EMERGY

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EMERGY ENERGY SYSTEMS
Session 4 Short Course for ECO Interns, EPA and
Partners
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Emergy Evaluations

• Tables and metadata
• Calculations
• Locating data

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Note number

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Note number
• Item

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Note number
• Item
• Input data and units

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Note number
• Item
• Input data and units
• Unit emergy

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Note number
• Item
• Input data and units
• Unit emergy
• Emergy

SPECIFIC EMERGY CALCULATION
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Reading an Emergy Table

• Note number
• Item
• Input data and units
• Unit emergy
• Emergy
• Emdollars

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Clumping inputs

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Clumping inputs
• Output energy/yields

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Clumping inputs
• Output energy/yields
• Calculated values

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Reading an Emergy Table

• Clumping inputs
• Output energy/yields
• Calculated values
• Arranging rows
• Notes

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Matching Table to Diagram

• Diagram first
• Labeling components

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Example of State Diagram
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Matching Table to Diagram

• Labeling components

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Identifying Key Components

• List but dont double count

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Different Tables

• Transformity
• Are all inputs necessary?

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Different Tables

• Net benefits
• List everything, positive or negative
• Use labels to define benefits minus costs from
  different perspectives

Benefit to farm ABDHFJ-crop Benefit to
Region ABCI-L-exported crop
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Different Tables

• Storages
• Not annual flows, anything more than a year in
  turnover time

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Notes as Metadata

• Spreadsheet tracking

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Notes as Metadata
Notes Table 1 1. Transformity 1 by definition.
Solar insolation calculated using solar constant
of 2 Langleys/sec and integration over changing
surface area for a one year period at latitude
27.00 N, longitude 82.00 W 6.9 E9 J/m2/yr.
Albedo 8 (NASAeosweb). Annual energy (Avg.
total annual insolation J/yr/m2)(Area m2)(1 -
albedo). 2. Transformity for evapotranspiration
15,423 sej/J (Odum, 1996) corrected by factor of
1.68 (Odum et al., 2000). Grain
evapotranspiration 2.33 E10 J/acre/yr (ASFIRS
estimate, Smajstrla, 1990). Annual energy
(evapotranspiration J/acre/yr)(area ha)(2.47
acres/ha). 3. Erosion rate estimated as less than
0.01 g/m2/yr for aquaculture. 4. Fuel includes
diesel, gasoline and lubricants and uses
petroleum products transformity 6.60 E4 sej/J
(Odum 1996) corrected by factor of 1.68 (Odum et
al., 2000). Gallons of fuel/ha/yr from FAECM data
(Fluck, 1992). Annual energy (Gallons
fuel)(1.32 E8 J/gal). 5. Transformity for
electricity from average U.S. coal plant 1.60 E5
sej/J (Odum, 1996)

• Spreadsheet tracking
• Verbal for final

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Notes as Metadata

• Raw data and source

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Notes as Metadata

• Conversion factors, equations, unit emergy ratios

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Converting Data

• Joules for energy

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Converting Data

• Grams for materials

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Accurate Inputs

• The point is to make sure you are calculating to
  the right endpoint, dry weight for food, active
  ingredients for chemical reactants, etc.

• Dry versus wet weight

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Physical Conversion Calculations

• Tides
• Energy(J) (shelf)(0.5)(tides/y)(mean tidal
  range)2(density of seawater) (gravity)
• (____m2)(0.5)(____/yr)(____m)2(__
  ___kg/m3)(9.8m/s2)
• Rain chemical potential
• Energy (J) (land area shelf
  area)(rainfall)(Gibbs energy of rain)
• (____m2)(____m)(1000kg/m3)(4.94
  E03J/kg)

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Finding Data

• ENERGY DATA LINKS
• U.S. Department of Energy data and prices
• USGS Energy Databases
• Renewable Energy Policy Project
• Distributed Energy Resources Center
• U.S.D.O.E. Fossil Fuels
• Hawaii Department of Business, Economics and
  Tourism http//www.state.hi.us/dbedt/ert/energ
  y.html http//www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/ert/ert_hmpg.ht
  ml
• Internet Resources--Government Agencies
• United Nation's Food and Agricultural
  Organization
• Weather Educational Material
• US Dept. of Agriculture World Agricultural
  Outlook Board
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Homepage
• Etc., etc., etc.

• Websites
• Will post list on website
• In the notes

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Using Money as Data

• paid does not cover actual raw material or
  energy
• Separating services

Fuel Fertilizer
River Rain
Services
Soil
Sun Wind
Harvest
Market
Forest
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Annual Rates versus Storages

• Determining annual flows from initial resources
• Prorating use
• Long term rates
• Start up rates
• Storages
• Turnover times gt1 year