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Net energy gain

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The usual definition of net energy gain compares the energy required to extract energy (that is, to find it, remove it from the ground, refine it, and ship it to the energy user) with the amount of energy produced and transmitted to a user from some (typically underground) energy resource. To better
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that are still underground, unextracted. To get to that energy, some of the extracted oil needs to be consumed in the extraction process to run the engines driving the pumps, therefore after extraction the net energy produced will be less than the amount of energy in the ground before extraction,
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were extracted for every barrel of crude used in the extraction and refining process. Today only 5 barrels (0.79 m) are harvested for every barrel used. When the net energy gain of an energy source reaches zero, then the source is no longer contributing energy to an economy.
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In all energy extraction cases, the life cycle of the energy-extraction device is crucial for the NEG-ratio. If an extraction device is defunct after 10 years, its NEG will be significantly lower than if it operates for 30 years. Therefore, the
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Factors to consider when calculating NEG is the type of energy, the way energy is used and acquired, and the methods used to store or transport the energy. It is also possible to overcomplicate the equation by an infinite number of
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13602-1 provides methods to analyse, characterize and compare technical energy systems (TES) with all their inputs, outputs and risk factors. It contains rules and guidelines for the methodology for such analyses.
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is defined as "natural resource for which the ratio of the creation of the natural resource to the output of that resource from nature to the technosphere is equal to or greater than one".
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sources, because there is no bulk reserve to account for (other than the Sun's lifetime), but the energy continuously trickles, so only the energy required for extraction is considered.
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that refers to the difference between the energy expended to harvest an energy source and the amount of energy gained from that harvest. The net energy gain, which can be expressed in
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The extraction energy can be viewed in one of two ways: profitable extractable (NEG>0) or nonprofitable extractable (NEG<0). For instance, in the
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The definition of an energy source is not rigorous. Anything that can provide energy to anything else can qualify. Wood in a stove is full of potential
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has risen and a new steam extraction technique has been developed, allowing the sands to become the largest oil provider in Alberta (NEG>0).
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A net energy gain is achieved by expending less energy acquiring a source of energy than is contained in the source to be consumed. That is
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Thinking clearly about biofuels: ending the irrelevant net energy debate and developing better performance metrics for alternative fuels
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ISO 13602-1 describes a means of to establish relations between inputs and outputs (net energy) and thus to facilitate
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financial gain that may result from the energy harvesting process, in that various sources of energy (e.g.
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of gasoline, and the combustion of coal is converted from thermal to mechanical, and then to
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and inefficiencies that may be present during the energy harvesting process.
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ISO 13602-1:2002 Methods for analysis of technical energy systems
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understand this, assume an economy has a certain amount of finite
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The term net energy gain can be used in slightly different ways:
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The Importance of ISO and IEC International Energy Standards
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Examples of energy sources include: 185:Please consider expanding the lead to 659: 574:Net energy cliff with degrading EROI 369: 158: 85:adding citations to reliable sources 56: 15: 424: 13: 603:Energy returned on energy invested 261: 14: 752: 701: 31:This article has multiple issues. 551:, comparable characterizations, 460:The situation is different with 435:because some had to be used up. 163: 61: 20: 449: 177:may be too short to adequately 72:needs additional citations for 39:or discuss these issues on the 634: 617:Solar cells and energy payback 187:provide an accessible overview 1: 627: 679:. 2002-11-01. Archived from 527: 7: 586: 565: 518:Ethanol fuel energy balance 491: 226:Energy return on investment 10: 757: 553:coefficient of performance 453: 223: 720:Technical energy systems 642:"Biofuel vs Fossil Fuel" 224:Not to be confused with 410:Bio-fuels derived from 238:) is a concept used in 575: 403:Radiation from the sun 352: 573: 558:In ISO 13602-1:2002, 382:is acquired from the 353: 273: 81:improve this article 496:Net energy gain of 486:energy payback time 440:Athabasca Oil Sands 246:, differs from the 622:Energy cannibalism 576: 560:renewable resource 462:sustainable energy 348: 342: 312: 524:and other fuels. 478:geothermal energy 464:sources, such as 388:electrical energy 380:mechanical energy 370:Sources of energy 341: 311: 222: 221: 214: 204: 203: 157: 156: 149: 131: 96:"Net energy gain" 54: 748: 741:Energy economics 695: 694: 692: 691: 685: 674: 666: 657: 656: 654: 653: 638: 425:Non-sustainables 357: 355: 354: 349: 344: 343: 339: 314: 313: 309: 240:energy economics 217: 210: 199: 196: 190: 167: 159: 152: 145: 141: 138: 132: 130: 89: 65: 57: 46: 24: 23: 16: 756: 755: 751: 750: 749: 747: 746: 745: 731: 730: 704: 699: 698: 689: 687: 683: 672: 668: 667: 660: 651: 649: 640: 639: 635: 630: 589: 568: 530: 494: 458: 452: 427: 372: 337: 333: 307: 303: 274: 271: 270: 264: 262:Calculating NEG 232:Net Energy Gain 229: 218: 207: 206: 205: 200: 194: 191: 184: 172:This article's 168: 153: 142: 136: 133: 90: 88: 78: 66: 25: 21: 12: 11: 5: 754: 744: 743: 729: 728: 722: 717: 711: 703: 702:External links 700: 697: 696: 658: 632: 631: 629: 626: 625: 624: 619: 614: 612:energy carrier 605: 600: 598:Energy balance 595: 588: 585: 567: 564: 529: 526: 493: 490: 451: 448: 426: 423: 419: 418: 415: 408: 405: 400: 397: 376:thermal energy 371: 368: 359: 358: 347: 336: 332: 329: 326: 323: 320: 317: 306: 302: 299: 296: 293: 290: 287: 284: 281: 278: 263: 260: 220: 219: 202: 201: 181:the key points 171: 169: 162: 155: 154: 137:September 2007 69: 67: 60: 55: 29: 28: 26: 19: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 753: 742: 739: 738: 736: 726: 723: 721: 718: 715: 712: 709: 706: 705: 686:on 2008-12-17 682: 678: 671: 665: 663: 648:on 2008-11-21 647: 643: 637: 633: 623: 620: 618: 615: 613: 609: 606: 604: 601: 599: 596: 594: 591: 590: 584: 581: 572: 563: 561: 556: 554: 550: 546: 542: 541:certification 537: 534: 525: 523: 519: 515: 511: 507: 504:derived from 503: 499: 489: 487: 481: 479: 475: 471: 467: 466:hydroelectric 463: 457: 447: 445: 441: 436: 433: 422: 416: 413: 409: 406: 404: 401: 398: 396: 393: 392: 391: 389: 385: 381: 377: 367: 365: 364:externalities 345: 334: 330: 327: 324: 321: 318: 315: 304: 300: 297: 294: 291: 288: 285: 282: 279: 276: 269: 268: 267: 259: 257: 253: 249: 245: 241: 237: 233: 227: 216: 213: 198: 188: 182: 180: 175: 170: 166: 161: 160: 151: 148: 140: 129: 126: 122: 119: 115: 112: 108: 105: 101: 98: –  97: 93: 92:Find sources: 86: 82: 76: 75: 70:This article 68: 64: 59: 58: 53: 51: 44: 43: 38: 37: 32: 27: 18: 17: 688:. 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improve it
talk page
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verification
improve this article
adding citations to reliable sources
"Net energy gain"
news
newspapers
books
scholar
JSTOR
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lead section
summarize
provide an accessible overview
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Energy return on investment
energy economics
joules
net
natural gas
coal
externalities
thermal energy
mechanical energy
combustion
electrical energy

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