Feasibility of Wedge Options
Team Simple Green
January 27, 2009
End Use Efficiency
Decreasing end energy use by 25% through installation of
programmable thermostats, basic weatherization if needed,
and attic insulation
- High feasibility, very attractive cost/benefit
ratio
Most striking merit is payback time of investment:
- For typical home, material + installation costs
will not exceed $2,000. At 25% reduction in energy
use, typical payback time (without any incentives)
will be less than 2 years
This is a no-brainer
- There are no relative weaknesses to this initiative
Cap-and-Trade
Air Travel
• Today: 0.5 billion tons CO2/year
• Projections for 2050 range from 0.8 to 5.3 billion tons
CO2/year
– Mid-range projection = 2.7 billion tons CO2/year
• Merits:
– For mid-range projection, 20% reduction in air travel could
reduce CO2 emissions by 0.5 billion tons/year
– Government revenue generation through sales transactions
• Weaknesses:
– Deciding number of credits and how distributed
– Could limit economic growth
– Political resistance to implementation
Vehicle Efficiency
• Increase fuel economy from 30
to 60 MPG
• Expected increase from one
billion to two billion cars
• Maintain travel of 10,000
miles/year
• Merits:
– Maintain level of CO2 emissions
– 25 billion tons CO2 emissions
reduced
• Weaknesses:
– Enabling all countries to mandate
MPG increases
Effective
Year
2010
MPG
Standard
30
2020
34
2030
39
2040
45
2050
52
2060
60
Increase Wind Power 40-Fold
• Displace coal if accounts for 30% of peak
power (on average)
• Increase world capacity from 94.1 GW to
3.76 TW
• Government-enforced mandates to utility
companies to phase in 3.669 TW of power
generated by wind by 2056
Feasibility
• Technology already available at competitive
prices
NREL, 1986
Merits
Weaknesses
Clean, Free, Renewable Energy
“Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY)
Technology available at ever-decreasing
prices
Big investment by Utilities with support
from government
Commercially viable “hot spots” readily
available across US and world (72TW)
Temporary rise in consumer prices