Energy savings strategy for the residential sector in Libya and its impacts on the global environment and the nation economy

ABSTRACT The energy consumption of the Libyan common house is estimated through the use of simulation namely, the TRNSYS simulation programme and other tools to reach the best solutions with the assumption of changing the behaviours of those buildings occupants into better behaviours that help in energy conservation. Using official data from The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, the Ministry of Housing and Utility, the Centre for Solar Energy Research and Studies (CSERS), measurements and a survey using a well-designed questionnaire, the relevant information is gathered and the research is conducted. The energy audit of the typical home has been conducted by using the simulation programme ‘TRNSYS’ and other tools, to identify the role and weight of each source of energy consumption in the energy savings strategy. The study provided a detailed analysis of the thermal and electrical consumption in Libyan houses. The energy audit showed that the total energy consumption was found about 16,500 kWh/year, and it is distributed by sources as 36% by electrical appliances, 24% by lighting the interior space, 15% for water heating, and about 13% for both cooling and heating the space. The estimated specific energy consumption is found as 238.7 kWh/m2 floor area. As a result, it is found that it is possible to save over 6650 TWh of electrical energy by implementing the proposed strategic plan. These savings will have a positive impact on both the economy and the environment by reducing CO2 emissions from power plants by 6.54 million tonnes of CO2 per year, saving about 1.935 million tons of burning Diesel fuel and saving about $333.54 million as social cost of the CO2. Highlights Identified the common Libyan home. Provided an inventory of electrical appliances and operating regime. Determined the specific energy consumption for the residential buildings in Libya. Determined the thermal and electrical load for the dwelling sector in Libya. Proposed a strategy to reduce energy waste in the dwelling sector. Estimated the environment and economic savings due to the implementation of the proposed strategy.