Skykeepers
skykeepers.org founded September 1, 1999
Central
California Carbon Dioxide Emissions
as a
result of Light Energy
Loss Contribute to Global Warming
The Light Energy that is lost and the CO2 produced serve no usefully purpose.
Image and data from USAF DMSP satellite F12, February 1997
This satellite directly records energy emitted from the ground.
This chart shows the energy loss due to upward directed light and the resulting carbon dioxide emissions.
Light Pollution and Carbon Dioxide Emissions are directly related to Light Energy Loss.
Light Energy Loss calculations include the reflected light from the ground and require a 12% to 14% discount.
Note - The above numbers are only for waste energy not total energy used for outdoor lighting.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Areas wastes 14.9 GWh of electricity resulting in 11,014,080 lbs. of Carbon Dioxide all for no usefully purpose.
Emissions factors used to calculate the air emissions resulting from end-use electricity consumption (b)
The Light Energy that is lost and the CO2 produced serve no usefully purpose.
Image and data from USAF DMSP satellite F12, February 1997
This satellite directly records energy emitted from the ground.
This chart shows the energy loss due to upward directed light and the resulting carbon dioxide emissions.
Light Pollution and Carbon Dioxide Emissions are directly related to Light Energy Loss.
Light Energy Loss calculations include the reflected light from the ground and require a 12% to 14% discount.
| Metropolitan Areas |
Observed
Value
|
Light Energy Loss (106kWh) |
Area (km2) |
Area
Square Miles |
Population |
Light Energy Loss/Area (106kWh/km2) |
Est. CO2 lbs/kWh |
Carbon
Dioxide emissions from Light Pollution |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento |
2.48x103 | 14.9 | 1926 | 743.6 |
1,363,482 |
7.72x10-3 | .612 (a) |
11,014,080
lbs. |
|||
| Davis |
1.08x102 | 0.647 | 26.6 |
10.27 |
64,400 |
2.43x10-3 | 1.2 (b) |
776,400
lbs. |
|||
| Stockton | 6.15x102 | 3.68 | 499 | 192.6 |
289,800 |
7.38x10-3 | 1.2 (b) | 4,416,000
lbs. |
|||
| Modesto | 5.05x102 | 3.03 | 447 | 172.6 |
209,258 |
6.77x10-3 | 1.2 (b) | 3,636,000
lbs. |
|||
| Fresno/Clovis |
1.11x103 | 6.66 | 998 | 385.3 |
1,002,284 |
6.67x10-3 | 1.2 (b) | 7,992,000
lbs. |
|||
| Bakersfield |
7.38x102 | 4.42 |
1189 |
459.1 |
372,232 |
3.72x10-3 | 1.2 (b) | 5,304,000
lbs. |
|||
| Soledad
Prision |
71.5 | 0.428 | 90 | 34.7 |
NA |
4.76x10-2 | 1.2 (b) | 513,600
lbs. |
Note - The above numbers are only for waste energy not total energy used for outdoor lighting.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Areas wastes 14.9 GWh of electricity resulting in 11,014,080 lbs. of Carbon Dioxide all for no usefully purpose.
Emissions factors used to calculate the air emissions resulting from end-use electricity consumption (b)
| Emissions
factors |
NOx |
CO |
CO2 |
PM10 |
| Electricity,
Western States (lbs/MWh) |
0.383 |
0.23 |
1200 |
0.06 |
Light
Energy Loss (LEL)
Data and Calculation by Dr. Syuzo Isobe, National Astronomical Observation, Japan.
Observed Values, based on energy readings from USAF Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) 1997.
Carbon Dioxide emission derived from Light Energy Loss Data and Emission Factors provided by SMUD & CEC.
Observed Values, based on energy readings from USAF Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) 1997.
Carbon Dioxide emission derived from Light Energy Loss Data and Emission Factors provided by SMUD & CEC.
(a)
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) estimated pounds of
carbon dioxide per kilowatts hour of electricity.
(b)
California Energy Commission (CEC), Reports compiled by Pacific Gas and
Electric Co.,
Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas and Electric
Co..
Referenced files from CEC www.energy.ca.gov -
and
Referenced files from CEC www.energy.ca.gov -
and
"The
Civil Twilight Design Collective's research indicates that streetlights
account for 38 percent of the electricity used for lighting in the
United States-that’s close to 300 million tons of carbon emissions a
year." percent of the electricity used for lighting in the United
States—that’s close to 300 million tons of carbon emissions a year."
| Related
Links |
|
|
Good and Bad Lighting in the
Central Valley - What are the major
contributors to Light Pollution in the Central Valley?
|
GoThere |
|
Energy Waste Via Skyglow - page on
the Virginia Outdoor Lighting Taskforce website
|
|
|
|
|
05
OCT 2007
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