East Tennessee State University Energy Residential Use Discussion

Stop 1

Online Assignment #1 for Energy & Society – Your Home Energy Audit! Worth up to 25 pts.!

The goal of this assignment is to use some online resources to find out just how much energy you use in your private home or rental unit and to learn about ways to reduce your residential energy demand.

Before you take the assessment, it is useful to know the following:

1.) when was your private home/apartment complex built?

2.) what is the square footage of your living space?

3.) do you have central air conditioning or not?

4.) what are the general sizes and conditions of your windows?

5.) how old is your water heater, how many gallons does it heat?

6.) how old is your furnace?

Some of this information can be found at:

https://www.cityofmadison.com/assessor/property/

You may also have to do a mini detective hunt in your home/building, by going down into the basement and looking at the furnace, water heater, etc. and seeing what you can figure out from your own inspection in terms of type of energy type (most likely natural gas), date it was installed, etc. – it is good to know this info regardless of this assignment (imagine if the Martians invade, and all the power was shut off, would you like to know how much hot water you might have left in your heater?) If you can’t figure out the specifics, you can always use the default, but that will not be as accurate.

One you have some details ready, complete the home energy audit: https://hes.lbl.gov/consumer/

After you complete the assessment, submit a 3-4 paragraph write-up on your findings and your followup thoughts/reflections. Some specifics to share in your write-up:

What is your residential situation – private home, apartment unit, collective housing, other?

What is your current electricity demand in kilowatt hours – what could be the potential reduction?

What is your current natural gas demand in thermals – what could be your potential reduction?

What is your current carbon dioxide emissions in pounds – what could be your potential reductions?

Some other questions you may want to reflect upon in your write-up:

What would be the best way to reduce your home energy demand? Does this matter to you – why or why not? How much control do you have over energy demand in your household? Are there other household energy demands you think the audit should include? Is getting individual homeowners and apartment residents to downsize their energy consumption a worthwhile effort, or are there bigger energy consumers out there that should be targeted instead?

The deadline for this assignment (as indicated on you syllabus) is Wed. Nov. 20th (but I would strongly suggest turning it in much sooner rather than later – no need to procrastinate!)

Stop 2

Evaluating Wind & Solar Potential in Different Communities!

For this online assignment, you will be using free World Bank map-based applications that provide global information on renewable energy development potential. You can choose solar or wind – you do not need to do both – pick one that interests you most!

https://globalsolaratlas.info/

https://globalwindatlas.info/

Once you pick your option, wind or solar, go to that respective site and then investigate the solar or wind options for the community where you now live or where you grew up. How much energy could you generate from your chosen renewable energy source there? Is this a good option or not so great? What are the limitations or opportunities?

Then pick another place in the world that you might like to live. Check out the site for the comparative wind or solar potential. How much energy could you generate from your chosen energy source there? Is this a good option or not so great? What are the limitations or opportunities there?

Did you find this website useful? What is good about it? What might it lack? Your overall thoughts about the ability to evaluate localized solar/wind potential using such online resources?

Submit a one page (3-4 paragraph) write-up of your findings – worth up to 25 pts.!