IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i22p6048-d447554.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On Reduced Consumption of Fossil Fuels in 2020 and Its Consequences in Global Environment and Exergy Demand

Author

Listed:
  • A. Rashedi

    (College of Engineering, IT & Environment, Charles Darwin University, Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia
    Faculty of Business, Economics & Law, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia)

  • Taslima Khanam

    (College of Engineering, IT & Environment, Charles Darwin University, Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia)

  • Mirjam Jonkman

    (College of Engineering, IT & Environment, Charles Darwin University, Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia)

Abstract

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a sudden and abrupt change in global energy landscape. Traditional fossil fuels that serve as the linchpin of modern civilization have found their consumption has rapidly fallen across most categories due to strict lockdown and stringent measures that have been adopted to suppress the disease. These changes consequently steered various environmental benefits across the world in recent time. The present article is an attempt to investigate these environmental benefits and reversals that have been materialized in this unfolding situation due to reduced consumption of fossil fuels. The life cycle assessment tool was used hereby to evaluate nine environmental impacts and one energy based impact. These impacts include ozone formation (terrestrial ecosystems), terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity, land use, mineral resources scarcity, and cumulative exergy demand. Outcomes from the study demonstrate that COVID-19 has delivered impressive changes in global environment and life cycle exergy demand, with about 11–25% curtailment in all the above-mentioned impacts in 2020 in comparison to their corresponding readings in 2019.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Rashedi & Taslima Khanam & Mirjam Jonkman, 2020. "On Reduced Consumption of Fossil Fuels in 2020 and Its Consequences in Global Environment and Exergy Demand," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:22:p:6048-:d:447554
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/22/6048/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/22/6048/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. A. P. Ballantyne & C. B. Alden & J. B. Miller & P. P. Tans & J. W. C. White, 2012. "Increase in observed net carbon dioxide uptake by land and oceans during the past 50 years," Nature, Nature, vol. 488(7409), pages 70-72, August.
    2. Dincer, Ibrahim, 2002. "The role of exergy in energy policy making," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 137-149, January.
    3. Ahamed, J.U. & Saidur, R. & Masjuki, H.H., 2011. "A review on exergy analysis of vapor compression refrigeration system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 1593-1600, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Indre Siksnelyte-Butkiene, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic to the Sustainability of the Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Tetiana Roik & Oleg Gavrysh & Ahmad Rashedi & Taslima Khanam & Ali Raza & Byongug Jeong, 2022. "New Antifriction Composites for Printing Machines Based on Tool Steel Grinding Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-11, February.
    3. Ramdhan Halid Siregar & Yuwaldi Away & Tarmizi & Akhyar, 2023. "Minimizing Power Losses for Distributed Generation (DG) Placements by Considering Voltage Profiles on Distribution Lines for Different Loads Using Genetic Algorithm Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-25, July.
    4. Tehseen Ahmad & Majid Hussain & Mudassar Iqbal & Ashfaq Ali & Wajiha Manzoor & Hamida Bibi & Shamsher Ali & Fariha Rehman & Ahmad Rashedi & Muhammad Amin & Anila Tabassum & Ghulam Raza & Dilawar Farha, 2022. "Environmental, Energy, and Water Footprints of Marble Tile Production Chain in a Life Cycle Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    5. Biljana Kulisic & Bruno Gagnon & Jörg Schweinle & Sam Van Holsbeeck & Mark Brown & Jurica Simurina & Ioannis Dimitriou & Heather McDonald, 2021. "The Contributions of Biomass Supply for Bioenergy in the Post-COVID-19 Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-31, December.
    6. Mahmoud G. Hemeida & Ashraf M. Hemeida & Tomonobu Senjyu & Dina Osheba, 2022. "Renewable Energy Resources Technologies and Life Cycle Assessment: Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-36, December.
    7. Toshiyuki Sueyoshi & Youngbok Ryu & Ji-Young Yun, 2021. "COVID-19 Response and Prospects of Clean/Sustainable Energy Transition in Industrial Nations: New Environmental Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-30, February.
    8. Rabaka Sultana & Ahmad Rashedi & Taslima Khanam & Byongug Jeong & Homa Hosseinzadeh-Bandbafha & Majid Hussain, 2022. "Life Cycle Environmental Sustainability and Energy Assessment of Timber Wall Construction: A Comprehensive Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-30, March.
    9. Muhammad Shahid Mastoi & Hafiz Mudassir Munir & Shenxian Zhuang & Mannan Hassan & Muhammad Usman & Ahmad Alahmadi & Basem Alamri, 2022. "A Critical Analysis of the Impact of Pandemic on China’s Electricity Usage Patterns and the Global Development of Renewable Energy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-30, April.
    10. Lukas Folkens & Petra Schneider, 2022. "Responsible Carbon Resource Management through Input-Oriented Cap and Trade (IOCT)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Modified ecological footprint accounting and analysis based on embodied exergy--a case study of the Chinese society 1981-2001," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2-3), pages 355-376, March.
    2. Dai, Jing & Fath, Brian & Chen, Bin, 2012. "Constructing a network of the social-economic consumption system of China using extended exergy analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(7), pages 4796-4808.
    3. Frank Bruno & Martin Belusko & Edward Halawa, 2019. "CO 2 Refrigeration and Heat Pump Systems—A Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-39, August.
    4. Yeqiang Zhang & Biao Lei & Zubair Masaud & Muhammad Imran & Yuting Wu & Jinping Liu & Xiaoding Qin & Hafiz Ali Muhammad, 2020. "Waste Heat Recovery from Diesel Engine Exhaust Using a Single-Screw Expander Organic Rankine Cycle System: Experimental Investigation of Exergy Destruction," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Ozgener, Leyla & Ozgener, Onder, 2010. "An experimental study of the exergetic performance of an underground air tunnel system for greenhouse cooling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 2804-2811.
    6. Francisco Amaral & Alex Santos & Ewerton Calixto & Fernando Pessoa & Delano Santana, 2020. "Exergetic Evaluation of an Ethylene Refrigeration Cycle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
    7. Maryam Ghodrat & Bijan Samali & Muhammad Akbar Rhamdhani & Geoffrey Brooks, 2019. "Thermodynamic-Based Exergy Analysis of Precious Metal Recovery out of Waste Printed Circuit Board through Black Copper Smelting Process," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-20, April.
    8. Brand-Correa, Lina I. & Steinberger, Julia K., 2017. "A Framework for Decoupling Human Need Satisfaction From Energy Use," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 43-52.
    9. Kasaeian, Alibakhsh & Hosseini, Seyed Mohsen & Sheikhpour, Mojgan & Mahian, Omid & Yan, Wei-Mon & Wongwises, Somchai, 2018. "Applications of eco-friendly refrigerants and nanorefrigerants: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 91-99.
    10. Chen, G.Q. & Jiang, M.M. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, B. & Ji, Xi & Zhou, J.B., 2009. "Exergetic assessment for ecological economic system: Chinese agriculture," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(3), pages 397-410.
    11. Mohanraj, M. & Belyayev, Ye. & Jayaraj, S. & Kaltayev, A., 2018. "Research and developments on solar assisted compression heat pump systems – A comprehensive review (Part A: Modeling and modifications)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 90-123.
    12. Ermis, K. & Midilli, A. & Dincer, I. & Rosen, M.A., 2007. "Artificial neural network analysis of world green energy use," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1731-1743, March.
    13. García Kerdan, Iván & Morillón Gálvez, David & Raslan, Rokia & Ruyssevelt, Paul, 2015. "Modelling the energy and exergy utilisation of the Mexican non-domestic sector: A study by climatic regions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 191-206.
    14. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 3: Agricultural products," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2065-2078, April.
    15. Azmi, W.H. & Sharif, M.Z. & Yusof, T.M. & Mamat, Rizalman & Redhwan, A.A.M., 2017. "Potential of nanorefrigerant and nanolubricant on energy saving in refrigeration system – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 415-428.
    16. Rezaei, M. & Anisur, M.R. & Mahfuz, M.H. & Kibria, M.A. & Saidur, R. & Metselaar, I.H.S.C., 2013. "Performance and cost analysis of phase change materials with different melting temperatures in heating systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 173-178.
    17. Hepbasli, Arif & Alsuhaibani, Zeyad, 2011. "Exergetic and exergoeconomic aspects of wind energy systems in achieving sustainable development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 2810-2825, August.
    18. Zhang, M. & Li, G. & Mu, H.L. & Ning, Y.D., 2011. "Energy and exergy efficiencies in the Chinese transportation sector, 1980–2009," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 770-776.
    19. Xiong, Shanshan & He, Jiang & Yang, Zhongqing & Guo, Mingnv & Yan, Yunfei & Ran, Jingyu, 2020. "Thermodynamic analysis of CaO enhanced steam gasification process of food waste with high moisture and low moisture," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    20. Huang, Xiaoxun & Hayashi, Kiichiro & Fujii, Minoru & Villa, Ferdinando & Yamazaki, Yuri & Okazawa, Hiromu, 2023. "Identification of potential locations for small hydropower plant based on resources time footprint: A case study in Dan River Basin, China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 293-304.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:22:p:6048-:d:447554. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.