Solar & Wind Energy Resource Assessment - Essay Example

The buildings at Merchiston are a major part of Napier’s estate offering teaching accommodation for up to 2,000 students. An energy audit for the above buildings has been conducted using utilities bills. Utility bills from August 2007 to July 2009 (24 months) have been used for the assessment. Alternative systems have been considered to reduce energy use. The electricity consumed (kWh) for each month has been illustrated in figure 1. The units of electrical energy consumed have steadily declined over the years.

Various initiatives have resulted in the development and use of energy efficient equipment, in addition to energy efficient practices. The energy cost for each month for electricity has been illustrated in figure 2. Despite the decline in energy usage, there has been a rise in energy cost. This is because of increase in the cost of production of electricity. The average electric energy unit cost during the period has been illustrated in figure 3. The increase in costs of electricity production has been passed on to the consumer.

There has been an increase of over £3 per kWh over the years. The units of energy consumed (kWh) for gas each month has been illustrated in figure 4. Seasonal influences play a significant role in the use of gas, which is primarily used for heating. Naturally gas consumption declines during summer months and peak during the cold winter months. The facilities consume 4198.55 MWh of electrical energy and 6005.35 MWh of gas annually. The electrical energy consumed results in average energy cost of £393.

3347K annually and gas consumed results in energy costs of £172.1616K annually. Electricity and gas consumption at the facilities results in the release of 3.5KtCO2 each year. Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA) requires buildings to comply with legislation and principles of “Green Government” policy. The Scottish Government has set a target for 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.