Energy storage is a main component of any holistic consideration of smart grids, particularly when incorporating power derived from variable, distributed and renewable energy resources. Energy Storage for Smart Grids delves into detailed coverage of the entire spectrum of available and emerging storage technologies, presented in the context of economic and practical considerations. Featuring the latest research findings from the world's foremost energy storage experts, complete with data analysis, field tests, and simulation results, this book helps device manufacturers develop robust business cases for the inclusion of storage in grid applications. It also provides the comparisons and explanations grid planners and operators need to make informed decisions about which storage solutions will be most successful when implemented in operational grids.

Considering the ever-rising costs of traditional fuel paired and the increasing scarcity of its resources, it s easy to see why exploring renewable fuels has become an increasingly critical goal for engineers, researchers, and end-users alike. However, due to the great diversity of technologies, policies, and attitudes, it can be difficult to gain a good well-rounded understanding of these types of fuels. "Renewable Motor Fuels: The Past, the Present and the Uncertain Future" presents an opportunity to gain an insightful understanding of all the key aspects of alternative automotive fuels in one book. Author Arthur Brownstein describes various sources of renewable motor fuels (including ethanol, algae, isobutanol, natural gas, and battery power) and their production processes, specific properties, and economic advantages/disadvantages. This comprehensive coverage of such an important topic is crucial for anyone with an interest in renewable fuels, from researchers to engineers to end-users.
Presents a clear overview on a variety renewable motor fuel technologies, balancing history, technology, and policyProvides the status of current and developing renewable motor fuel technologies and their uses worldwideDiscusses the competitive economics of renewable fuel processes and their respective market interactions"

This new resource is a practical overview of designing, testing and troubleshooting power electronics in alternative energy systems, providing you with the most important information on how power electronics components such as inverters, controllers and batteries can play a pivotal role in the successful implementation of green energy solutions for both stand-alone and grid-connected applications. You will learn how to choose the right components for diverse systems, from utility-scale wind farms to photovoltaic panels on single residences, how to get the most out of existing systems, and how to solve the tough challenges particular to alternative energy applications. Whether you are a renewables professional who needs to understand more about how power electronics impact energy output, or a power engineer who is interested in learning what new avenues the alternative energy revolution is opening for your work, start here with advice and explanations from the experts, including equations, diagrams and tables designed to help you understand and succeed.

"New Approaches to Light Trapping in Solar Cell Devices" discusses in detail the use of photonic and plasmonic effects for light trapping in solar cells. It compares and contrasts texturing, the current method of light-trapping design in solar cells, with emerging approaches employing photonic and plasmonic phenomena. These new light trapping methods reduce the amount of absorber required in a solar cell, promising significant cost reduction and efficiency.

This book highlights potential advantages of photonics and plasmonics and describes design optimization using computer modeling of these approaches. Its discussion of ultimate efficiency possibilities in solar cells is grounded in a review of the Shockley-Queisser analysis; this includes an in-depth examination of recent analyses building on that seminal work.

Using the principle that extracting energy from the environment always involves some type of impact on the environment, "The Future of Energy "discusses the sources, technologies, and tradeoffs involved in meeting the world's energy needs. A historical, scientific, and technical background set the stage for discussions on a wide range of energy sources, including conventional fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, as well as emerging renewable sources like solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuels. Readers will learn that there are no truly "green" energy sources all energy usage involves some tradeoffs and will understand these tradeoffs and other issues involved in using each energy source.
Each potential energy source includes discussions of tradeoffs in economics, environmental, and policy implicationsExamples and cases of implementing each technology are included throughout the bookTechnical discussions are supported with equations, graphs, and tablesIncludes discussions of carbon capture and sequestration as emerging technologies to manage carbon dioxide emissions"

"Solar Energy, Photovoltaics, and Domestic Hot Water" provides a fundamental understanding of heat and energy conversions and of both solar domestic hot water system types with associated components and photovoltaic/inverter system combinations. It provides the information needed to determine and understand the proper siting requirements, the amount of energy needed (based upon usage), the amount of solar energy available, the methods of comparing collectors for both hot water and photovoltaic situations, and the number of collectors necessary for either hot water or electricity." Solar Energy, Photovoltaics, and Domestic Hot Water" also details the investment and cost savings advantages of using solar energy through a unique compilation of information and explanations not available in other publications or on the internet. This includes comprehensive financial explanations with examples using basic engineering management analysis methods. These examples include present and future worth relative to break-even costs and cash flow analysis and actual quoted systems and worksheets for typical electrical solar PV and DHW demand scenarios allowing you to calculate your own cost estimates and to evaluate your own projects relative to investment payback. "Solar Energy, Photovoltaics, and Domestic Hot Water" will enable readers make informed decisions about the economic practicality of solar generation sources for residential or commercial use based upon location, energy demands, associated conventional fuel costs, solar energy system costs, and tax incentives.
Provides a fundamental understanding of solar DHW and photovoltaic systemsUses clear guidelines to evaluate solar DHW and photovoltaic systems value as a long-term investment vs traditional power and heat generation methods Discusses cost and operating expenses relative to investment and return on capital which will be beneficial to project planners, installers, energy managers, builders and property owners
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Renewable energy (RE) is a subject of great interest today. It is one of the two main means for implementing climate change mitigation programmes, and presently the only perceived means for replacing the declining global fossil fuel reserves. It also helps fight poverty and assists in the global quest for gender equity by taking clean energy where it is needed most for development. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that there is so much coverage of RE in both the conventional media and the internet by media and tech writers, economists and bloggers, many of who only have a partial understanding of the technology itself. The end result is mostly promotional rhetoric that says little about the true value of the technology, and leads to a confused picture for the serious individual or decision-maker who wants to know what the technology is really capable of doing. This book provides a clear and factual picture of the status of RE and its capabilities today. The need for such a book was first realized by the author when he was engaged in a renewable energy capacity-building project encompassing countries from Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Pacific. The book is largely non-technical in nature; it does however contain enough mention of the science and technology to enable readers to go further with their own investigations should they wish to. The book covers all areas of renewable energy (RE), starting from biomass energy and hydropower and proceeding to wind, solar and geothermal energy before ending with an overview of ocean energy. It begins with a simple introduction to the physical principles of the RE technologies, followed by an enumeration of the requirements for their successful implementation. The last two chapters consider how the technologies are actually being implemented today and their roles in climate change mitigation and poverty alleviation.

While covering the fascinating history of wind power as a whole, this timely handbook focuses on current technological developments and the promise-and pitfalls-of wind energy as part of the world's energy future. The use of wind power for the generation of electricity holds vast potential for solving the world's energy problems, but numerous technical and social issues must be addressed before that potential can be realized. This handbook will both educate students about current issues related to wind energy and introduce the ways in which mankind has harnessed the wind through the ages. The book covers topics as diverse as early windmills in Europe, the United States, China, and the Middle East; the development of wind farms for electricity generation; and political factors involved in the development of wind energy today. Conventional wind turbine mechanics are explained, as are the technical improvements that drive modern wind turbines and other wind systems. What makes the handbook unique is that it combines hard science with perspective pieces that address topics such as potential environmental damage that can result from modern wind technology, and how recent developments in wind turbine technology hold the promise for considerably reducing the cost of this alternate energy source, making it competitive with conventional fossil fuels. Readers will be engaged by extensive discussion of the economic, political, and ethical issues raised by the expanding use of wind energy in the United States and elsewhere, and they will be intrigued by a look at what wind power can mean to the planet's energy future. Serves as a comprehensive introduction to the topic and a guide for further study Features expert essays on issues and controversies related to the use of wind energy Covers the dangers wind power poses to wildlife as well as its impacts on communities' economic development Profiles key individuals and organizations in the field Includes statistical information on the production and consumption of wind energy in the United States and around the world

The book deals with the fundamentals, theoretical bases, and design methodologies of conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). The design methodology is described in mathematical terms, step-by-step, and the topics are approached from the overall drive train system, not just individual components. Furthermore, in explaining the design methodology of each drive train, design examples are presented with simulation results.

Researchers, students and engineers working with biofuels and biomass are increasingly expected to comprehend a new holistic systems perspective that begins with wise crop breeding and cultivation techniques and informs the entire conversion to energy process. This volume provides diverse examples of successfully implemented sustainable biomass research in Asia, highlighting the challenges faced by designers of new biomass production facilities and tips on how to develop approaches to overcome them. In addition to providing an authoritative guide on the utilization of the authors sample feedstocks, rice straw and sunflower, the authors provide lessons relevant to stakeholders involved with all manner of biomass production projects by drawing out important comparisons and contrasts that must be taken into account when deciding how to utilize biomass as an energy resource in a way that is economically feasible and environmentally sustainable.
Provides diverse examples of successfully implemented biomass research, highlighting insights on common bottlenecks and approaches developed to overcome themFeatures coverage of the full feedstock life cycle, from crop breeding to commercial
application, focusing on 3 key areas: biomass production, biofuel conversion technologies, and sustainable practicesExamines two regionally compatible feedstock, rice-straw and sunflower, performing a compare and contrast analysis of agricultural production methods, economics, conversion systems, and environmental impacts
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Small wind turbines utilize wind energy to produce power with rated capacities of 100 kilowatts and less. With this increasingly popular technology, individual businesses, farms, and homes can generate their own electricity, potentially cutting their energy bills drastically, while generating power in an environmentally sound manner. The challenges facing the engineers who are tasked with planning and developing these small wind systems are multifaceted, from choosing the best site and accurately estimating likely power output, to obtaining proper permitting and troubleshooting operational inefficiencies. Optimization of project development for small wind applications is a necessity. "Small Wind" "Planning and Building Successful Installations" provides a cohesive guide to achieving successful small wind installations from an informed expert. It is a comprehensive information resource from one of the world s most experienced small wind professionals, covering all the key issues for small wind system development, from site and machine selection to international standards compliance.
Establishes technical guidelines for the growing number of engineers called upon to plan small wind projects Identifies and explains the critical issues for small wind installations, including siting, turbine choice, applications and permitting, economics, load management, and grid integration Examples from real projects demonstrate key considerations for success, complete with template spreadsheets and measurements needed to support project planning efforts Includes reports on the most commonly used turbines and designs and synthesizes and clarifies relevant wind industry documentation, saving readers endless hours of research
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This book provides in-depth information on basic and applied aspects of biofuels production from algae. It begins with an introduction to the topic, and follows with the basic scientific aspects of algal cultivation and its use for biofuels production, such as photo bioreactor engineering for microalgae production, open culture systems for biomass production and the economics of biomass production. It provides state-of-the-art information on synthetic biology approaches for algae suitable for biofuels production, followed by algal biomass harvesting, algal oils as fuels, biohydrogen production from algae, formation/production of co-products, and more. The book also covers topics such as metabolic engineering and molecular biology for algae for fuel production, life cycle assessment and scale-up and commercialization. It is highly useful and helps you to plan new research and design new economically viable processes for the production of clean fuels from algae.
Covers in a comprehensive but concise way most of the algae biomass conversion technologies currently availableLists all the products produced from algae, i.e. biohydrogen, fuel oils, etc., their properties and potential usesIncludes the economics of the various processes and the necessary steps for scaling them up

Despite the urgent need for action, there is a widespread lack of understanding of the benefits of using green energy sources for not only reducing carbon emissions and climate change, but also for growing a sustainable economy and society. Future citizens of the world face increasing sustainability issues and need to be better prepared for energy transformation and sustainable future economic development. Cases on Green Energy and Sustainable Development is a critical research book that focuses on the important role renewable energy and energy efficiency play in energy transition and sustainable development and covers economic and promotion policies of major renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies. Highlighting a wide range of topics such as economics, energy storage, and transportation technologies, this book is ideal for environmentalists, academicians, researchers, engineers, policymakers, and students.

To maintain a healthy ecosystem for contemporary society and for future generations, policies must be implemented to protect the environment. This can be achieved by consistent evaluation of new initiatives and strategies. The Handbook of Research on Renewable Energy and Electric Resources for Sustainable Rural Development is a critical scholarly resource that examines efficient use of electric resources and renewable energy sources which have a positive impact on sustainable development. Featuring coverage on cogeneration thermal modules, photovoltaic (pv) solar, and renewable energy systems (RES) application practices, this publication is geared towards academics, practitioners, professionals, and upper-level students interested in the latest research on renewable energy and electric resources for sustainable rural development.

Unconventional energy sources have gained and will continue to gain an increasing share of energy systems around the world. Today, hydrogen is recognized as a non-polluting energy carrier because it does not contribute to global warming if it is produced from renewable sources. Hydrogen is already part of today's chemical industry, but as an energy source, its rare advantages can only be obtained with the help of technologies. Currently, the fuel cell is considered the cleanest sustainable energy. With the development of fuel cells, hydrogen-based energy generation becomes a reality. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology for Stationary Applications is an essential publication that focuses on the advantages of hydrogen as a primary energy center and addresses its use in the sustainable future of stationary applications. While highlighting a broad range of topics including cost expectations, production methods, and social impact, this publication explores all aspects of the implementation and dissemination of fuel cell technology in the hope of establishing a sustainable marketplace for it. This book is ideally designed for fuel cell manufacturers, architects, electrical engineers, civil engineers, environmental engineers, advocates, manufacturers, mechanics, researchers, academicians, and students.