Energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins: ‘It’s the largest, cheapest, safest, cleanest way to address the crisis’

Temperatures dropped far below freezing this week in Snowmass, Colorado. But Amory Lovins, who lives high up in the mountains at 7,200ft above sea level, did not even turn on the heating.that he designed in the 1980s, collects solar energy and is so well insulated that he grows and harvests bananas and many other tropical fruits there without burning gas, oil or wood.

But for much of that time efficiency was seen as a bit of an ugly sister, rather dull compared with a massive transition to renewables and other new technologies. Now, he hopes, its time may have come. Lovins is arguing for the mass insulation of buildings alongside a vast acceleration of renewables. “We should crank [them] up with wartime urgency. There should be far more emphasis on efficiency,” he says.

But just as with the 1970s oil shocks, the problem today is not where to find energy but how to use it better, he says. The answer is what he calls “integrative, or whole-system, design,” a way to employ orthodox engineering to achieve radically more energy-efficient results by changing the design logic.Take his house, he says. By designing it to collect energy and to need no heating, it saves 99% of the space- and water-heating energy, and 90% of the electricity.

“So if you do this across the whole economy, really designing whole systems in factories, equipment, buildings, vehicles, you’ll end up with severalfold larger energy savings than practically anyone now thinks is available. And the cost goes down.”

Source: Energy Industry News (energyindustrynews.net)

Many great directions here with Amory & RMI to extend the process read

Until you hit Jevons Paradox.

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Chill wind blows: Major renewable energy investor says wind farm ruling to have 'disastrous' effectOne of Australia's biggest renewable energy investors says a court's decision to uphold complaints against a Victorian wind farm could have 'dramatic' and chilling effects on the country's transition away from fossil fuels. Do we get to have car noise stopped? Do we get to have motor bike noise stopped? Do we get to have airplane noise stopped? Why is wind turbine noise so special? Is it over noise db limits? Roll on the election.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

Biden warns of global food shortages fuelled by Ukraine war as US strike energy deal with EuropeUS President Joe Biden has amplified warnings of looming global food shortages as the Ukraine war upends wheat supplies and forces the west to come up with ways to make up for potentially devastating shortfalls. joebiden ukraine russiaukrainewar uk...
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »

Gold Coast super site sells for $45m, plans for up to 1500 apartmentsIt’s the largest Gold Coast greenfield land sale in almost a decade and the new owners have big plans for the waterfront site.
Source: FinancialReview - 🏆 2. / 90 Read more »

Two minutes with Danny Katz: A black-and-white answer to the coloured emojis debateOur Modern Guru gives a thumbs-down to white-skinned people using dark-toned emojis. Emojis DannyKatz This idiocy makes me ill. Go find something worthwhile to discuss and not dumb woke culture war drivel Thank you for this important article. Peak clown world 🤡
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »

‘Decide who you are with’, Ukrainian leader tells Viktor OrbánVolodymyr Zelenskiy confronts Hungarian PM during passionate address to EU leaders
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

Bridgerton season two review – back with less fun and far less sexIt’s still sweeter and fizzier than rival period dramas, but without Regé-Jean Page, it’s no longer a heady, horny and impetuous watch
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »