REA: resource exergy analysis - Guidelines for evaluating and comparing energy systems

Abstract

Abstract Using resource exergy analysis (REA) is key to ensure that climate targets can be reached in time. The reason for this effect is wastefulness. Wastefulness, even in otherwise carbon neutral energy systems, increases the amount of energy required to cover the total energy demand. If using carbon neutral energy systems, wastefulness leads to reduced availability of carbon neutral energy for the rest of the energy system. Since the energy demand is largely independent of energy production, wastefulness in an energy system in transition to carbon neutrality therefore increases overall fossil fuel use. REA allows assessing wastefulness comprehensively and thus to obtain a scientific key indicator that is relevant to stopping climate change in addition to greenhouse gas emissions, namely resource exergy consumption. This publication provides guidelines to the application of resource exergy analysis (REA) with a focus on energy systems evaluation. REA is a well-tested application of exergy analysis to the field of technology comparison that can replace the less comprehensive primary energy analysis and reduce the risk of suboptimal decisions.