The world is rapidly approaching the end of the fossil fuel era. This timely book reviews the historical background for this crisis and provides a comprehensive discussion of its important aspects. It contrasts the Utopian writings of Condorcet, Godwin and Adam Smith, with the more pessimistic views of Malthus and Ricardo. It then discusses the characteristics of mainstream industrialism, as well as the ecological counterculture. The final chapters of the book study the present position regarding both non-renewable and renewable resources, and the problem of reducing the economic trauma that will result from the depletion of fossil fuels, especially the future impact of high petroleum prices on agriculture in relation to global population growth. Readers will gain an understanding of the dangers and opportunities of future developments in science, as well as the steps that must be taken to achieve a stable, sustainable global society.
"Over the next few decades, we will see a profound energy transformation as society shifts from fossil fuels to renewable resources like solar, wind, biomass. But what might a one hundred percent renewable future actually look like, and what obstacles will we face in this transition? Authors explore the practical challenges and opportunities presented by the shift to renewable energy."--Page 4 of cover.
For multi-user PDF licensing, please contact customer service. Energy touches our lives in countless ways and its costs are felt when we fill up at the gas pump, pay our home heating bills, and keep businesses both large and small running. There are long-term costs as well: to the environment, as natural resources are depleted and pollution contributes to global climate change, and to national security and independence, as many of the world's current energy sources are increasingly concentrated in geopolitically unstable regions. The country's challenge is to develop an energy portfolio that addresses these concerns while still providing sufficient, affordable energy reserves for the nation. The United States has enormous resources to put behind solutions to this energy challenge; the dilemma is to identify which solutions are the right ones. Before deciding which energy technologies to develop, and on what timeline, we need to understand them better. America's Energy Future analyzes the potential of a wide range of technologies for generation, distribution, and conservation of energy. This book considers technologies to increase energy efficiency, coal-fired power generation, nuclear power, renewable energy, oil and natural gas, and alternative transportation fuels. It offers a detailed assessment of the associated impacts and projected costs of implementing each technology and categorizes them into three time frames for implementation.
The demand for secure, affordable and clean energy is a priority call to humanity. Challenges associated with conventional energy resources, such as depletion of fossil fuels, high costs and associated greenhouse gas emissions, have stimulated interests in renewable energy resources. For instance, there have been clear gaps and rushed thoughts about replacing fossil-fuel driven engines with electric vehicles without long-term plans for energy security and recycling approaches. This book aims to provide a clear vision to scientists, industrialists and policy makers on renewable energy resources, predicted challenges and emerging applications. It can be used to help produce new technologies for sustainable, connected and harvested energy. A clear response to economic growth and clean environment demands is also illustrated.
A component in the America's Energy Future study, Electricity from Renewable Resources examines the technical potential for electric power generation with alternative sources such as wind, solar-photovoltaic, geothermal, solar-thermal, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources. The book focuses on those renewable sources that show the most promise for initial commercial deployment within 10 years and will lead to a substantial impact on the U.S. energy system. A quantitative characterization of technologies, this book lays out expectations of costs, performance, and impacts, as well as barriers and research and development needs. In addition to a principal focus on renewable energy technologies for power generation, the book addresses the challenges of incorporating such technologies into the power grid, as well as potential improvements in the national electricity grid that could enable better and more extensive utilization of wind, solar-thermal, solar photovoltaics, and other renewable technologies.
This Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report (IPCC-SRREN) assesses the potential role of renewable energy in the mitigation of climate change. It covers the six most important renewable energy sources - bioenergy, solar, geothermal, hydropower, ocean and wind energy - as well as their integration into present and future energy systems. It considers the environmental and social consequences associated with the deployment of these technologies, and presents strategies to overcome technical as well as non-technical obstacles to their application and diffusion. SRREN brings a broad spectrum of technology-specific experts together with scientists studying energy systems as a whole. Prepared following strict IPCC procedures, it presents an impartial assessment of the current state of knowledge: it is policy relevant but not policy prescriptive. SRREN is an invaluable assessment of the potential role of renewable energy for the mitigation of climate change for policymakers, the private sector, and academic researchers.
A valuable reference book for anyone involved in energy studies; a detailed and flexible model of world energy production and consumption to use when working on questions relating to energy.
This book provides a platform for scientists and engineers to comprehend the technologies of solar wind hybrid renewable energy systems and their applications. It describes the thermodynamic analysis of wind energy systems, and advanced monitoring, modeling, simulation, and control of wind turbines. Based on recent hybrid technologies considering wind and solar energy systems, this book also covers modeling, design, and optimization of wind solar energy systems in conjunction with grid-connected distribution energy management systems comprising wind photovoltaic (PV) models. In addition, solar thermochemical fuel generation topology and evaluation of PV wind hybrid energy for a small island are also included in this book. Since energy storage plays a vital role in renewable energy systems, another salient part of this book addresses the methodology for sizing hybrid battery-backed power generation systems in off-grid connected locations. Furthermore, the book proposes solutions for sustainable rural development via passive solar housing schemes, and the impacts of renewable energies in general, considering social, economic, and environmental factors. Because this book proposes solutions based on recent challenges in the area of hybrid renewable technologies, it is hoped that it will serve as a useful reference to readers who would like to be acquainted with new strategies of control and advanced technology regarding wind solar hybrid systems
The Energy Problem Energy Resources: Availability, Management, and Environmental Impacts identifies historical increases in demand and a continuing lack of viable management policies for regional and global energy problems. Considering the state and consumption of energy resources on a worldwide level, the authors outline and address three primary issues that they view as growing concerns: the exploitation of current forms of energy, the environmental consequences, and the social and economic ramifications involved. The initial chapters offer an overview of energy management, providing an introduction to energy, energy-related engineering principles, regulations, energy conservation, and sustainability. The book discusses all energy resource forms from fossil fuels to renewable resources. The authors introduce an energy matrix providing an analytical structure that quantitatively can be used to evaluate resource options and their impacts. The concluding chapters provide insight into the driving forces that have shaped energy policy to date and the uncertainties that face future policymakers. The book analyzes various aspects of energy management. It poses concerns and offers solutions, including a proposed approach for developing, organizing, and implementing a national energy plan for the U.S. A Template for Developing an Energy Policy Examines the issues involved with energy management Explores the best options for achieving energy independence Provides quantitative approaches to energy policy development Discusses specific structural and analytical approaches to solving energy management problems The book considers conservation and the development of new, less expensive energy forms, and the impact these can make in slowing growth in demand while fueling efficiency. It analyzes the availability of traditional energy resources and a method of quantifying their energy, economic, and environmental impacts to provide adequate, inexpensive, long-term energy supplies. It also examines the feasibility of solar power, wind, tidal, geothermal, nuclear, and other less traditional sources of energy.
