Methods: Calculating the Energy Output. The Energy Returned (ER or E out)

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the methods used to calculate the actual energy delivered to the grid (the energy returned, ER or Eout) as used in the derivation of EROI. Our analysis begins with the fact that any energy conversion is associated with some energy loss as heat according to the second law of thermodynamics, so that the output has to be decreased by this heat loss factor, and that the generation of any equipment or service requires at least some energy. We use or occasionally sum these for each step in the process.