Post by thread:[EE]:: Converting all incandescent bulbs to CFLs w

An interesting and remarkably thorough appearing analysis of the impact of converting from incandescent bulbs to CFL bulbs in Canada. While country wide this would lead to a new reduction in CO2 emissions, in a number of provinces the net effect would be an increase in annual CO2 emissions. I don't have the figures to hand but somebody said that in eg Quebec the effect would be the same as adding 24,000? motor vehicles on the roads. The report notes that some people find the results implausible and analyses the typical reasons s=and why the results are indeed correct (they say). I won't spoil it for you by pointing out t simple reason that this effect occurs. Ask if you can't see why. (Skim report first). Report: Impact of Conversion to Compact Fluorescent Lighting, and other Energy Efficient Devices, on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Site: <http://www.intechopen.com/source/pdfs/11764/InTech-Impact_of_conversion_to_compact_fluorescent_lighting_and_other_energy_efficient_devices_on_greenhouse_gas_emissions.pdf

On Feb 1, 2012, at 4:07 AM, RussellMc wrote: > impact of converting from incandescent bulbs to CFL bulbs in Canada. Ouch. "Whether CFLs reduce greenhouse emissions is highly local and depends on how your power is generated as well as whether the desired internal temperature is cooler or warmer than the external temperature, and for how long each year." The basic premise would hold true for any illumination technology. Essentially "lighting efficiency can be irrelevant to greenhouse emissions." Which makes sense, since HVAC tends to dwarf lighting when it comes to energy use... Interestingly, they rate the fabrication cost (in energy) of CFLs and Incandescents as essentially equal (referencing some other document.) BillW

> Ouch. "Whether CFLs reduce greenhouse emissions ... > The basic premise would hold true for any illumination technology. Essentially "lighting efficiency can be irrelevant to greenhouse emissions." Which makes sense, since HVAC tends to dwarf lighting when it comes to energy use... The efficiency irrelevance was because the "saved" energy was produced by "clean" sources and the consequent loss of heat output was made up for with energy sourced from CO2 emitting sources. This is specific to the Canadian situation in the provinces concerned. They seem to have gone to commendable lengths to ask and answer the question properly, even if one suspect their cor rational may not be quite what it seems. In NZ we have a preponderance of hydro based power and the same result would be unlikely. Russell

On Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 2:27 AM, RussellMc <spam_OUTapptechnzTakeThisOuTgmail.com> wrote: > <snip> > quite what it seems. In NZ we have a preponderance of hydro based > power and the same result would be unlikely. > Hydro-electric is so prominent here in Ontario and Quebec that most people refer to electricity as "hydro". -

> Hydro-electric is so prominent here in Ontario and Quebec that most people > refer to electricity as "hydro". But, apparently, most home heating is gas or oil - so that when you remove hot incandescents you up your oil use and drop your hydro use.

On Fri, 2012-02-03 at 02:00 +1300, RussellMc wrote: > > Hydro-electric is so prominent here in Ontario and Quebec that most people > > refer to electricity as "hydro". > > But, apparently, most home heating is gas or oil - so that when you > remove hot incandescents you up your oil use and drop your hydro use. > > > R As is so often the case, it entirely depends WHERE you are. In the more southern parts of ontario heating is predominently gas (be it natural gas or propane) or less commonly oil. In more northern parts electricity comes more and more into play. Mostly resistive, but heat pumps are also something you see from time to time. Wood is also VERY common in more rural areas. TTYL

So twice a year, perhaps when we change our clocks for daylight savings, we should swap all incandescents for CFL's, and back again... -- ---------------------------------------------- Gary A. Crowell Sr., P.E., CID+ Linkedin <http://www.linkedin.com/in/garyacrowellsr> Elance<www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgaryacrowellsr%2Eelance%2Ecom&urlhash=kJm9> KE7FIZ <http://www.arrl.org

In winter I often consider that the computers and tv's that are on in the house serve two purposes and get more bang for buck for my electricity. In summer, I crack down on the kids for leaving them on when not in use and ponder ways to store the heat for the following winter or pipe in the cool from someplace else

Nowhere can I see in that report is how insulated a dwelling is might effect their analysis. I would have thought being so cold, insulation in this day and age would have been a must have, but then I was surprised to discover that NZ like Australia on the whole, considers insulation and double/triple glazing to be the province of weird thinking people. Colin -- cdb, .....colinKILLspam@spam@btech-online.co.uk on 5/02/2012 Web presence: http://www.btech-online.co.uk Hosted by: http://www.justhost.com.au This email is to be considered private if addressed to a named individual or Personnel Department, and public if addressed to a blog, forum or news article.

cdb wrote: > but then I was surprised to discover that NZ like > Australia on the whole, considers insulation and double/triple glazing to > be the province of weird thinking people. > They span 10C to 25C over year; long time, no see ice in Auckland

> NZ like Australia on the whole, considers insulation and double/triple > glazing to be the province of weird-thinking people As a weird-thinking people, I'd say that's much more true of glazing. I've never encountered a door-to-door double-glazing salesman for example, the butt of many a UK joke The government promotes insulation but you hardly hear anything about double glazing. I know of only one - occassional - advertiser for it and that's on radio, once a week in a sport program (it's one of those 'phone-out' chats, the presenter's probably got it free) Much older homes do tend to be un- or poorly insulated but installation is subsidised. Cold in NZ is not so much a problem as humidity, and insulation keeps the house dry and free from mould, helping to prevent spore-related sicknesses and asthm

I concur with Joe, more or less. I've heard of double glazing being done but don't think I have ever seen any (except in Mr Boeing and Mr Airbus's fine products. But home insulation is the norm, is well enough promoted and, as joe says, and is government subsidised. It's mandatory in new homes. Winter in Auckland usually gets as cold as frost plus ice on garden ponds in some areas sometime. It snowed lightly here in a few places in the urban areas last Winter - something I have not seen in person in my lifetime, including this time, alas. In the South Island Winter can be substantially more severe with occasional ones so bad that sheep and cattle die in substantial numbers when snowed in. Russel

> I concur with Joe, more or less. > I've heard of double glazing being done but don't think I have ever > seen any (except in Mr Boeing and Mr Airbus's fine products. > > But home insulation is the norm, is well enough promoted and, as joe > says, and is government subsidised. It's mandatory in new homes. > I don't know, if all you need is to make air dry, then dry it; fresh air is needed anyway. Normally built uninsulated house does not provide enough fresh air, some incoming fresh air is needed. Double and tripple glazing takes sunlight making the house colder and even more humid. The key, I believe, is to keep the house warm in winter, or dry air by conditioning in summer.