Multiple Sectors

This page is of documents by Gordon Taylor

2022-06-14 Energy Transition Technologies

This is prompted by the Energy Hierarchy of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
From the most to the least sustainable,

Tier 1 is Energy Demand Reduction,

Tier 2 is Energy Efficiency,

Tier 3 is Utilisation of Renewable, Sustainable Resources,

Tier 4 is Utilisation of Other, Low-GHG-Emitting Resources, and

Tier 5 is Utilisation of Conventional Resources as we do now.

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2021-02-11 The Role of Hydrogen in Achieving Net Zero

A Select Committee of the House of Lords invited submissions on the Role of Hydrogen in Achieving Net Zero.

Here is my submission.

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2018-07-04 Climate and Energy Transition to Zero Carbon

Detailed Sustainable Energy Transition Path Graph - click for full size image
Planning the appropriate renewable energy installation rate should balance two partially contradictory objectives: substituting fossil fuels fast enough to stave-off the worst consequences of climate change while maintaining a sufficient net energy flow to support the world's economy.

See: 2016-09-07 Quantifying the Narrowing Net-energy Pathways to a Global Energy Transition
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2018-06-30 Savings and Renewables - The Way to Zero Carbon by 2050

The Way to Zero Carbon by 2050 - click for full size image
The Way to Zero Carbon by 2050
UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2015
Electricity 29%
Transport 24%
Heat 30%
Agriculture 10%
Other 7%
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2017-07-10 Climate and Energy Topics

Topic 1) emphasises the urgency of energy transition.

Topic 2) is the main focus of the document, with the paper by Sgouridis et al, 2016.
This identifies the relationship between the remaining fossil fuel emissions cap, the transition time, and the required investment in Renewable Energy (RE) supply plant.

Topics 3) and 4) refer to the initial conditions prior to the energy transition.

Topic 5) compares the Energy Return on Investments (EROIs) of Renewable Energy (solar and wind power) supply measures with the weighted average value of 20 assumed by Sgouridis et al.
Topic 6 is concerned with the global limits of renewable power sources.
Where Topics 3) and 4) deal in UK quantities, Topic 6) deals in Global quantities. However, the UK must expect to use only a proportionate share - e.g. equal per capita.

Topics 7) and 8) consider energy demand measures as complements of the supply measures assumed by Sgouridis et al. They refer to two papers by Cullen and Allwood et al, 2010 and 2010.
Including energy demand measures will greatly ease an energy transition within the constraints, such as 2 C global warming.

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2017-06 Avoiding Climate Change Disaster

A short paper on the actions we must take soon in order to meet a carbon budget target which will limit global warming to 2 degrees and to arrive at a viable sustainable energy scenario thereafter.
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2016-12-19 Limiting Global Climate Change

Global climate change is the most urgent problem faced by humankind. Professor Will Steffen of the Australian National University and co-authors have shown that the earth is liable to many tipping points, several subject to positive feedbacks.
Unless there is a rapid transition to 100% renewable energy, humankind will lose control of climate change, with the planet entering the Anthropocene era. Severe global warming of 4 - 8 C would disrupt world food supplies, leading to mass starvations, migrations and war.
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2016-12-01 Energy Solutions for Sustainability

This note reflects Danish and German precedents on energy solutions, from which I have learnt the underlying principles.
Humankind requires not energy but energy services such as illumination, movement and thermal comfort. Germany realises
that it is not enough to set targets for reducing carbon emissions; policies, plans and actions are also required. It has adopted
the ‘Energiewende’ energy transition plan for 80 to 95% carbon reduction by 2050. 1 Solutions for sustainable energy services
can be determined by following a few fundamental principles and metrics, enumerated in this document.
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2013-07-22 Carbon Budgets and Switching to Renewables

This paper assembles a chain of evidence from the global Carbon Budget for permissible climate change to the choice of components of the solution based on their Energy Return on (Energy) Invested (EROI). It shows that for an 80% chance of limiting global warming to 2 C, only 565 GtCO2 can be emitted (up to 2050).
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2012-08-14 Regarding 'Solar Energy in the Context of Energy Use'

The late Professor David MacKay, FRS, submitted to the Royal Society the paper: 'Solar Energy in the context of energy use, energy transportation, and energy storage',
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2011-09-26 Geo-Engineering Debate: Transport Fuel, then ‘Roll-back’

For a 'Geo-Engineering Debate' held at the Royal Society, I prepared - but did not give - a presentation.
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2011-03-08 100% Energy From Wind

This presentation was given to a meeting of the South Essex Area of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in Southend on 8th March 2011.
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2010-09 Energy Resources and Rates for Depletables and Renewables

I produced a presentation showing that the peak discovery of depletable fuels, such as oil, gas, coal and uranium, occurs some 35 years before peak production, so giving ample warning.
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2007-08-13 Response to 'Planning for a Sustainable Future'

In response to the UK Government White Paper 'Planning for a Sustainable Future' of May 2007 I submitted two documents.
The first consists of the consultation questions and my answers.
The second is grouped into topics.
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2007-07-03 Energy Criteria for Sustainable Energy Solutions

I was invited to give a presentation with this title at the European Sustainable Energy Forum 2007, in Lucerne, Switzerland.
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2005-04-22 Why Not Hydrogen ?

I created this presentation for the European Fuel Cell Forum, 2005, but did not give it.
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2004-07-30 Energy Solutions for 60% Carbon Reduction – Part II

This study was prompted by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution Report No. 22, "Energy - the Changing Climate", and by the U.K. Government Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) Energy Review. It adopts the target of a 60 % reduction in UK carbon emissions by 2050.
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2003-04-15 The Future of the Hydrogen Economy: Bright or Bleak?

Ulf Bossel, Baldur Eliasson, and Gordon Taylor

I found on the Internet an early version of this paper, authored by Ulf Bossel and Baldur Eliasson. I had been doing desk research in the same general area, and offered a number of comments and contributions over a period of some months. Eventually I became a co-author of the final version, dated 2003-04-15.

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2003-01-19 Energy Solutions for 60% Carbon Reduction

This study was prompted by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution Report No. 22, "Energy - the Changing Climate", and by the U.K. Government Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit Energy Review.
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