Efficiency, Emissions, Gas

The predominant technicality which circles our climate change debate like a mangy vulture, is the difference between efficiency and emissions. Most people probably forget to realise that efficiency is a completely arbitrary function. A made up quantity, defined by us, in various different ways, in various contexts. Don't get me wrong, energy efficiency is important but it is also almost invariably misunderstood. Emissions on the other hand are what is directly causing so much consternation amongst our politicians and business leaders.

For example, the efficiency of an electric heater is fantastic. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find a better efficiency in any thermomechanical system. By some estimates, somewhere in the vicinity of ninety nine percent. Whereas the efficiency of a gas heater is closer to thirty nine, or even twenty nine percent. So which is better? Well this is the crux of my point. The electric heater is very efficient but only in the sense of the heater itself. Its emissions are terrible, because in Australia, that heater is likely to be using brown coal electricity, which is many times more polluting than natural gas when burned. So in this case, the gas heater is better, purely because it doesn't require coal.

So what if we use renewable electricity in the electric heater? Of course, this would reduce the electric heater's CO2e emissions to below the gas heater's. Thus making it more "emissions efficient" and lets face it, it's the CO2e which is killing us, not electricity. So let's complicate things. Let's compare a geothermal heat-pump with the aforementioned heaters. Heat-pumps are fridges in reverse; they pump heat from outside to inside thus heating the indoor space whilst cooling the outside somewhat. Heat pumps, like fridges, achieve more "useful thermal work" (either heating or cooling) than they consume electricity thus making them remarkably efficient (a full description of this will require more time). Thus if your only option for heating were to use electricity, it would be foolish in the extreme to choose the electric heater over a heat pump. However, most of us have more options. The problem, yet again, boils down to coal. In Australia, where most electricity comes from coal, the heat-pump would still outperform the electric heater (both run on coal electricity but the heat pump is more efficient and uses less) however coal fired electricity is so emissions intensive, so dirty, that the gas heater would actually outperform the heat-pump (produce less CO2e). Hence heat-pumps, currently, don't make much sense in Australia, unless you're buying a large proportion of GreenPower (or indeed generating your own renewable electricity). Whereas in England, where significant electricity comes from gas, renewables and nuclear, electricity is much cleaner, and the heat pump wins over the gas heater (usually; given that other complicating factors can effect results). English cricket may leave a little to be desired, but their electricity generation is much better than Australia's. Indeed Australia's electricity sector is currently nigh on the dirtiest in the developed world (it's pretty bad even compared to many impoverished, developing countries).

The big economic problem with coal fired electricity, is that it was privatised in 80s and 90s. Now all these erstwhile capitalists, who thought they were buying a sure bet (given we all need electricity like we need water) are screaming blue murder because their nice little blue chip earners have suddenly turned into big white elephants. Caveat emptor indeed. My sound advice to these chaps is; tough titties. Many others could read the writing on the walls, why didn't you?

The great thing about coal fired power stations is that they are readily convertible to becoming gas fired or even solar powered. Indeed the collapse of carbon prices in the EU is partly attributed to faster than expected transfer of coal fired to gas fired electricity. Gas fired produces as little as one third the CO2e of coal (highly dependent on which specific technologies are used) and hence emissions have plummeted dragging down the carbon price with them. Of course the other major carbon price factor is the incredible faculty for incredibly wealthy bankers to be tighter than a deep sea fish's arse. The economic crisis has cut millions of tons of emissions from previous (and future) forecasts and this has also dragged down the carbon price.

The principle point here is that converting existing coal fired stations to gas (or solar) will have significant impact on Australia's emissions. The conversions can be so cheap that no significant compromise needs be made to the ongoing efforts for "proper" energy solutions: Namely truly renewable electricity. Put simply, converting to gas should not jeaopardise renewable investment, because it is a relatively cheap, fast initiative which has a high CO2e reduction impact. Investment in "proper" solutions, will not be hampered and we can achieve deep cuts relatively cheaply but most importantly very quickly. Many sustainability experts will disagree here, claiming that because gas remains a fossil fuel it should not form part of any climate change mitigation strategy. Idealistically, this is true, and I would certainly support conversion to solar over conversion to gas. However, the problem is entirely economic, in the true sense of the word. Conversion to gas would be relatively cheaper, more secure (financially and in terms of energy security) and importantly, it is a technically simple and fast way (~2years) to reduce non-transport emissions by up to sixty percent. SIXTY percent! Of course if I had it my way, these gas conversions would be officially temporary. Intended to patch the interval to when truly sustainable solutions are fully integrated into our energy network. So it shall be written, so it should be done.


"The pain of watching its [Australia's] relentless dilapidation by people too relaxed to give a damn is more than I can bear. I don’t know how many of my fellow e[censored]s feel this way, but I’ll bet some do." Quess this quote for another prize.