterconsumption 2 1 6 5 9 4 11 1 1 7 7 12 10
Effectsonwildlife 10 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 9 10 11 12
Thermalpollution 2 1 2 4 8 3 7 6 5 12 11 10 9
WaterChempollution 10 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 10 9 12 11
Energysupplydisruption 8 3 4 2 6 7 11 5 1 12 8 9 9
Normaloperatingreliabilit 10 10 1 10 5 6 2 10 9 7 8 3 3
weightedaverage 2.4 3.1 5.3 3.4 4.4 7.9 6.9 5.4 9.1 8.8 10.4 10.4
Overallrank 1 2 5 3 4 8 7 6 10 9 11tie 11tie
table2.Rankingofindividualenergysystemsfor SaudiArabia
weight(%) WindBEV WindHFC PVBEV CSPBEV GeoBE HydroBWaveBTidalBENucBEVCCSBECornE85CelE85
resrouceabundance 3 2 3 1 4 7 10 6 5 9 8 11 12
CO2e 14 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 9 10 12 11
Mortality 14 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 10 9 11 12
Footprint 12 1 2 8 9 5 10 4 3 6 7 11 12
Spacing 14 8 9 5 6 2 10 7 1 4 3 11 12
Waterconsumption 22 1 6 5 9 4 11 1 1 7 7 12 10
Effectsonwildlife 2 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 9 10 11 12
Thermalpollution 2 1 2 4 8 3 7 6 5 12 11 10 9
WaterChempollution 2 1 3 5 2 4 8 7 6 10 9 12 11
Energysupplydisruption 5 3 4 2 6 7 11 5 1 12 8 9 9
Normaloperatingreliabilit 10 10 1 10 5 6 2 10 9 7 8 3 3
weightedaverage 3.0 4.2 5.6 5.6 4.3 8.8 5.5 3.8 7.7 7.5 10.5 10.3
Overallrank 1 3 6tie 6tie 4 10 5 2 9 8 12 11
ShuliangSun
996007440
APS510
Quiz3,October21,2012