Exergy - a useful concept for ecology and sustainability

TL;DR

This paper explores the thermodynamic concept of exergy, highlighting its potential usefulness in ecological and sustainability studies by analyzing Earth as a flow system and discussing its applicability.

Contribution

It introduces exergy to ecological and sustainability contexts, providing a framework for analyzing Earth as a flow system and discussing its relevance.

Findings

Exergy can quantify available energy in ecological systems.

Earth's flow system can be analyzed using exergy concepts.

Exergy analysis offers insights into sustainability challenges.

Abstract

We present the relatively less known thermodynamic concept of exergy in the context of ecology and sustainability. To this end, we first very briefly outline thermodynamics as it arose historically via engineering studies. This enables us to define exergy as available energy. An example of applying the concept of exergy to a simple human process is next described. Then we present an exergy analysis of Earth as a flow system, also concurrently describing other necessary concepts. Finally, we briefly comment on the applicability of exergy analysis to ecology and sustainability. Keywords: exergy - energy - work - thermodynamics - heat transfer - flow processes