Sustainable Transport Fuels Business Briefing explains, for a global business audience, the latest developments in the world of sustainable transport. Not the vehicles or modes of transport themselves, but their means of propulsion. New technologies and players are coming and going with bewildering speed. Some observers are putting their money on electric vehicles, others on hybrids; some see electric vehicles as a mere stepping stone to hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, already being seen on city streets. The mere mention of biofuels often provokes fierce arguments about their sustainability, yet they, too, are here to stay and will be filling more and more fuel tanks. By the time you finish this book, you will understand not only the pros and cons of all these technologies, the programs around the world furthering their development, and the players large and small, but also the catalysts for change, and the successful partnerships and innovative business models being employed. You'll be able to make informed decisions about investments, whether you're considering a new fleet, haulage or mobility of any kind, or whether to install an electric vehicle charging point in your property.

Renewable and carbon-neutral energy have been promoted as the future of energy production in the United States. Non-traditional energy sources show promise as alternatives to fossil fuels and may provide a sustainable source of energy in increasingly uncertain energy markets. However, these new sources of energy face their own set of political, administrative, and legal challenges. Green vs. Green explores how mixed land ownership and existing law and regulation present serious challenges to the development of alternative energy sources in the United States. Analytically examining and comparing five green energy sectors; wind, solar, geothermal, biofuel and hydro power, Ryan M. Yonk, Randy T. Simmons, and Brian C. Steed argue that discussing alternative energy without understanding these pitfalls creates unrealistic expectations regarding the ability to substitute "green" energy for traditional sources. The micro-goals of protecting individual areas, species, small-scale ecosystems, and other local environmental aims often limits ability to achieve macro-goals like preventing global climate change or transitioning to large-scale green energy production. Statutes and regulations designed to protect environmental and cultural integrity from degradation directly conflict with other stated environmental ends. Although there is substantial interest in adding clean energy to the grid, it appears that localized environmental interests interfere with broader environmental policy goals and the application of existing environmental laws and regulations may push us closer to gridlock. Green vs. Green provides a fascinating look into how existing environmental law created or will create substantial regulatory hurdles for future energy generations.

This book examines the coordination of renewable energy policies in the European Union using an innovative theoretical approach to explain national policy making. David Jacobs asks, why are national support instruments for electricity from renewable energy sources converging, even though the harmonisation of these frameworks at the European level has failed? Which causal mechanisms lead to cross-national policy similarities? And what are the implications for policy coordination in the EU? The author traces the evolution of feed-in tariffs - the most successful and most widely used support mechanism for renewable electricity - in Germany, Spain and France. He reveals increasing cross-national policy similarities in feed-in tariff design - despite the failure of harmonizing instruments at the European level. He explains these increasing policy similarities by applying policy convergence theory. Policy convergence can occur voluntarily, based on transnational communication, regulatory competition and technological innovations and these findings have important implications for European policy steering. The key to this book is the interrelation of an innovative theoretical concept (coordination of policies in the international arena via voluntary cooperation) with a very topical empirical research focus - the promotion of renewable energies in the EU. It will be essential reading for scholars and students of environmental policy, comparative politics and European studies.

The greatest challenge of our time is to build a world based on the sustainable use of renewable power. Our massive dependence on fossil fuels has upset the very climatic system that made human evolution possible. The global economy and its financial system are in jeopardy, running hot on overtly cheap yet increasingly costly and fast depleting oil. A 100% renewable world is seen by many as an impossible dream in anything but the very long term. But not only do a growing number of initiatives and plans dare to make the change but many have already achieved it. This rich collection presents a series of pioneering efforts and their champions, and the paths to their successes. Ranging from initiatives by individuals to visions for companies, communities and entire countries, it defeats tired economic and technical counter-arguments, showing how the schemes featured not only can and do work but do so economically and with available technology. The book is introduced by incisive writing by Peter Droege, explaining the challenges and framing a roadmap towards a 100% renewable reality.

The new edition of this thoroughly considered textbook provides a reliable, accessible and comprehensive guide for students of photovoltaic applications and renewable energy engineering. Written by a group of award-winning authors it is brimming with information and is carefully designed to meet the needs of its readers. Along with exercises and references at the end of each chapter, it features a set of detailed technical appendices that provide essential equations, data sources and standards. The new edition has been fully updated with the latest information on photovoltaic cells, modules, applications and policy. Starting from basics with 'The Characteristics of Sunlight' the reader is guided step-by-step through semiconductors and p-n junctions; the behaviour of solar cells; cell properties and design; and PV cell interconnection and module fabrication. The book covers stand-alone photovoltaic systems; specific purpose photovoltaic systems; remote area power supply systems; grid-connected photovoltaic systems and water pumping. Applied Photovoltaics is highly illustrated and very accessible, providing the reader with all the information needed to start working with photovoltaics.

In recent years, the federal government's increasing inability to address major societal challenges has arguably hampered America's commitment to renewable energy initiatives. Individual U.S. states have stepped into this void and adopted their own policies, leading some to believe that the states can propel America's renewable energy industry forward. There is no guarantee, however, that the states will invent their own pioneering policies rather than copy existing templates from each other. Moreover, we know very little about how legislative and regulatory dynamics within America's states might accelerate or hinder renewable energy policy creation. In Following in Footsteps or Marching Alone?, Srinivas Parinandi explores how the states have devised their own novel policies, and how the political workings of legislatures and public utilities commissions have impacted state renewable energy policy design. Through the meticulous study of nearly three decades of state-level renewable energy policy-making, he finds that their creation is primarily driven by legislatures, and that ideologically liberal legislatures largely push the envelope. To the extent that public utilities commissions craft these policies, they do so with an eye toward avoiding pushback from electric utility companies. The book suggests that a limit of having a predominantly state-driven renewable energy effort can lead to uneven and patchwork-based policy development outcomes, and a possible solution is to try to more successfully federalize these issues. Parinandi urges readers, scholars, and policy practitioners to consider whether a state-led effort is adequate enough to handle the task of building momentum for renewable energy in one of the world's largest electricity markets.

In recent years, the federal government's increasing inability to address major societal challenges has arguably hampered America's commitment to renewable energy initiatives. Individual U.S. states have stepped into this void and adopted their own policies, leading some to believe that the states can propel America's renewable energy industry forward. There is no guarantee, however, that the states will invent their own pioneering policies rather than copy existing templates from each other. Moreover, we know very little about how legislative and regulatory dynamics within America's states might accelerate or hinder renewable energy policy creation. In Following in Footsteps or Marching Alone?, Srinivas Parinandi explores how the states have devised their own novel policies, and how the political workings of legislatures and public utilities commissions have impacted state renewable energy policy design. Through the meticulous study of nearly three decades of state-level renewable energy policy-making, he finds that their creation is primarily driven by legislatures, and that ideologically liberal legislatures largely push the envelope. To the extent that public utilities commissions craft these policies, they do so with an eye toward avoiding pushback from electric utility companies. The book suggests that a limit of having a predominantly state-driven renewable energy effort can lead to uneven and patchwork-based policy development outcomes, and a possible solution is to try to more successfully federalize these issues. Parinandi urges readers, scholars, and policy practitioners to consider whether a state-led effort is adequate enough to handle the task of building momentum for renewable energy in one of the world's largest electricity markets.

The potential for energy transformation from geothermal heat is limitless. For millennia natural sources of this energy, in the form of thermal springs, have been used by populations for heating, cooking and bathing. Modern-day usage has been extended to electricity generation from binary cycle power plants, heat extraction from geothermal heat pumps and use in greenhouses for industrial crop growing. Perspectives for Geothermal Energy in Europe highlights the status of geothermal energy in countries where natural sources of this energy are available. It concludes with a presentation of current geothermal policy and regulations within Europe, and discussion of how this fits in with the EU Energy and Climate Framework.Suitable for students, academics and practitioners in the fields of energy studies, geology and the earth sciences, electrical engineering and environmental economics, this book is the first comprehensive review of the practicalities of geothermal extraction and use in Europe.

Interest in biomass energy resources from forests, farms and other sources has been rapidly increasing in recent years because of growing concern with reducing carbon dioxide emissions and developing alternatives to increasingly scarce, expensive and insecure oil supplies. The uniqueness of this book is its coverage of biomass energy markets in the US from an economic as well as technical perspective. Existing books typically focus on single markets or technical aspects at the exclusion of economics, and have given greater coverage to biomass energy outside the US. This edited collection has three main parts. Part One provides a historical overview of forest biomass energy use in the US; the major technologies, economics, market prospects, and policies. Part Two presents forest biomass energy assessments, including life cycle and sustainability perspectives, and Part Three includes five sets of regional case studies. After reviewing the history of wood energy use in the US and technology options, the book shows that forests could displace sixteen per cent of domestic transportation fuel use in 2030. Renewable Energy from Forest Resources in the United States includes a Foreword from Chris Flavin, President of the Worldwatch Institute.

An impending energy crisis is looming globally, which has led to the use of effluents from paper mills for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), CO2 flooding and wastewater treatment by biosurfactants, and the current market demand for cost-competitive and environment-friendly alternatives to synthetic chemicals. This up-to-date book on petroleum technology provides a comprehensive review of the background and recent advances in the field of petroleum technology and highlights various facets of the fascinating world of upstream, midstream and downstream petroleum technologies. It comprises 25 chapters, each representing the progress, prospects and challenges in petroleum research, and focuses on the tremendous progress made by the scientific community in this research field. The book covers in detail EOR processes, reservoir engineering, production operation and optimisation, pipeline transportation and storage, CO2 capture and sequestration, wastewater management and innovative treatment, refining technologies, environmental chemistry, and biochemistry and biotechnology for the petroleum industry.

Effective policy is vital for creating greener economies, new jobs and industries, for securing energy supplies and for protecting the climate and environment. As renewable energy is fundamental to achieving all of these objectives, it too needs the best possible policy to drive it. Feed-in tariffs have proven to deliver the fastest, most cost-effective and inclusive deployment, by allowing anyone to sell renewable energy into the grid and get a long term, guaranteed return for it. This book, from authors who have spent years working on feed-in tariff design and advocacy, provides a broad and detailed resource on feed-in tariffs and other renewable energy support schemes. It shares many lessons on good and bad design and implementation, as well as discussing the challenges faced by policy, and renewable energy in general. Powering the Green Economy: - Situates renewable energy and feed-in tariffs within the context of the global moves towards a green economy - Provides an introduction to feed-in tariffs and brings developments in key countries around the world up to date - Investigates effective design for developed and emerging economies - Explores technical, social and political issues - Analyses other support schemes - Describes the barriers to renewable energy - Presents a blueprint for campaigning successfully for feed-in tariffs Written in a clear, practical style, this is a must-read for policymakers, businesses, investors, campaigners, academics, community groups and anyone concerned with creating successful and sustainable energy policy.

Effective policy is vital for creating greener economies, new jobs and industries, for securing energy supplies and for protecting the climate and environment. As renewable energy is fundamental to achieving all of these objectives, it too needs the best possible policy to drive it. Feed-in tariffs have proven to deliver the fastest, most cost-effective and inclusive deployment, by allowing anyone to sell renewable energy into the grid and get a long term, guaranteed return for it. This book, from authors who have spent years working on feed-in tariff design and advocacy, provides a broad and detailed resource on feed-in tariffs and other renewable energy support schemes. It shares many lessons on good and bad design and implementation, as well as discussing the challenges faced by policy, and renewable energy in general. Powering the Green Economy: - Situates renewable energy and feed-in tariffs within the context of the global moves towards a green economy - Provides an introduction to feed-in tariffs and brings developments in key countries around the world up to date - Investigates effective design for developed and emerging economies - Explores technical, social and political issues - Analyses other support schemes - Describes the barriers to renewable energy - Presents a blueprint for campaigning successfully for feed-in tariffs Written in a clear, practical style, this is a must-read for policymakers, businesses, investors, campaigners, academics, community groups and anyone concerned with creating successful and sustainable energy policy.

Rapidly developing countries such as China and India are the real main players in the climate debate, with the potential for massive increases in their carbon emissions in coming years. Brazil is often included in their number, yet this country is in fact notable for its exceptionally high reliance on energy from renewable sources approaching fifty per cent. However, the fact that much of this energy comes from hydropower and biofuels, and recent discoveries of massive oil reserves off of the Brazilian coast, are a recipe for controversy.

In this detailed account, Antonio Dias Leite sets out the development of Brazil's energy mix. Beginning with the history of energy provision and use, he then moves on to tackle the various sources in detail: hydropower, biomass and other renewables, as well as fossil fuels and nuclear power. In each case he examines growth, distribution, environmental and socio-economic issues (such as deforestation and displacement of indigenous communities) and potential for future development highlighting what has worked, and what hasn't. The book ends by examining Brazilian approaches to energy efficiency, and by positioning Brazil in the world context.

This is a major contribution to the discussion around climate change mitigation that will be key reading for policymakers and researchers concerned with the future role and impacts of rapidly developing countries.

Can renewable energy provide reliable power? Will it need extensive backup? The energy available from wind, waves, tides and the sun varies in ways that may not match variations in energy demand. Assimilating these fluctuations can affect the operation and economics of electricity networks, markets and the output of other forms of generation. Is this a significant problem, or can these new sources be integrated into the grid system without the need for extensive backup or energy storage capacity? This book examines the significance of the issue of variability of renewable electricity supplies, and presents technical and operational solutions to the problem of reconciling the differing patterns of supply and demand. Its chapters are authored by leading experts in the field, who aim to explain and quantify the impacts of variability in renewable energy, and in doing so, dispel many of the myths and misunderstandings surrounding the topic.

A feed-in tariff is a renewable energy law that obliges energy suppliers to buy electricity produced from renewable resources at a fixed price, usually over a fixed period - even from householders. These legal guarantees ensure investment security, and the support of all viable renewable energy technologies. Supporters argue that the feed-in model, if implemented effectively around the world, would greatly assist the energy revolution that is so desperately required; through CO2 reduction, market creation and development, job creation and improved energy security. Feed-in Tariffs is a concise introduction to feed-in laws, examining the experience of countries that have implemented this model. The author argues that the policy should be implemented anywhere with a suitable national power grid infrastructure, and identifies variations on the policy for those areas without. Alternative models and support schemes are examined to provide policy makers with the information required to consider the implementation of feed-in tariffs, and to introduce the concept to renewable energy technology manufacturers, producers, investors and supporters. With a foreword by Hermann Scheer. Published with the World Future Council.

Interest in biomass energy resources from forests, farms and other sources has been rapidly increasing in recent years because of growing concern with reducing carbon dioxide emissions and developing alternatives to increasingly scarce, expensive and insecure oil supplies.
The uniqueness of this book is its coverage of biomass energy markets in the US from an economic as well as technical perspective. Existing books typically focus on single markets or technical aspects at the exclusion of economics, and have given greater coverage to biomass energy outside the US. This edited collection has three main parts. Part One provides a historical overview of forest biomass energy use in the US; the major technologies, economics, market prospects, and policies. Part Two presents forest biomass energy assessments, including life cycle and sustainability perspectives, and Part Three includes five sets of regional case studies. After reviewing the history of wood energy use in the US and technology options, the book shows that forests could displace sixteen per cent of domestic transportation fuel use in 2030.

Renewable Energy from Forest Resources in the United States includes a Foreword from Chris Flavin, President of the Worldwatch Institute.

The Routledge Handbook of Energy in Asia presents a comprehensive review of the unprecedented growth of Asian energy over the past quarter of a century. It provides insightful analysis into variation across the continent, whilst highlighting areas of cross-learning and regional cooperation between the developed and developing countries of Asia. Prepared by a team of leading international experts, this book not only captures the East Asian domination, particularly that of China, but also highlights the growing influence of South Asia and the ASEAN. Organised into four parts, the sections include: the demand for energy in the region and its main drivers at the sector level; developments in energy supply, including fossil fuels and renewable energy sources; energy policies and issues such as sector reform and climate change; the transition to a low carbon pathway. This handbook offers a complete picture of Asian energy, covering supply and demand, as well as contemporary challenges in the sector. As such, it is a valuable resource for students and scholars of energy policy, Environmental Studies, and Asian Studies.

Global economic growth, recently fuelled by Asia's emerging economies, has greatly accelerated the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and boosted demand for scarce natural resources, including energy, food and mineral raw materials. These developments are pushing the planet close to its ecological boundaries. Transforming the world economy towards sustainability, while ensuring decent levels of resource use for all global citizens, is the greatest challenge of our time. This book explores how innovation systems need to be adapted to successfully confront these challenges. The first chapter introduces the concept of sustainability-oriented innovation systems which highlights the systematic differences between systems that have developed along current resource-intensive technological trajectories and those that address the impending environmental mega-problems. The subsequent articles present case studies of sustainability-oriented innovations in a number of policy areas, including energy efficiency, electric mobility and generation of renewable energy, in China and India. These case studies confirm the specificities of innovation systems geared towards a green techno-economic paradigm. This book was originally published as a special issue of Innovation and Development.

Geothermal Heat Pumps is the most comprehensive guide to the selection, design and installation of geothermal heat pumps available. This leading manual presents the most recent information and market developments in order to put any installer, engineer or architect in the position to design, select and install a domestic geothermal heat pump system. Internationally respected expert Karl Ochsner presents the reasons to use heat pumps, introduces basic theory and reviews the wide variety of available heat pump models.

Whereas most scholars study alternative energy policy in developed, Western nations, Oksan Bayulgen wonders why renewable energy has not advanced in countries that do not have deep fossil fuel resources. This book focuses on the political determinants of clean energy transitions, especially in developing country settings, which most of the literature has overlooked. Using an in-depth case study of energy policymaking in Turkey, Bayulgen constructs a dynamic, multidimensional theoretical model to explain the political feasibility of energy solutions to climate change in much of the world. By using Turkey as a case study, she clearly shows the role of the state and elites in energy policies that have failed to make the transition to renewables. This timely topic will be of interest to scholars, policymakers, energy investors, and anyone interested in environmental studies.

For the building industry, the installation of photovoltaic systems has become a new field of activity. Interest in solar energy is growing and future business prospects are excellent. Photovoltaics for Professionals describes the practicalities of marketing, designing and installing photovoltaic systems, both grid-tied and stand-alone. It has been written for electricians, technicians, builders, architects and building engineers who want to get involved in this expanding industry. It answers all the beginner's questions as well as serving as a textbook and work of reference, provides designers and installers with practical specialist knowledge needed to design and install high quality solar electric systems and gives a comprehensive overview of the major photovoltaic market sectors. Photovoltaics for Professionals contains over 100 full colour illustrations and covers: Marketing and promoting photovoltaics Solar cells, PV modules and the solar resource Grid-tied PV systems Stand-alone PV systems Practical step-by-step examples are described of how to go about installing systems right from the first customer contact and many useful tips are given to help avoid mistakes.

This book specifically targets readers who are interested in developing wind power projects. Wind power is developing rapidly, in terms of both the number of new installations and interest from various stakeholders (including policy-makers, NGOs, research scientists, industry and the general public). Unlike the majority of other texts on wind power, which are written primarily for engineers or policy analysts, this book specifically targets those interested in, or planning to develop, wind power projects. Having outlined wind power basics and explained the underlying resource and technology, the author explores the interactions between wind power and society, and the main aspects of project development, including siting, economics and legislation. Based on a successful Swedish edition, expanded and updated for an international market, this book will be an essential reference for professionals developing new sites, ...

Climate change caused by burning fossil fuels and escalating fossil fuel prices make the further rapid development of renewable energy sources a global imperative. Energy provided by wind power, though no panacea, has the potential to make a substantial contribution to meeting electricity needs in many countries. This concise and accessible account of the history and future development of wind power technology offers a complete overview of this vital field for engineers, scientists, students and all readers interested in wind power. Requiring no prior technical knowledge, this book provides a global historical assessment of wind power use, encapsulating sequential experimental changes, and concluding with narration of wind deployment, and an assessment of future options. Wind power is shown as compatible with large scale use: a clean, competitive and abundant energy source to help meet our future needs.

Originally published in 1979, this study develops a model that explains the rate of adoption of an innovation in an industry - i.e the impact of technological change upon the utilization of selected materials and energy resources in the steel, alluminium and metal can industries. Each of the three industries is examined and in subsequent chapters the model is developed, applied and evaluated.

The global economy and our way of life are based on the exploitation of fossil fuels, which not only threaten massive environmental and social disruption through global warming but, at present rates of consumption, will run out within decades, causing huge industrial dislocation and economic collapse. Even before then, the conflicts it causes in the Middle East and elsewhere will be frighteningly exacerbated. The alternative exists: renewable energy from renewable sources - above all, solar. Substituting renewable for fossil resources will take a new industrial revolution to avert the worst of the damage and establish a new international order. It can be done, and it can be done in time. The Solar Economy, by one of the world's most effective analysts and advocates, lays out the blueprints, showing how the political, economic and technological challenges can be met using indigenous, renewable and universally available resources, and the enormous opportunities and benefits that will flow from doing so.