Cumulative exergy consumption (CExC) analysis of energy carriers in China

摘要

Cumulative exergy consumption (CExC), which represents the total exergy of natural resources required to provide a product, is an appropriate indicator for quantifying the depletion of natural resource. The objective of this study is to determine the CExC values of the principal energy carriers in China, which is the largest energy producer in the world, through the matrix method (balance equation). The results show that electricity has the largest CExC value among different energy carriers, followed by oil-refining products, coal products and fossil fuels. The results also show that matrix method can get more accurate results than process method (sequence method) for energy carriers owing to the flow loops in energy industry.