Hydrogen could be a significant fuel of the future, with the potential to make a major contribution to the resolution of pressing social and environmental problems such as carbon emissions, energy security and local air pollution. This book, based on four years of detailed research, subjects the promise and potential of hydrogen to searching, in-depth socio-economic analysis. It discusses the different technologies for the production, distribution, storage and use of hydrogen, and analyzes the economics of these technologies and their current market prospects. It also describes various experiences with aspects of a hydrogen economy in two parts of the world - the UK and Canada - and then assesses the nature of different hydrogen futures that might develop depending on how the technology, economics, social acceptance and policy frameworks play out in different contexts. The book ends by setting out the policy drivers and levers which could stimulate a virtuous circle of research and development, innovation and investment that might ultimately generate a sustainable hydrogen economy. This is essential reading for economists, engineers, business leaders, investors, policy makers, researchers and students who are interested in the future of the energy system and the part that hydrogen might play in it.

This unique book offers an introduction to the development of renewable energy in Australia in the early 2000s. Examining the rise of dispersed, embedded solar energy systems in Western Australia, it looks specifically at the Solex project in Carnarvon, WA, which pioneered the harvest of solar energy from what was once considered the pursuit of the lunatic fringes of society to a viable energy source for mainstream society and industry. In this fascinating case study Fullarton shows how a practical demonstration of innovative existing technology can have an incredible impact on a national scale. The ideas behind the Solex project slowly became adopted by the broader community and were eventually taken up enthusiastically by the general population of Australia. Analysing government and utility policies throughout the 2000s, the book traces how ambivalence was followed by whole-hearted incentives to the roll-out of alternative energy and subsequent active opposition to alternative energy in favour of traditional fossil fuel as government philosophies changed.

What if the harbinger of our greener future was a small power plant set in the middle of nowhere in West Texas? Longtime alternative energy executive Andy Bowman's book makes exactly this case, outlining what he suggests is a more sustainable future for American capitalism. The West Texas Power Plant that Saved the World takes the Barilla solar plant in Pecos County as a test case for the state of renewable energy in the twenty-first century United States. For author Andy Bowman, this is a very personal story. Bowman grew up in Galveston and acutely remembers watching stormwater climb up seawalls and wreak havoc on his home. He weaves these memories into his coming of age over two decades in the alternative energy industry, beginning in the 1990s, and tracks it's the industry's fits and starts that lead to the Barilla project. Barilla was the first solar project to be built "on spec": essentially, the plant was built without a contract in place and with the assumption that customers would come. That trailblazing wager represents a tidal shift in the alternative energy industry. In a clear voice, Bowman explains the climate science that necessitated this shift and makes business-based arguments for what the future should look like. The result is a book that tells a personal story of West Texan innovation, gumption, and vision, while also outlining how our society needs to equip itself to confront climate change.

Energy insecurity is not normally associated with the Middle East. However, away from the oil-rich Persian Gulf, the countries of the eastern Mediterranean are particularly vulnerable. Their fossil fuel endowments are low, while their fractious relationships with each other have long fostered wider political insecurities. Focusing on the Jordan Basin (Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Lebanon and Jordan), this timely volume addresses the prospects for the adoption of renewable energy in the oil-poor Middle East. Featuring regional energy experts, it offers an invaluable survey.

After outlining the regional security context, this book first reviews renewable energy policy and practices in the Jordan Basin. It then considers options for greening energy use, including promising pilot projects in North Africa. The initiatives discussed encompass renewable energy finance, energy-efficient rural communities, and solar and wind energy. There is significant potential for an increase in the uptake of renewable energy technologies in the eastern Mediterranean. This window of opportunity has been created by high oil prices, energy infrastructure investment opportunities, and the UN climate change regime. In conclusion, the book considers the institutional conditions for collaborative decision-making on renewable energy. Such cooperation would deliver substantial security and human development benefits to the region, and indeed the world.

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.

Climate change is perhaps among the most serious challenges that humankind has ever faced and perhaps the greatest market failure the world has ever seen. At the same time, clean unutilised energy resources around the world are available that could help remedy climate and environmental problems while also improving peoples lives. It is likely that most of the increased demand for energy in the future will be in the developing and emerging world. This is also where most unutilised clean energy sources are located. The challenge of climate change requires strong comprehensive and firm action from the international community. Clean energy projects tend to be large, capital intensive and long term. They require long term commitment from all the players involved as well as mutual trust. International financial institutions (IFIs), including the World Bank Group and regional development banks can play a key role in promoting the use of clean energy sources by facilitating clean energy investment in developing and emerging markets. This book focuses on those challenges, mainly using geothermal energy projects as examples, but also by providing an example of a large hydropower project to illustrate how the funding and risk mitigation instruments of IFIs, as well as national agencies such as export credit agencies (ECA)s, have been used to mobilise funds in a difficult investment environment. The book is divided into eleven chapters. Chapter One discusses the current global investment regime and the absence of an international organisation for investments comparable to the World Trade Organization that focuses on cross border trade. Chapter Two examines the World Bank Group and its emphasis on loans instead of guarantees for capital mobilisation. Chapter Three discusses international financial institutions, including regional development banks and their risk mitigation instruments. Chapter Four focuses on how IFIs can make more use of their instruments to support cross border clean energy projects in developing and emerging economies. Chapter Five assesses the effectiveness of the risk mitigation instruments used by the World Bank Group. Chapter Six analyses the upfront development costs associated with geothermal development and geothermal projects. Chapter Seven analyses the costs and benefits of deploying public-private partnerships for clean energy projects. Chapter Eight focuses on contested multilateralism and the recent establishment of new international financial institutions under Chinese leadership, i.e. the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development (BRICS) Bank. Chapter Nine examines Iceland with its geothermal cluster as well as how developing and emerging countries could learn from Icelands experience. Chapter Ten analyses selected cross border clean energy projects, including geothermal and hydropower, and shows how various funding and risk mitigation instruments have been used in practice. Chapter Eleven stresses the urgency for global action to address the climate crisis facing humankind. Finally, the concluding chapter shows how international financial institutions can be key instruments for successful global climate solutions. The book draws on the authors experience in three continents (Africa, Asia and Europe) as a staff member of the World Bank Group.

The vast majority of the world's climate scientists believe that the build-up of heat-trapping CO2 in the atmosphere will lead to global warming unless we burn less fossil fuels. At the same time, energy must be supplied in increasing amounts for the developing world to continue its growth. This book discusses the feasibility of increasingly efficient energy use and the potential for supplying energy from sources that do not introduce CO2. The book analyses the prospects for Earth-based renewables: solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectricity, geothermal and ocean energy. It then discusses nuclear fission and fusion, and the relatively new idea of harvesting solar energy on satellites or lunar bases. It will be essential reading for all those interested in energy issues, including engineers and physicists (electrical, mechanical, chemical, industrial, environmental, nuclear), and industrial leaders and politicians. It will also be used as a supplementary textbook on advanced courses on energy.

In the United States, growing awareness of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the possible implications for global climate change have combined with recent high energy prices and economic uncertainty to rekindle interest in renewable energy. Renewable energy technologies generate electricity from resources such as the sun, wind, or biomass, with essentially no net GHG emissions. President Obama has declared a goal for the United States to become the world's leading exporter of renewable energy technologies, setting out policy objectives for the development of related "green jobs". This book discusses what "green job" are, and provides highlights on challenges of targeted training programs for emerging industries.

The energy transition has begun. To succeed - to replace fossil fuels with wind and solar power - that process must be fair. Otherwise, mounting popular protest against wind farms will prolong carbon pollution and deepen the climate crisis. David Hughes examines that anti-industrial, anti-corporate resistance, drawing insights from a Spanish village surrounded by turbines. In the lives of these neighbours - freighted with centuries of exploitation - clean power and social justice fit together only awkwardly. Proposals for a green economy, the Green New Deal, or Europe's Green Deal require more effort. We must rethink aesthetics, livelihood, property, and, most essentially, the private nature of wind resources. Ultimately, the energy transition will be public and just, or it may not be at all

This book examines 2011 trends in the U.S. "voluntary" markets - those in which consumers and institutions purchase renewable energy to match their electricity needs on a voluntary basis. This review uses available data sources to capture 2011 voluntary market trends, status and options.

The 'Hydrogen Economy' is very broad subject ranging from the potential use of hydrogen for domestic use to the mass production of hydrogen replacing coal, natural gas (LNG) and conventional transport fuels.For any given project, there are many alternatives to consider for each stage of making, storing and transporting hydrogen. The book aims to assist proponents, and financiers of hydrogen projects to identify the optimum alternatives and identify hurdles and approaches to overcome them. This book attempts to describe an optimum approach to implement and its cost. It sets out to identify hurdles to implementation which may not be apparent to those entering the field for the first time.The book covers the various means and costs of production from fossil fuels (with carbon capture) - blue hydrogen - electrolysis - green hydrogen - or biomass. The book covers hydrogen storage as liquid or compressed gas and transport, through pipelines as liquid or by an intermediary fluid such as ammonia or a hydrocarbon. The book also discusses the production and costs of hydrogen delivery at the user end of a logistics chain. It also compares the relative energy value of energy delivered hydrogen versus the current suite of conventional fuels.

The first book to address the early development of the photovoltaic industry, and the pioneering researchers and companies in the sector Well before the end of this century, solar power will be the world's dominant power source. This book looks at the origins of this smart sustainable energy technology, tracing the pioneering years from its inception following the 1973 oil crisis to the end of the last millennium—just as the sector was poised for explosive growth. It focuses on the progress of the early terrestrial photovoltaic sector, often in the face of skepticism or apathy. It also covers the research and achievements of people and organizations within the PV business. Written by a leader in the field with more than 40 years of experience and an international reputation in the sustainable energy industry, The Solar Generation: Childhood and Adolescence of Terrestrial Photovoltaics offers enlightening coverage on the terrestrial PV industry. The first part of this 3-volume set provides a historical backdrop to the technology and tracks the development of research, markets, prices, applications, policies, and more. Part II is called the ‘encyclopedia’ and features a Who’s Who of the most influential people and profiles of key companies, events, and developments. Finally, Part III is the reference section and comes complete with glossaries, bibliography, and an incredibly comprehensive index. This text also: Addresses the early development of the PV sector from a global perspective Focuses on a defined period, leaving scope for later follow-ups as the sector matures Offers a study on the interactions between technology, policy, and market drivers The Solar Generation is an ideal book for all professionals in the power and energy field from every corner of the globe.  

Increasing dependence on foreign sources of crude oil, concerns over global climate change, and the desire to promote domestic rural economies have raised interest in renewable biofuels as an alternative to petroleum in the U.S. transportation sector. However, energy from renewable sources has historically been more expensive to produce and use than fossil-fuel based energy. U.S. policymakers have attempted to overcome this economic impediment by enacting an increasing number of policies since the late 1970s, at both the state and federal levels, to directly support U.S. biofuels production and use. This book reviews the evolution of the U.S. biofuels sector and the role that federal policy plays in shaping its development.

This book covers the entire spectrum of energy management . This spans from the overview of national and specific ideas and issues pertaining to energy conservation and management. It also covers and billing. This volume also touches upon the concepts and principles of energy security, energy trading and energy economics. It also provides brief overview of alternative or renewable energy sources.

This book looks at U.S. biobased products and their market potential. This study is based upon data and assumptions as of 2006 which were used to identify the market potential for biobased products -- their production volumes and applications -- through the year 2025. Market penetration was assessed based on information available through April 2006 and benchmark assumptions with respect to factors such as policy, biobased feedstock prices, and energy prices. Recent results of the benchmark assumptions, however, have not materialised; corn prices have increased, the market prices for biofuels are lower, and the infrastructure costs continue to increase. If such trends that lead to low profit margins continue, there will be a slowing effect on the biofuels industry. Furthermore, with the dynamic nature of the biobased industry affecting short term developments, the long term trends toward 2025 could vary widely based upon future policy, research, and market developments. Such potential outcomes are discussed in this book.

A guide to choosing and using solar electricity systems from “the man who launched a thousand rooftop solar arrays . . . the essential go-to manual� (John D. Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist, coauthors of ECOpreneuring). As we look for safer, more economical, and more sustainable ways to meet our needs for electricity—and as more and more electric cars hit the road—solar has become an increasingly popular option. With Solar Electricity Basics, renewable energy expert Dan Chiras offers a concise and up-to-date guide covering all the essentials. It explores: How to size, cost, and choose the right system, including off-grid vs. grid-tied vs. grid-tied with battery backup Where to mount a system for maximum performance What type of modules and inverters to buy How to install and maintain batteries Cost vs. benefit for solar electric systems How to connect to the grid, and what type of net metering your area offers Solar Electricity Basics is an indispensable guide for homeowners, business owners, builders, and students for figuring out solar electricity quickly and easily.

Rising energy prices and concern over greenhouse gas emissions have focused congressional attention on energy alternatives, including wind power. Although wind power currently provides only a small fraction of U.S. energy needs, it is growing more rapidly than any other electricity source. Wind energy already plays a significant role in several European nations, and countries like China and India are rapidly expanding their capacity both to manufacture wind turbines and to integrate wind power into their electricity grids. This book describes utility-scale wind power issues in the United States as well as background on wind energy, wind resources and technology, industry composition and trends, wind power economics and policy issues. Other policy questions, such as federal funding for wind research and development, and siting and permitting requirements, are also outlined.

This book reviews the status of energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation introduced during the 110th Congress. Most action in the second session is focused on the FY2009 budget request, the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419), and the proposed Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act (H.R. 5351). DOE's FY2009 budget request seeks $1,256.1 million for DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs, compared to FY2008 appropriations of $1,722.4 million for EERE. H.R. 5351 is similar to H.R. 2776. It would extend or re-establish several tax incentives that would support renewable electricity production, biofuels production, transportation efficiency and conservation, buildings efficiency, and equipment efficiency. The bill proposes to offset the cost of those incentives primarily by reducing two subsidies for oil and natural gas production.

This book addresses the rapid developments in the new field of solar resource knowledge as a reflection of growing needs of management of renewable energy resources. The authors have structured the content of this work as a set of contributions from the research, international and commercial institutions. The chapters discuss the availability of new primary data, basic concepts of research trends and approaches developed for providing higher resolution data and value-added products in an operational mode. Based on the experience from commercial and aid-providing sphere, individual and more generic barriers have been identified and solutions for overcoming them are discussed. The approaches exploiting geographical information systems, integrating spatial data and methods, outline directions for decision-making and management of distributed energy systems, considering regional and time variability at various hierarchical scales. The final contributions point out that the recent developments gave an impetus for complementing the traditional applications of Earth observation data by renewable energy programs.

The main objective of this book is to develop an Ecologically Sound Integrated Energy Plan at district level to arrive at an optimal mix of energy sources that can meet the energy demand in a region by keeping in view the development priorities of the region. The book presents a conceptual design for energy systems which could meet demand of all sectors in a region. The proposed design in principle, supplies enough energy for the sustainable development of a region. The plan proposed is based on the Decision Support System approach (DSS) and is flexible, adaptable and ecologically sound. Contents: Preface; Introduction; Potential Assessment of Wind Energy in Uttara Kannada District; Bioenergy Potential and Prospects; Hydro Energy Potential and Prospects; An Ecologically Friendly Optimal Design of Hydroelectric Projects; Solar Energy Potential and Prospects; Energy Consumption Patterns in the Domestic Sector; Energetics in Paddy Cultivation; Energy Utilisation in Industrial Sector; Integrated Regional Energy Planning; Summary.

Discover a straightforward and holistic look at energy conversion and conservation processes using the exergy concept with this thorough text. Explains the fundamental energy conversion processes in numerous diverse systems, ranging from jet engines and nuclear reactors to human bodies. Provides examples for applications to practical energy conversion processes and systems that use our naturally occurring energy resources, such as fossil fuels, solar energy, wind, geothermal, and nuclear fuels. With more than one-hundred diverse cases and solved examples, readers will be able to perform optimizations for a cleaner environment, a sustainable energy future, and affordable energy generation. An essential tool for practicing scientists and engineers who work or do research in the area of energy and exergy, as well as graduate students and faculty in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and physics.

A whole host of motivations are driving the development of the "renewables" industry- ranging from the desire to develop sustainable energy resources to the reduction of dangerous greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. All energy utilized on the earth is ultimately derived from the sun through photosynthesis-the only truly renewable commodity. As concerns regarding increasing energy prices, global warming and renewable resources continue to grow, so has scientific discovery into agricultural biomass conversion. Plant Biomass Conversion addresses both the development of plant biomass and conversion technology, in addition to issues surrounding biomass conversion, such as the affect on water resources and soil sustainability. This book also offers a brief overview of the current status of the industry and examples of production plants being used in current biomass conversion efforts.

Professor Stephen Peake takes us on a guided tour of the ten most essential aspects of this timely and fast-moving science, examining the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy that lies at the heart of a brighter climate future.

Renewable energy is central to managing climate change and our transition to a sustainable energy supply for the 10 billion of us who will populate the earth by 2050. But how will we cope without fossil fuels to heat, cool and light our buildings, power our industry and run our transport systems? And are some renewables better than others? 10 Short Lessons in Renewable Energy distils the key issues of this timely subject, examining how we can harness the power of a range of groundbreaking energy technologies most effectively to achieve a sustainable energy future.

About the series: The Pocket Einstein series is a collection of essential pocket-sized guides for anyone looking to understand a little more about some of the most important and fascinating areas of science in the twenty-first century. Broken down into ten simple lessons and written by leading experts in their field, discover the ten most important takeaways from those areas of science you've always wanted to know more about.