Citation:

CAMPBELL, D. E., S. BRANDT-WILLIAMS, AND T. CAI. CHAPTER 10: CURRENT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS IN EMERGY ANALYSIS. Emergy Synthesis 3: Theory and Applications of the Emergy Methodology: Proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Emergy Analysis Research Conference, Gainsville, FL, January 29, 2004 - January 31, 2006. Brown, et al (ed.), The Center for Environmental Policy, Dept. Env. Engin. Sciences, U. Florida, Gainsville, FL, 143-158, (2005).

Impact/Purpose:

To consider four technical problems related to emergy analysis

Description:

Technical problems related to the determination of the emergy base for self-organization in environmental systems are considered in this paper. The comparability of emergy analysis results depends on emergy analysts making similar choices in determining the emergy base for a particular system and the reproducibility of results depends on clear communication of the assumptions and methods used. Four problem areas considered in this paper are (1) the choice of a planetary baseline, (2) the implications of that choice in determining the renewable emergy base for the system, (3) the emergy received by a system versus the emergy absorbed, and (4) the expanding emergy base for global self-organization. More than one planetary baseline can be justified (e.g., 9.26 E24 sej y-1 and 15.83 E24 sej y-1). The baseline value depends on the assumptions made about connectivity and causality within the global processes used to determine the equivalence of the earth's primary emergy sources. Transformities are convertible from one baseline to another by multiplying by a factor. However, the renewable emergy base for a system will be determined using different rules to avoid double counting depending on the baseline used. The baseline used should always be reported in any emergy study. The emergy actually used within a system (absorbed) is the basis for system organization and determines the transformities of system products. The emergy received by a system gives the potential for organization and use and may be related to the general attractiveness of an area for investment. A theoretical explanation of the expanding emergy base for global self-organization follows: ecological, economic, and social systems are organized hierarchically in different realms of increasing complexity as a function of increasing energy transformation. The self-organization of such systems is based on the interaction and distribution of the co-products of primary planetary processes and the addition of emergy sources from pulsed global storages, i.e., fossil fuel and shared information. A rationale for estimating human work contributions to system organization using learned knowledge and the technology used is put forward. Following the guidelines and suggestions given in this paper will increase the reproducibility and comparability of emergy analysis results and may increase the acceptance of Emergy Analysis in the broader scientific community.

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