A Farewell to Fossil Fuels: Answering the Energy Challenge

In this article published in Foreign Affairs, Amory Lovins describes a U.S. transition from fossil fuels--a blueprint detailed in Reinventing Fire-- that requires pursuing transformational change in automotive efficiency, design of buildings and factories, and the electric system.

 

Reinventing Fire Industry Sector Methodology

This document provides RMI's methodology for the analysis of the industry sector in Reinventing Fire.

 

Big Pipes, Small Pumps: Interface, Inc. Factor Ten Engineering Case Study

This story of Interface Inc.’s Shanghai plant illustrates the pitfalls of the conventional design process—and the remarkable gains that are possible by rethinking basic assumptions. This paper describes how the lead designer Jan Schilham created a radical new layout with shorter, fatter pipes and smaller pumps to save nearly 90 percent of the energy—with lower capital costs. Several Factor Ten Engineering principles are highlighted in Schilham's design process.

 

Industrial Electric Productivity: Myths, Barriers & Solutions

There is an enormous gap in the electric productivity of the nation. Increasing industrial electric productivity is a significant near-term opportunity that can reduce electricity costs, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of output, and increase profits. RMI believes that increasing industrial electric productivity is an untapped source of value, and is important to the longevity of industry in the United States.

 

Industrial Ecology at Walmart

This article, published in the Japanese Nikkei Ecology, gives an overview of industrial ecology, an emerging interdisciplinary field, and explains how a groundbreaking program at Walmart, which will require a Life Cycle Analysis of all products on the shelf, will increase demand for industrial ecologists.

 

Save More, Pay Less

In an overview of the Factor Ten Engineering (10xE) initiative at RMI, Amory Lovins and Imran Sheikh point to the next industrial revolution and the key role of engineering education in bringing this revolution about. This article describes a 10xE case study - the optimized piping system designed for carpet-maker Interface's factory in Shanghai. This article appeared in the Institution of Chemical Engineers publication The Chemical Engineer (September 2007).

 

Energy End-Use Efficiency

This paper, which was commissioned by the InterAcademy Council, discusses the importance and benefits of considering energy end-use efficiency when making energy economic decisions. Energy end-use efficiency is the concept of providing more desired services per unit of energy consumed.

 

Cuyahoga Valley Initative: A Model of Regeneration

This report summarizes RMI’s recommendations to the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission for regenerating the environment, economy, and community of the Cuyahoga River Valley.

 

Natural Capitalism (Summary from Apertura Magazine)

This is a brief summary of the principles of natural capitalism with case studies illustrating how natural capitalism can be implemented in business environments to save energy and money. The principles discussed are biomimicry, reinvestment in natural capital, radical resource productivity, and service and flow economy. This article describes companies that are increasing profits without increasing energy use. Lovins argues that natural capitalism will subsume industrial capitalism into its new paradigm much as industrial capitalism subsumed agrarianism and that natural capitalism can help reverse the decline in jobs, security, hope, and satisfaction.

 

El Capitalismo Natural

This is a Spanish language version of a brief summary of the principles of natural capitalism with case studies illustrating how natural capitalism can be implemented in business environments to save energy and money. The principles discussed are biomimicry, reinvestment in natural capital, radical resource productivity, and service and flow economy. This article describes companies that are increasing profits without increasing energy use. Lovins argues that natural capitalism will subsume industrial capitalism into its new paradigm much as industrial capitalism subsumed agrarianism and that natural capitalism can help reverse the decline in jobs, security, hope, and satisfaction. [In Spanish]

 

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