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    Exergy and the city : the technology and sociology of power (failure)

    Byrd, Hugh; Matthewman, S.

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    Exergy_20and_20the_20City_20a_20sociology_20of_20power_20failure_20FINAL-1.pdf (167.3Kb)
    Date
    2014-09-23
    Citation:
    Byrd, H., & Matthewman, S. (2014). Exergy and the City: the technology and sociology of power (failure). Journal of Urban Technology, 21(3), pp.85-102. doi:10.1080/10630732.2014.940706
    Permanent link to Research Bank record:
    https://hdl.handle.net/10652/4048
    Abstract
    Blackouts—the total loss of electrical power—serve as a reminder of how dependent the modern world and particularly urban areas have become on electricity and the appliances it powers. To understand them we consider the critical nature of electrical infrastructure. In order to provide general patterns from specific cases, a large number of blackouts have been analyzed. Irrespective of cause, they display similar effects. These include measurable economic losses and less easily quantified social costs. We discuss financial damage, food safety, crime, transport, and problems caused by diesel generators. This is more than just a record of past failures; blackouts are dress rehearsals for the future in which they will appear with greater frequency and severity. While energy cannot be destroyed, exergy—the available energy within a system—can be. Exergy is concerned with energy within an “environment;” in this case a city. The bottom line is simple: no matter how “smart” a city may be, it becomes “dumb” when the power goes out.
    Keywords:
    blackouts, network failure, critical infrastructure, electricity, cities
    ANZSRC Field of Research:
    120508 Urban Design, 090607 Power and Energy Systems Engineering (excl. Renewable Power)
    Available Online at:
    http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10630732.2014.940706
    Rights:
    This digital work is protected by copyright. It may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use: Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person. You will recognise the author's and publishers rights and give due acknowledgement where appropriate.
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