Research History

1996-1997 Energy Efficiency and Quality: Applications to Economic and Ecological Systems - $168,000

Using a formal mathematical framework, energy efficiency and energy quality measures applicable to complex systems were developed (economic and ecological).

The purpose of the measures was to provide energetic information to decision-makers concerning the efficient use of resources. The methodology was applied to investigating energy policy options in New Zealand and the energetic valuation of biosphere processes and functions.

The outcome of this project was to develop the "Quality Equivalent Methodology". This provided an ability to determine energy quality (transformity) in systems characterized by complex energy flows and feedbacks. The mathematical determination of these quality coefficients (transformity) involved solving a system of homogenous simultaneous equations. A two year Post-Doctoral Fellowship by Dr Cole, provided the formal, theoretical and mathematical basis for the development of "ecological pricing".

The "ecological pricing" method extends the QEM to include mass as well as energy flows in the valuation. Dr Patterson was the supervisor of this Post- Doctoral Fellowship, in conjunction with Professor Graeme Wake (University of Canterbury), Professor Robert McKibbon (Massey University) and Professor Don Cleland (Massey University).

Please contact Murray Patterson for more information about this project, and subsequent work that has been done in this area.

You may also be interested in the NZCEE Monograph Series, or the full list of NZCEE publications, which include reports and articles of relevance to this topic.