A comprehensive depository of all information relating to the scientific and technological aspects of Shale Gas and Alternative Energy Conveniently arranged by energy type including Shale Gas, Wind, Geothermal, Solar, and Hydropower Perfect first-stop reference for any scientist, engineer, or student looking for practical and applied energy information Emphasizes practical applications of existing technologies, from design and maintenance, to operating and troubleshooting of energy systems and equipment Features concise yet complete entries, making it easy for users to find the required information quickly, without the need to search through long articles
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RENEWABLE ENERGY Written by a highly respected engineer and prolific author in the energy sector, this is the single most comprehensive, thorough, and up-to-date reference work on renewable energy. The world’s energy industry is and has always been volatile, sometimes controversial, with wild swings upward and downward. This has, historically, been mostly because most of our energy has come from fossil fuels, which is a finite source of energy. Every so often, a technology comes along, like hydrofracturing, that is a game-changer. But is it, really? Aren’t we just delaying the inevitable with these temporary price fixes The only REAL game-changer is renewable energy. For decades, renewable energy sources have been sought, developed, and studied. Sometimes wind is at the forefront, sometimes solar, and, for the last decade or so, there has been a surge in interest for biofeedstocks and biofuels. There are also the “old standbys” of nuclear and geothermal energy, which have both been around for a very long time. This groundbreaking new volume presents these topics and trends in an encyclopedic format, as a go-to reference for the engineer, scientist, student, or even layperson who works in the industry or is simply interested in the topic. Compiled by one of the world’s best-known and respected energy engineers, this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date encyclopedia of renewable energy ever written, a must-have for any library. Encyclopedia of Renewable Energy: Is written in an encyclopedic style, covering every aspect of renewable energy, including wind, solar, and many other topics Offers a comprehensive coverage of the industry, from the chemical processes of biofeedstocks and biofuels to the machinery and equipment used in the production of fuel and power generation Is filled with workable examples and designs that are helpful for practical applications Covers the state of the art, an invaluable resource for any engineer Audience Engineers across a variety of industries, including wind, solar, process engineering, waste utilization for fuels, and many others, such as process engineers, chemical engineers, electrical engineers, petroleum engineers, civil engineers, and the technicians and other scientists who work in this field
Encyclopedia of Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Four Volume Set comprehensively covers all renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal energy, and nuclear power, to name a few. In addition to covering the breadth of renewable energy resources at a fundamental level, this encyclopedia delves into the utilization and ideal applications of each resource and assesses them from environmental, economic, and policy standpoints. This book will serve as an ideal introduction to any renewable energy source for students, while also allowing them to learn about a topic in more depth and explore related topics, all in a single resource.Instructors, researchers, and industry professionals will also benefit from this comprehensive reference. - Covers all renewable energy technologies in one comprehensive resource - Details renewable energies' processes, from production to utilization in a single encyclopedia - Organizes topics into concise, consistently formatted chapters, perfect for readers who are new to the field - Assesses economic challenges faced to implement each type of renewable energy - Addresses the challenges of replacing fossil fuels with renewables and covers the environmental impacts of each renewable energy
Biomass currently accounts for about fifteen per cent of global primary energy consumption and is playing an increasingly important role in the face of climate change, energy and food security concerns. Handbook of Bioenergy Crops is a unique reference and guide, with extensive coverage of more than eighty of the main bioenergy crop species. For each it gives a brief description, outlines the ecological requirements, methods of propagation, crop management, rotation and production, harvesting, handling and storage, processing and utilization, then finishes with selected references. This is accompanied by detailed guides to biomass accumulation, harvesting, transportation and storage, as well as conversion technologies for biofuels and an examination of the environmental impact and economic and social dimensions, including prospects for renewable energy. This is an indispensable resource for all those involved in biomass production, utilization and research.
This textbook is intended for an audience with little or no power engineering or renewable energy background. The book covers electric energy from alternative energy sources, including solar, wind, water, hydropower, geothermal, and ocean energy. Core issues discussed include wind and solar resource estimates and analysis, solar thermal systems, solar collectors, photovoltaics, wind turbines, geothermal energy, energy small hydropower, wave, tide and ocean energy, and characteristics of energy conversion, control, and electrical aspects. This is one of the most comprehensive textbooks for students, engineers, and professionals who study renewable energy. There are several questions and problems, presented with increasing difficulty, most of which focus on practical applications. The materials and problems are drawn from the author’s extensive experience in renewable energy analysis, assessment, design, control, and the power electronics of wind and solar energy conversion systems. Each section of the book contains several solved examples, as well as practical and advanced discussions, that instill critical thinking and apply to industrial applications. The book is divided into eight chapters and covers the most important aspects of renewable energy sources and technologies.
"As befits the topic, this beautifully packaged, wonderfully illustrated, interdisciplinary resource has more than 1200 entries written by specialists. A helpful reader′s guide groups topics like agriculture, conservation and ecology, movements and regulations, politics, pollution, and society. A resource guide, chronology, glossary, and list of the UN′s economic indicators complete the set." —Library Journal "...this important work gives a well-focused snapshot of environmentalism in the early 21st Century, and it will remain valuable into the future both for its content and as a yardstick to measure progress toward sustainability and conservation. Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduates and general readers." —CHOICE Booklist Editors′ Choice 2008 "This superb interdisciplinary work should find a place on the shelves of every public and academic library that has the least bit of interest in environment issues—which should mean just about all." —Booklist (Starred Review) Where does the environment leave off and society begin? When expanding production and consumption drives greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet, which in turn influence the conditions of economic expansion, it is unclear where the climate ends and the economy begins. This fact is not new to our era, however, our social and natural sciences have only recently come to grips with the incredible complexity of the world described by understanding the environment and society as being of a piece. As a result, in the last decade there has been an unprecedented explosion of new concepts, theories, facts, and techniques that follow from such an understanding. The Encyclopedia of Environment and Society brings together multiplying issues, concepts, theories, examples, problems, and policies, with the goal of clearly explicating an emerging way of thinking about people and nature. With more than 1,200 entries written by experts from incredibly diverse fields, this innovative resource is a first step toward diving into the deep pool of emerging knowledge. The five volumes of this Encyclopedia represent more than a catalogue of terms. Rather, they capture the spirit of the moment, a fascinating time when global warming and genetic engineering represent only two of the most obvious examples of socio-environmental issues. Key Features Examines many new ideas about how the world works, what creates the daunting problems of our time, and how such issues might be addressed, whether by regulation, markets, or new ethics Demonstrates how theories of environmental management based on market efficiency may not be easily reconciled with those that focus on population, and both may certainly diverge from those centering on ethics, justice, or labor Offers contributions from experts in their fields of specialty, including geographers, political scientists, chemists, anthropologists, medical practitioners, development experts, and sociologists, among many others Explores the emerging socio-environmental problems that we face in the next century, as well as the shifting and expanding theoretical tools available for tackling these problems Covers regions of North America in greater detail but also provides a comprehensive picture that approaches, as effectively as possible, a cohesive global vision Key Themes Agriculture Animals Biology and Chemistry Climate Conservation and Ecology Countries Geography History Movements and Regulations Organizations People Politics Pollution Society Packed with essential and up-to-date information on the state of the global socio-environment, the Encyclopedia of Environment and Society is a time capsule of its historic moment and a record of where we stand at the start of the 21st century, making it a must-have resource for any library. These inspiring volumes provide an opportunity for more new ways of thinking, behaving, and living in a more-than-human world.
This book reviews alternative and renewable energy resources in order to pave the way for a more sustainable production in the future. A multi-disciplinary team of authors provides a comprehensive overview of current technologies and future trends, including solar technologies, wind energy, hydropower, microbial electrochemical systems and various biomass sources for biofuel production. In addition, the book focuses on solutions for developing countries. Conventional energy sources are finite, and estimates suggest that they will be exhausted within a few decades. Finding a solution to this problem is a global challenge, and developing countries in particular are still highly dependent on fossil fuels due to their rapidly growing populations accompanied by a huge growth in primary energy consumption. Moreover, the most common conventional energy sources (coal and petroleum) are non-sustainable since their combustion exponentially increases greenhouse gas emissions. As such, there is a pressing need for clean energy based on alternative or renewable resources, not only to ensure energy supplies at an affordable price but also to protect the environment.
This is a collection of approximately 750 articles exploring major topics related to global warming and climate change ranging geographically from the North Pole to the South Pole and thematically from social effects to scientific cause. It also covers industrial and economic factors, the role of societies and much more.
This book, consisting a series of papers written by experts in their respective fields of specialization, will provide a comprehensive coverage of renewable energy technologies, such as wind, wave and solar thermal energy. Other industrial terms like photovoltaic systems, biomass, distributed generations and small hydro power systems are also discussed and further elaborated upon. The Handbook of Renewable Energy Technology will be of great practical benefit to professionals, scientists and researchers in the relevant industries, and will be of interest to those of the general public wanting to know more about renewable energy technologies.
The comprehensive guide to engineering alternative and renewable energy systems and applications—updated for the latest trends and technologies This book was designed tohelp engineers develop new solutions for the current energy economy. To that end it provides technical discussions, along with numerous real-world examples of virtually all existing alternative energy sources, applications, systems and system components. All chapters focus on first-order engineering calculations, and consider alternative uses of existing and renewable energy resources. Just as important, the author describes how to apply these concepts to the development of new energy solutions. Since the publication of the critically acclaimed first edition of this book, the alternative, renewable and sustainable energy industries have witnessed significant evolution and growth. Hydraulic fracturing, fossil fuel reserve increases, the increasing popularity of hybrid and all-electric vehicles, and the decreasing cost of solar power already have had a significant impact on energy usage patterns worldwide. Updated and revised to reflect those and other key developments, this new edition features expanded coverage of topics covered in the first edition, as well as entirely new chapters on hydraulic fracturing and fossil fuels, hybrid and all-electric vehicles, and more. Begins with a fascinating look at the changing face of global energy economy Features chapters devoted to virtually all sources of alternative energy and energy systems Offers technical discussions of hydropower, wind, passive solar and solar-thermal, photovoltaics, fuel cells, CHP systems, geothermal, ocean energy, biomass, and nuclear Contains updated chapter review questions, homework problems, and a thoroughly revised solutions manual, available on the companion website While Alternative Energy Systems and Applications, Second Edition is an ideal textbook/reference for advanced undergraduate and graduate level engineering courses in energy-related subjects, it is also an indispensable professional resource for engineers and technicians working in areas related to the development of alternative/renewable energy systems.
