Identify specific ways in which the transportation and electricity generating sector could reduce and/or conserve energy in an effort to become more sustainable

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Transportation: Currently, the combustion of oil-derived fuels accounts for 31% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The use of electric or hybrid cars, and increasing the opportunities for buses and other mass transit options that are more energy efficient, are options moving us in the direction of a more sustainable transportation future. With higher gasoline prices and more stringent regulatory standards being instituted worldwide, incentives are being created for the production of more fuel-efficient vehicles and vehicles powered by alternative energy sources.

Electricity: We can conserve energy needed by power plants through cogeneration, in which excess heat produced during the generation of electricity is captured and used to heat nearby workplaces and homes and to produce other kinds of power. Cogeneration can almost double the efficiency of a power plant. Likewise, in the process of coal gasification and combined cycle generation, coal is treated to create hot gases that turn a gas turbine, while the hot exhaust of this turbine heats water to drive a conventional steam turbine, producing more electricity than would be produced in a standard coal power plant. In homes, offices, and public buildings, a significant amount of heat is needlessly lost in winter and gained in summer because of poor design and inadequate insulation. Improvements such as passive solar design, better insulation, and even strategically using certain roof colors, can reduce the energy required to heat and cool buildings. The use of high-efficiency appliances and lighting, such as compact fluorescent bulbs, will also help to conserve energy.