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Technical limits for energy conversion efficiency

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  • Paoli, Leonardo
  • Cullen, Jonathan

Abstract

To reach climate targets, unprecedented levels of energy efficiency improvements are required. To prioritise investments, it is necessary to know the energy saving potential associated with each action. Understanding the potential of technical improvements, requires knowledge on the highest technically achievable efficiency of a technology – the technical efficiency limit. When focusing on technical efficiency improvements, two distinct types of technical systems are recognised: conversion devices and passive systems. Previous research has analysed the technical efficiency limits of passive systems, in this study, the technical efficiency limits of major conversion devices are quantified using physical models. The resulting limits are used to calculate stochastically the energy saving potential of each device and design parameter for the United Kingdom. The UK’s final energy demand could be reduced by 25% if conversion devices were operated at their technical limit and two thirds of these savings are in transport. The analysis suggests that a) improvements in conversion efficiencies are insufficient to reach energy reduction targets, except in transport and b) that for most technologies it is more important to focus on converging towards the efficiency level of the best available technologies rather than on research pushing the boundaries of conversion efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Paoli, Leonardo & Cullen, Jonathan, 2020. "Technical limits for energy conversion efficiency," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:192:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219319231
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116228
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    5. Lin, Yuancheng & Ma, Linwei & Li, Zheng & Ni, Weidou, 2023. "The carbon reduction potential by improving technical efficiency from energy sources to final services in China: An extended Kaya identity analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PE).
    6. Matthew Kuperus Heun & Zeke Marshall & Emmanuel Aramendia & Paul E. Brockway, 2020. "The Energy and Exergy of Light with Application to Societal Exergy Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-24, October.
    7. Nieto, Jaime & Pollitt, Hector & Brockway, Paul E. & Clements, Lucy & Sakai, Marco & Barrett, John, 2021. "Socio-macroeconomic impacts of implementing different post-Brexit UK energy reduction targets to 2030," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    8. Lin, Yuancheng & Chong, Chin Hao & Ma, Linwei & Li, Zheng & Ni, Weidou, 2022. "Quantification of waste heat potential in China: A top-down Societal Waste Heat Accounting Model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    9. He, Weijun & Li, Wanyu & Wang, Chun & Wang, Siyuan & Yang, Yuantao, 2024. "Does energy resource misallocation affect energy utilization efficiency? Evidence from Chinese provincial panel data," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).

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