Geothermal Power Generation: Developments and Innovation provides an update to the advanced energy technologies that are urgently required to meet the challenges of economic development, climate change mitigation, and energy security. As geothermal resources are considered renewable and can be used to generate baseload electricity while producing very low levels of greenhouse gas emissions, they can play a key role in future energy needs. This book, edited by a highly respected expert, provides a comprehensive overview of the major aspects of geothermal power production. The chapters, contributed by specialists in their respective areas, cover resource discovery, resource characterization, energy conversion systems, and design and economic considerations. The final section provides a range of fascinating case studies from across the world, ranging from Larderello to Indonesia. Users will find this to be an essential text for research and development professionals and engineers in the geothermal energy industry, as well as postgraduate researchers in academia who are working on geothermal energy.

Peak Load and Capacity Pricing lays out clear pricing strategies for understanding peak load and capacity pricing structures, further cementing electricity's role as an asset class with fixed and variable costs.

This book explores the use of recent advanced multiple stage conversion technologies. These applications combine conventional fluidised bed systems with new plasma technologies to efficiently generate different energy outputs from waste materials with minimum cleaning effort. Using a mix of modelling and experimental approaches, the author provides fundamental insights into how the key operating variables of the two-stage process may impact the final quality of syngas. This thesis serves as a useful reference guide on the modelling and design of single and multiple-stage systems for thermal waste treatment. Its extended section on plant configuration and operation of waste gasification plants identifies the main technical challenges, and is of use to researchers entering the field.

Renewable energy is rising within an energy system dominated by powerful vested energy interests in fossil fuels, nuclear and electric utilities. Analyzing renewables in six very different countries, the author argues that it is the extent to which states have controlled these vested interests that determines the success or failure of renewables.

The CSIS Working Group on Private-Sector Development in Fragile, Conflict-Affected, and Violent States identifies tools available to the international business community and the U.S. government to assist these countries, as well as the gaps in needed resources. Participants examined cases from Afghanistan, Iraq, Burma, and Liberia to glean examples of successes and failures in private-sector development, with the goal of identifying potential roles for host governments and the international private sector. This report presents the results of those discussions.

This contributed volume examines the far-reaching effects of the weakening of OPEC's cohesion and influence in the 1980s, the resulting decline of oil prices, and the accompanying economic reversals. These events resulted in both fortune and misfortune for oil users and producers and dramatically changed energy economics worldwide. Moreover, as revealed in this volume, the decade of the 1980s demonstrated that oil producers and oil importers can prosper in an atmosphere of mutual respect, cooperation, and moderation.

The work examines major oil-related topics such as the experiences of OPEC and non-OPEC oil suppliers in the 1980s, adjustment and response of oil importers to changes in the oil market, the impact of oil price changes on both the developed and developing world, and possible future developments in the global oil market. This volume will be of interest to scholars of energy and international economics, as well as professionals in the area of energy development and markets.

This comprehensive book is the only one that addresses theory, practice, management, purchasing and marketing of cooling water systems in one volume. The approach of this essential reference is practical and international, and it is based on 30 years of professional experience. Profusely illustrated, this handbook will enable professionals to understand the factors that may interfere and compromise the optimal functioning of cooling water systems, used in every industrial and commercial premise in the world (e.g., industrial plants, large office towers; hospitals, hotels, etc.). Maintenance of cooling water systems is based on specialty chemicals, and this invaluable handbook contains information on chemical formulations and programming, considered “taboo” and never published before. Scaling, corrosion, micro-biological deposits, among others, interfere with the transfer of heat, a key element to achieve a cost-effective operation of cooling water systems, examined in chapters on Cooling System & Heat Exchange Essentials; Make-Up Water Sources & Their Impurities; and Corrosion, Fouling & Deposition. Different treatments, pre-treatment equipment, devices; application of different chemicals; and computer software programs are analyzed in the chapters on Chemical Treatments & Programs for Cooling Water Systems; and Microbiological Control Programs. Specially important to decision-makers, water treatment field personnel, and cooling water systems marketing personnel are the chapters on Buying and Selling Cooling Water Programs; Surveys, Inspections and Cooling Water Program Selection. The chapters on Managing Cooling Systems and Monitoring and Control, address the importance of improving and maintaining the quality of the cooling water systems process and of optimizing operating costs. An indispensable source for: Chemical, Plant, Maintenance, Operations, Process and Utility Services Engineers; specialty chemicals companies personnel and cooling water systems marketing personnel.

This book discusses the relations between the United States and Egypt from Roosevelt to Eisenhower. To protect the free flow of oil, American policymakers looked to Egypt to provide the progressive, pro-Western leadership they believed would insure stability to the region. America's attempts to balance the needs of its British allies with those of Egypt coupled with Egypt's quest for regional hegemony proved to be a recipe for trouble. In the end, America failed in grooming Egypt as the pro-Western leader, could not bring peace to the region, and could not prevent the Soviet Union from gaining a foothold. Yet, the oil continued to flow.

During the 1970s and early 1980s utility regulators moved from largely unintrusive regulatory practices towards more aggressive and intrusive strategies. This study explores the reasons for the change and examines the trade-offs involved between seeking fairness to customers and efficiency of operations as primary goals of regulatory policies. An extended case study of the California Public Utilities Commission's conservation policies and utility programs from 1975 to 1984 is used to test theoretical explanations of interventionism. In a look toward the future of interventionist regulatory behavior, Barkovich concludes that in the future regulators will face more stringent limitations in pursuing certain forms of interventionism. "Business Information ALERT"

This pioneering study analyzes the changing nature of utility regulation in the United States, with particular emphasis on the 1970s and early 1980s when regulators moved from largely unintrusive regulatory practices toward more aggressive and intrusive strategies. Barkovich explores the reasons for this change in regulatory behavior and examines the trade-offs involved between seeking fairness to customers and efficiency of operations as primary goals of regulatory policies. Theoretical explanations of regulatory interventionism are then tested in an extended case study of the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) conservation policies and utility programs from 1975 to 1984--widely cited as among the most active and creative in the nation.

Barkovich identifies three factors influencing regulatory decisionmaking--interest groups, the regulatory commission organization, and ideology--and proposes an extension of existing regulatory theory to explain interventionist behavior. Based upon an in-depth examination of the CPUC's policymaking, she demonstrates that regulatory interventionism has a number of prerequisites, among them factors which promote regulatory autonomy and reduce external constraints upon regulators. Finally, Barkovich looks toward the future of interventionist regulatory behavior in an increasingly market-oriented, service delivery system, concluding that, in the future, regulators will face more stringent limitations in pursuing certain forms of interventionism. Energy industry professionals, regulatory decisionmakers, and students of the utility industry and of government regulation of business will find important new insights into the social, political, and economic dynamics of utility regulation.

This volume of Eurasian Studies in Business and Economics focuses on latest results from research in Banking and Finance, Accounting and Corporate Governance, Growth and Development, along with a focus on the Energy sector. The first part on Accounting and Corporate Governance features articles on environmental accounting, audit quality, financial information, and adoption of governance principles. The Banking and Finance part looks at risk-behavior in banks, credit ratings during subprime crisis, stakeholder management, and stock market crises. The book focuses then on the energy sector and analyzes macroeconomic impacts of electricity generation, risk dimensions in wind energy, the latest EU energy reforms, and discusses prediction models.

This book examines the physical and economic characteristics of the global oil resource to explain why peak oil has been so poorly understood. The author draws on information held in oil industry datasets that are not widely available outside of the specialist literature, and describes a number of methods that have been successfully used to predict oil peaks. In contrast to the widely-held view that 'all oil forecasts are wrong', these methods correctly predicted the current peak in global conventional oil production. Current oil forecasts are then compared to evaluate the expected dates for regional and global oil peaks for conventional oil, all-oils, and all-liquids. The dates of global peaks in the production of all-oil and all-liquids appear to be reasonably soon, while the oil price that is needed to support these global production levels continues to rise. The world faces serious constraints in its oil supply, which accounts for about one-third of total world energy use, and over 90% of the fuel used for transportation. Readers of this book will gain a thorough understanding of the critical, but poorly understood, phenomenon of peak oil that has already had significant impacts on society in terms of high oil prices, and which will place increasing constraints on mankind's supply of energy and economic well-being in the coming years.

With major structural changes will need to be thoroughly reexamined. This book discusses decision making for problems where a particular decision affects the options available at the next decision time. The deregulation of the electric utility industry will shift the emphasis from a cost-based to a price-based approach; the resulting occuring in the electric power industry, many long-standing ways of operation increase in uncertainty requires that a stochastic approach be adopted for optimal decision-making. This monograph covers a wide range of topics including dynamic programming, ordinal optimization, price modelling and forecasting, future market decisions, reserve market decisions and decisions in a congested market place.

This book analyses how socially responsible investments as well as the rising importance of Islamic finance are linked to the shift towards renewable energy. Academics and practitioners in the field take a global perspective and present case studies from several countries. The book is divided into three parts: The first part sheds new light on the energy shift towards renewable energy. The second shows the increasing interest of investors in sustainability, and the authors argue that investors not only look at expected returns and risks, but also at social returns. Finally, the third part explains the need for social returns in Islamic finance, which cannot be explained by traditional finance theory. This is the fifth volume in a series on energy organized by the Centre for Energy and Value Issues (CEVI).

This book provides an overview of floating offshore wind farms and focuses on the economic aspects of this renewable-energy technology. It presents economic maps demonstrating the main costs, and explores various important aspects of floating offshore wind farms. It examines topics including offshore wind turbines, floating offshore wind platforms, mooring and anchoring, as well as offshore electrical systems. It is a particularly useful resource in light of the fact that most water masses are deep and therefore not suitable for fixed offshore wind farms. A valuable reference work for students and researchers interested in naval and ocean engineering and economics, this book provides a new perspective on floating offshore wind farms, and makes a useful contribution to the existing literature.

The thesis has critically examined, both theoretically and experimentally, a novel tri-generation system concept - with encouraging system performance demonstrated. The thesis establishes the significant potential of the novel tri-generation system in providing effective built environment decarbonisation through decentralised generation; strengthening the case for a future hydrogen economy. In response to the critical need to decarbonise the built environment, alternative methods for more effective energy utilisation need to be explored including tri-generation systems. The thesis presents the design, development and testing of a novel proof-of-concept tri-generation system based on solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and liquid desiccant air conditioning technology to provide electricity, heating and cooling to building applications. No previous work has been reported on such a system. The theme of the work sits within the topics of low-carbon and sustainable energy technologies, building services and low carbon building applications.

By combining perspectives from experts in domestic politics, regional politics, and specialists in international security, this edited volume focuses on the central role of energy production and supply in the Russian-Western completion across Eurasia.

This book presents various methods for sustainability assessment of energy systems, under various different conditions and scenarios. It answers the questions of how to measure the sustainability of energy systems by adopting appropriate metrics and methods. This book provides readers with a comprehensive view of the frontiers of sustainability assessment methods for energy system analysis. It presents various methodologies, allowing readers to understand: the complete metrics for sustainability assessment; life cycle thinking for sustainability assessment of energy systems; and the advanced sustainability assessment methods for energy systems. This book is of interest to researchers, engineers, decision makers, and postgraduate students within the field of energy systems, sustainability, and decision analysis.

Air pollution policy is closely connected with climate change, public health, energy, transport, trade, and agriculture, and generally speaking, the Earth has been pushed to the brink and the damage is becoming increasingly obvious. The transport sector remains a foremost source of air pollutants - a fact that has stimulated the production of biofuels. This book focuses on the biodiesel industry, and proposes a modification of the entire manufacturing chain that would pave the way for further improvements. Oil derived from oilseed plantations/crops is the most commonly used feedstock for the production of biodiesel. At the same time, the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering and 178 scientists in the Netherlands have determined that some biofuels, such as diesel produced from food crops, have led to more emissions than those produced by fossil fuels. Accordingly, this book re-evaluates the full cycle of biodiesel production in order to help find optimal solutions. It confirms that the production and use of fertilizers for the cultivation of crop feedstocks generate considerably more GHG emissions compared to the mitigation achieved by using biodiesel. To address this fertilization challenge, projecting future biofuel development requires a scenario in which producers shift to an organic agriculture approach that includes the use of microalgae. Among advanced biofuels, algae's advantages as a feedstock include the highest conversion of solar energy, and the ability to absorb CO2 and pollutants; as such, it is the better choice for future fuels. With regard to the question of why algae's benefits have not been capitalized on for biofuel production, our analyses indicate that the sole main barrier to realizing algae's biofuel potential is ineffective international and governmental policies, which create difficulties in reconciling the goals of economic development and environmental protection.

This book presents the methodology and mathematical models for dual-fuel coal-gas power plants in two basic configurations: systems coupled in parallel and in series. Dual-fuel gas and steam systems, especially parallel systems, have great potential for modernizing existing combined heat and power (CHP) plants. This book presents calculations using a novel methodology applied to systems in continuous time and analyzes the impact of the investment profitability of the EU ETS (European Union Emissions Trading Scheme) derogation mechanism, which encourages enterprises to modernize existing generation units. It also includes a detailed case study of a coal power plant modernized by repowering with a gas turbine. The book is intended for researchers, market analysts, decision makers, power engineers and students.

Using the Enel case, this volume unpacks the effective implementation of an ambidextrous perspective on adaptation and change, providing some key lessons for managers and scholars. It begins by exploring Enel's recent history, before mapping the steps of a remarkable transition from public monopolist to a successful transnational group.

Most people-including many legislators, regulators, and other decision makers in the electric utility industry-have misconceptions about how electric utilities really "work" and plan for the future. This lack of understanding can lead to poorly informed decisions and policies that directly affect the choices utilities must make. Using easy-to-understand text and examples, Electric Utility Resource Planning: Economics, Reliability, and Decision-Making clarifies how utilities operate their systems and prepare for the future. This explanation will show readers that both expected and counterintuitive results can occur (i.e., conservation might result in higher air emissions, or lowering costs could lead to higher electric rates). Taking readers step by step through this process, the book (in the following order): "Creates" a hypothetical utility Explains how and why a utility operates its system of generating units Discusses the planning methods that a utility would (or should) use Guides readers through each stage of a planning analysis for the hypothetical utility, examining various resource options (conservation, new power plants, and solar) In addition, the author introduces four Fundamental Principles of Resource Planning that should guide utilities. He also offers opinions on how certain trends in utility regulation and legislation can hinder utility planners' efforts to identify and select the best resources for the utility's customers. With this book, author Dr. Steven Sim applies his experience and insights from more than two decades of resource planning for Florida Power and Light (FPL). As one of the largest utilities in the United States, FPL has faced a multitude of resource planning challenges, and Dr. Sim has performed and supervised thousands of analyses designed to meet these obstacles. He has also served as an FPL witness in regulatory hearings on a wide variety of topics, ranging from the economic implications of nuclear, conservation, coal, gas, and other resource options, to the non-economic impacts (air emissions, fuel usage, system reliability, etc.) they present.

Forming the 10th volume from this successful international conference series, this book features research from scientists, practitioners and other experts working across the field of water resources management. Water is essential for sustaining life on our planet and its uneven distribution is a source of permanent conflict. The growth of human population combined with the irregularity in precipitation and water availability may restrict even further the access to water in certain regions of the world. This problem is made more severe by anthropogenic activities that affect its quality. Moreover, changes in the landscape, use of the land and climate conditions lead to a continuous revaluation of river basin management objectives. This requires the development of better measuring tools as well as the use of increasingly accurate computer software. This volume provides an insight into the state of the art in the current technology, techniques and solutions in sustainable water resources management as they have been developed and applied in different countries. Themes related to water resources include: Water management and planning; Water rights and accessibility; Water markets economics and policies; Climate change; Irrigation; Water resources in arid regions; Ground water; Hydraulic engineering; Trans-boundary water management; Water, food and energy; Water and the community; Integrated water analysis; Wetlands as water sources.

The trade of global bioenergy commodities, such as ethanol, biodiesel and wood pellets has been growing exponentially in the past decade, and have by 2013 reached true "commodity" volumes, i.e. tens of millions of tonnes traded each year, and billions (both in US$/ ) of annual turnover.

IEA Bioenergy Task 40 was founded in 2004 and is now in its 4th triennium. For the past 9 years, task 40 has monitored the developments in international bioenergy trade, including the organization of about 20 workshops on trade-related topics, and the publication of over 100 studies, country reports, newsletters, etc. The amount of material produced over the years and insights gained in how biomass markets and international trade of biomass and biofuels has developed is impressive. Besides that the group has produced overviews and insights, also a large amount of practical experience has been brought together in what works and what doesn't. Last but not least, based on all this, there are clear(er) views on how to proceed to build working sustainable international biomass markets in the future. This book compiles those lessons and insights into an easily accessible book publication."""