Negawatt power

A negawatt market is a theoretical energy market where the commodity traded is a negawatt-hour, a unit of energy saved as a direct result of energy conservation measures. A negawatt market is a theoretical energy market where the commodity traded is a negawatt-hour, a unit of energy saved as a direct result of energy conservation measures. A negawatt-hour is a unit of energy saved as a direct result of energy conservation measures, such as reducing the use of heat or electricity. The concept was developed after Amory Lovins authored an article published in the March 21, 1985 issue of Public Utilities Fortnightly arguing that utility companies will sell less electricity and more efficiency by marketing 'negawatts'. In Lovins' opinion, utility customers don’t want kilowatt-hours of electricity; they want energy services such as hot showers, cold beer, lit rooms, and spinning shafts, which can come more cheaply if electricity is used more efficiently. Negawatts are a form of encouragement to motivate consumers to conserve energy. Amory Lovins considers the concept of conservation 'a change in behavior based on the attitude 'Do Less to Use Less.'' He makes a distinction between conservation and efficiency by defining efficiency as 'the application of technologies and best practices to eliminate waste based on the attitude, 'Do the same or more with less.'' Cost for negawatt power can be calculated using cost-effectiveness analysis or CEA. For energy efficiency investments a CEA calculation produces the value of saved energy or negawatts in $/kWh. Such a valuation allows comparing the price of negawatts with price of energy such as electricity from the grid or the cheapest renewable alternative. Specifically, Tuominen et al. have suggested using the dynamic generation cost type of CEA for energy efficiency investments as it includes the best accounting for the time value among the various CEA methods available. According to Lovins, energy efficiency represents a profitable global market and American companies have at their disposal the technical innovations to lead the way. Not only should they 'upgrade their plants and office buildings, but they should encourage the formation of negawatt markets'. Lovins sees negawatt markets as a win-win solution to many environmental problems. Because it is 'now generally cheaper to save fuel than to burn it, global warming, acid rain, and urban smog can be reduced not at a cost but at a profit'. Lovins explains that many companies are already enjoying the financial and other rewards that come from saving electricity. Yet progress in converting to electricity saving technologies has been slowed by the indifference or outright opposition of some utilities. A second obstacle to efficiency is that many electricity-using devices are purchased by people who won’t be paying their running costs and thus have little incentive to consider efficiency. Lovins also believes that many customers 'don't know what the best efficiency buys are, where to get them, or how to shop for them'. In 2003 in France under the guide of Thierry Salomon 23 scientists wrote 'Le manifeste Négawatt.' Megawatt and negawatt seem to be reminiscent to the larger concept of ecological footprint, handprint handprint, and by following this line of thought toward compatibility and comparability a second frame of concept seems appropriate: mindprint — the impact in another frame or setting where units or numbers can not be compared (see paradigm shift). See association négaWatt. Amory Lovins has advocated a 'negawatt revolution', arguing that utility customers don’t want kilowatt-hours of electricity; they want energy services such as hot showers, cold beer, lit rooms, and spinning shafts, which can come more cheaply if electricity is used more efficiently. Lovins, defines the negawatt market as a way to reduce the gap between the cost of making and saving electricity. The negawatt market can be thought of as a secondary market where electricity is allocated from areas of less use to areas of greater use. This would be a secondary market, due to the fact that it would reallocate electricity from one consumer to another within the already existing energy market. Some feel that to establish a viable market, legislation and cooperation between primary producers, distributors, traders and consumers, may be required. This proposal would encourage the market to have legislative regulations, while still allowing the market to work within itself to set prices and allocate resources.