PRIVATE: Useful Numbers

Wondering where we got our numbers from?  Check out this table!


Quantity Value Approximate Range Units
SUN AND EARTH
Sun’s surface (effective) temperature [note]NASA’s National Space Science Data Center. Sun Fact Sheet (online). http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html [13 May 2010].[/note] 5778 K
Emissivity of the Sun [note]Çengel, Yunus A. Steady Heat Conduction. In: Heat Transfer a Practical Approach (2). New York: McGraw Hill Professional, 2003, p. 173.[/note] 1
Mean Surface Temperature of Earth [note]NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. GISS (Goddard Institute for Space Studies) Surface Temperature Analysis (online). http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/ [13 May 2010].[/note] 287.5 ± 0.1 annual variation K
Emissivity of Earth [note]Çengel, Yunus A. Steady Heat Conduction. In: Heat Transfer a Practical Approach (2). New York: McGraw Hill Professional, 2003, p. 173.[/note] 0.95
Solar Constant(S) [note]ACRIM.  Composite TSI Time Series (online). http://acrim.com/TSI%20Monitoring.htm [13 May 2010]. [/note] 1366 ± 1 (fluctuation) W/m2
Mean Solar Flux Averaged Over Earth’s Surface (top of atmosphere) [note]S/4[/note] 341.5 W/m2
Average albedo (A) of the Earth [note]Goode, P. R., J. Qiu, V. Yurchyshyn, J. Hickey, M.‐C. Chu, E. Kolbe, C. T. Brown, and S. E. Koonin (2001), Earthshine observations of the Earth’s reflectance, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28(9), 1671–1674. http://www.agu.org/journals/ABS/2001/2000GL012580.shtml[/note] 0.296 ± 0.002 (measurement uncertainty)
Mean Solar Flux Averaged Over Earth’s Surface (bottom of atmosphere) [note]S(1-A)/4[/note] 240 W/m2
Annual Human Energy Consumption on Earth (2008)[note]Wikipedia Foundation Inc. World Energy Resources and Consumption (Online). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_resources_and_consumption [28 June2010][/note] 4 x 1020 J
Mean Human Power Consumption on Earth (2008)[note]Wikipedia Foundation Inc. World Energy Resources and Consumption (Online). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_resources_and_consumption [28 June2010][/note] 1.5 x 1013 W
HEAT/ENERGY
Kerosene Energy Content [note]Michigan State University. Approximate Heating Value of Common Fuels (Online). http://www.hrt.msu.edu/Energy/pdf/Heating%20Value%20of%20Common%20Fuels.pdf [12 May 2010][/note] 45 MJ/kg
Energy Content of Methane (CH4) [note]Andrews, J. and Jelley, N. Energy Science – Principles, Technologies and Impacts. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007, Chapter 7.[/note] 55 MJ/kg
Energy Content of Long-Chain Hydrocarbons (CH2)n [note]Andrews, J. and Jelley, N. Energy Science – Principles, Technologies and Impacts. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007, Chapter 7.[/note] 41 ± 4 MJ/kg
Energy Content of Carbohydrates (CH2O)n [note]Andrews, J. and Jelley, N. Energy Science – Principles, Technologies and Impacts. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007, Chapter 7.[/note] 16 MJ/kg
Average Greenhouse Gas Production of Electricity Generated in BC [note]BC Hydro GHG Emissions: http://www.bchydro.com/about/sustainability/climate_action/greenhouse_gases.html#emission [26 September 2012][/note] 28 t C02e/GWh
7.8 g CO2/MJ
Average Greenhouse Gas Production of Electricity Generated in Canada [note]BC Hydro GHG Emissions: http://www.bchydro.com/about/sustainability/climate_action/greenhouse_gases.html#emission [26 September 2012][/note] 230 t C02e/GWh
64 g CO2/MJ
C02 Production Per Capita in Canada [note]International Energy Agency. CO2 Emissions From Fuel Combustion (Online). http://www.iea.org/co2highlights/CO2highlights.pdf [12 May 2010][/note] 17.4 tonnes 
C02e Production Per Capita in Canada (2005) [note]Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Environment — Greenhouse Gases (online). http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=64 [13 May 2010]. [/note] 23 tonnes
Daily Human Energy Consumption [note]Health Canada. Canada Food Guide (online). http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/basics-base/1_1_1-eng.php [4 May 2009].[/note] 2000 ± 500 Calories
1 food calorie = 1 Cal = 1 000 cal = 1 kcal 4.2 kJ
 TRANSPORTATION:
Energy Content of Diesel Oil [note]Diesel fuel(online). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_fuel [26 September 2012].[/note] 38 ±2 MJ/L
Diesel Energy Efficiency [note]Soimar M. Diesel Progress North American Edition.  The Challenge Of CVTs In Current Heavy-Duty Powertrains (online). http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FZX/is_4_66/ai_62371160/ [21 August 2009].[/note] 37% ballpark
Car Fuel Consumption [note]Natural Resources Canada. Fuel Concumption Guide (Online). http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation/tools/fuel-consumption-guide/fuel-consumption-guide.cfm [12 May 2010].[/note] 0.1 varies by at least a factor 2 L/km
Energy Content of Gasoline [note]Wikipedia Foundation Inc. Gasoline (Online). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline [25 August 2009].[/note] 32 MJ/L
Gasoline Engine Efficiency [note]MacKay DJC. Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air (Online). UIT Cambridge. p.262. http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/sustainable/book/tex/ps/253.326.pdf [25 August 2009].[/note] 25% ballpark
Density of gasoline [note]Wikipedia Foundation Inc. Gasoline (Online). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline [25 August 2009].[/note] 740 ±30 kg/m3
GHG Production Due to Gasoline [note](density/1000) times ratio of molecular masses (44/14)[/note] 2.3 kg CO2/L
Energy Content of Jet Fuel[note]Wikipedia Foundation Inc. Gasoline (Online). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline#Energy_content_.28High_and_Low_heating_value.29 [20 July 2010].[/note] 35 ±2 MJ/L
Drag Coefficient – Typical Family Car [note]MacKay DJC. Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air (Online). UIT Cambridge. p.257. http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/sustainable/book/tex/ps/253.326.pdf [25 August 2009].[/note] 0.3 ballpark
Drag Coefficient – Bicycle [note]MacKay DJC. Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air (Online). UIT Cambridge. p.257. http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/sustainable/book/tex/ps/253.326.pdf [25 August 2009].[/note] 1 ballpark
Rolling Resistance – Ordinary Car Tire [note]A Discovery Company. How Tires Work (online). http://auto.howstuffworks.com/tire4.htm [25 August 2009].[/note] 0.015 ballpark
Rolling Resistance – Truck Tire [note]A Discovery Company. How Tires Work (online). http://auto.howstuffworks.com/tire4.htm [25 August 2009].[/note] 0.01 ballpark
Rolling Resistance – Bike Tire [note]Wikimedia Foundation Inc. Rolling Resistance (Online).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_resistance [12 May 2010].[/note] 0.005 ballpark
Rolling Resistance – Train Wheel [note]A Discovery Company. How Tires Work (online). http://auto.howstuffworks.com/tire4.htm [25 August 2009].[/note] 0.001 ballpark
Electric Car Charging/Discharging Efficiency [note]Electric battery and motor efficiencies: http://www.stanford.edu/group/greendorm/participate/cee124/TeslaReading.pdf [4 November 2009][/note] 85% ballpark
Electric Motor Efficiency [note]Electric battery and motor efficiencies: http://www.stanford.edu/group/greendorm/participate/cee124/TeslaReading.pdf [4 November 2009][/note] 85% ballpark
Energy Consumption for Electric Cars [note]MacKay DJC. Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air (online). UIT Cambridge. p. 29-31. http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/sustainable/book/tex/ps/1.112.pdf [21 August 2009].[/note] 0.54 ballpark MJ/km