Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions By Inducing Energy Conservation And Distributed Generation From Elimination Of Electric Utility Customer Charges, Joshua M. Pearce, Paul J. Harris
Sep 2007
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions By Inducing Energy Conservation And Distributed Generation From Elimination Of Electric Utility Customer Charges, Joshua M. Pearce, Paul J. Harris
Joshua M. Pearce
This paper quantifies the increased greenhouse gas emissions and negative effect on energy conservation (or “efficiency penalty”) due to electric rate structures that employ an unavoidable customer charge. First, the extent of customer charges was determined from a nationwide survey of US electric tariffs. To eliminate the customer charge nationally while maintaining a fixed sum for electric companies for a given amount of electricity, an increase of 7.12% in the residential electrical rate was found to be necessary. If enacted, this increase in the electric rate would result in a 6.4% reduction in overall electricity consumption, conserving 73 billion kW …
Industrial Symbiosis For Very Large Scale Photovoltaic Manufacturing, Joshua M. Pearce
Jul 2007
Industrial Symbiosis For Very Large Scale Photovoltaic Manufacturing, Joshua M. Pearce
Joshua M. Pearce
In order to stabilize the global climate, the world's governments must make significant commitments to drastically reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One of the most promising methods of curbing GHG emissions is a world transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. Solar photovoltaic (PV) cells offer a technically sustainable solution to the projected enormous future energy demands. This article explores utilizing industrial symbiosis to obtain economies of scale and increased manufacturing efficiencies for solar PV cells in order for solar electricity to compete economically with fossil fuel-fired electricity. The state of PV manufacturing, the market and the …
Optimization Of Open Circuit Voltage In Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells With Mixed-Phase (Amorphous + Nanocrystalline) P-Type Contacts Of Low Nanocrystalline Content, Joshua M. Pearce, N. Podzara, R. W. Collins, M. M. Al-Jassim, K. M. Jones, J. Deng, C. R. Wronski
May 2007
Optimization Of Open Circuit Voltage In Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells With Mixed-Phase (Amorphous + Nanocrystalline) P-Type Contacts Of Low Nanocrystalline Content, Joshua M. Pearce, N. Podzara, R. W. Collins, M. M. Al-Jassim, K. M. Jones, J. Deng, C. R. Wronski
Joshua M. Pearce
Both the origins of the high open circuit voltages (VOC) in amorphous siliconsolar cells having p layers prepared with very high hydrogen dilution and the physical structure of these optimum p layers remain poorly understood topics, with several studies offering conflicting views. This work attempts to overcome the limitations of previous studies by combining insights available from electronic measurements, real time spectroscopic ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, and both high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and dark field TEM of cross sections of entire solar cells. It is found that solar cells fabricated with p layers having a low volume fraction of nanocrystals …
Energy Conservation From Systematic Tire Pressure Regulation, Joshua M. Pearce, Jason T. Hanlon
Mar 2007
Energy Conservation From Systematic Tire Pressure Regulation, Joshua M. Pearce, Jason T. Hanlon
Joshua M. Pearce
The majority of US drivers do not consistently monitor the tire pressures in their vehicles. The 2000 TREAD Act, which requires automakers to gradually provide tire pressure monitoring systems for vehicles sold in the US will correct this problem for new vehicles. This law does not impact the problem in previously deployed vehicles, which have a turnover time of ∼20 years. A solution is provided here to address under-inflated tires on the current 220 million vehicles and the concomitant wasted energy due to increased rolling resistance in the US automobile fleet. This communication reports on a preliminary study of tire …
3d-Mapping Optimization Of Embodied Energy Of Transportation, Joshua M. Pearce, Sara J. Johnson, Gabriel B. Grant
Dec 2006
3d-Mapping Optimization Of Embodied Energy Of Transportation, Joshua M. Pearce, Sara J. Johnson, Gabriel B. Grant
Joshua M. Pearce
The recent development of Google Earth, an information service that provides imagery and three-dimensional data depicting the entire Earth, provides an opportunity to use a new method of navigating information to save energy in the real world. Google Earth uses Keyhole Markup Language (KML) for modeling and storing geographic features and information for display in the Google Earth Client. This paper will analyze the potential of this novel and free geographic mapping service to reduce embodied energy of transportation in two ways. First, at the consumer level, Google Earth will be studied to map the automobile route that uses the …