A Homeowner Is Purchasing A New Dryer. The Home Is Set Up And Wired So That It May Use An Electric Dryer Or A Natural Gas Dryer. Electricity For This Home Is Generated By A Coal-Fired Power Plant. The Homeowner Needs To Decide Which Type Of Dryer To Purchase Based Initially On Cost. The Following Information Is Being Used To Help In The Decision-Making
A homeowner is purchasing a new dryer. The home is set up and wired so that it may use an electric dryer or a natural gas dryer. Electricity for this home is generated by a coal-fired power plant. The homeowner needs to decide which type of dryer to purchase based initially on cost. The following information is being used to help in the decision-making process. The homeowner dries seven loads of laundry per week.
There are 52 weeks in one year. On average, it takes one hour to dry each load. Prices for natural gas and electricity vary greatly around the world. For this exercise Quiz we will assume:
The homeowner also wants to take environmental impacts into consideration when purchasing a new dryer. Combustion of any fossil fuel, such as natural gas, releases carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. However, the homeowner knows that their house receives energy from a power plant that burns coal. The following information is being used to help in the decision-making process.
1. How many therms of natural gas would be needed to run the gas dryer for one year?
2. What would the cost be to run the gas dryer for one year?
3. How many kWh of electricity would be needed to power the electric dryer for one year?
4. What would the cost be to run the electric dryer for one year?
5. A brand new electric dryer costs, on average, $650. A brand new, comparable natural gas dryer costs, on average, $750. How long (in months) would it take the homeowner to recoup the greater upfront cost of the natural gas dryer?
6. Which type of dryer should the homeowner purchase based on cost? Justify your answer with evidence from the calculations.
7. How many pounds of CO2 would be added to the atmosphere each year if the gas dryer were used?
8. How many pounds of coal would be needed to power the electric dryer for one year?
9. How many pounds of CO2 would be emitted if the electricity needed to power the dryer for one year came from a coal power plant?
10. How many pounds of CO2 would be emitted if the electricity needed to power the dryer for one year came from a coal power plant?
11. What is the difference in yearly CO2 emissions between the electric dryer and gas dryer?
12. Taking both the cost and environmental impacts of each type of dryer into consideration, make a claim as to which dryer the homeowner should purchase. Justify your choice with at least two pieces of evidence.