This edited book explicitly deals with the energy humanities, summarising existing knowledge in the area and outlining possible future directions for the nascent field. Assuming a variety of disciplinary stances and using a plethora of methodologies to address a number of pressing energy-related issues, the individual contributions showcase the crucial importance of including the humanities and social sciences into the current discussion on energy. Furthermore, they illustrate one of the central claims of the energy humanities, namely, that energy permeates all aspects of our contemporary modes of existence, and is inextricably linked with historical, political, social, ideological, and cultural issues, relationships, and practices. Through numerous case studies, Energy Humanities and Energy Transition looks to the past, present, and future in search of examples of best practices and possible models for pathways to a successful energy transition and life 'after oil'. While much of existing research on energy humanities has been criticised for its excessive focus on oil, this book considers a wide range of energy resources, including nuclear energy, renewables, and natural gas. Furthermore, it brings to the forefront under-researched topics such as the colonial legacy inscribed in energy infrastructure and the energy history of the humanities. The contributions in this volume explore not only how the perspectives and expertise of the humanities and social sciences can alter the discourse on energy transition, and our way of thinking about possible solutions and future scenarios, but also how their new focus on energy affects the disciplines themselves. Energy Humanities and Energy Transition presents a variety of theories, methods, topics, and disciplinary angles, meaning it will be of interest to a wide audience, from practitioners and policy makers, to students and researchers working across the humanities and social sciences. The thematically oriented structure, distinct focus of each individual chapter, and the comprehensive introduction and conclusion that contextualize the contributions within the wider framework of energy transition, make this edited book accessible to readers from many different fields and suitable for various university programs.

This book analyses and quantifies how and where energy and water are consumed by the ceramic sanitary-ware industry and provides solutions as to how to reduce this. The whole production process is mapped, including modelling methods. The book begins by providing an introduction to ceramic sanitary-ware production and types of factories casting technology. It then moves on to discuss the process and energy modelling for the production line, analysis of energy and water consumptions and proposals for improvements. The last chapter presents the practical implementation of the selected modelling configuration. This book is of particular interest to water and energy management professionals within the ceramic industry, but the methods are of interest to those in other production industries as well.

Written by one of the world's leading scholars in the field, this book provides a unique perspective on the connections between energy justice and human rights. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the author offers an accessible discussion about the implementation of energy justice in practice. The book explores the rise of justice issues in the energy sector, the interdisciplinary nature of energy justice, the economics of energy justice and provides a practical case study on distributive justice. The penultimate chapter focuses on human rights and energy justice in a world first, and explores the topic from the perspective of the opportunity of last resort. This 'opportunity of last resort' is the national courts and is the place where societies can seek to have justice enforced through a variety of human rights being protected. Finally, energy justice risks are highlighted alongside the author's proposed framework for the next generation of energy justice scholars.

This book gathers the best papers presented at the International Congress on Project Management and Engineering, in its 2017 and 2018 editions, which were held in Cadiz and Madrid, Spain. It covers a range of topic areas, including civil engineering and urban planning, product and process engineering, environmental engineering, energy efficiency and renewable energies, rural development, information and communication technologies, and risk management and safety.

This book analyzes the current approaches to energy management in India that is based on a carbon-intensive pathway, which if continued, may have serious implications for climate change mitigation with severe consequences for human health and survival. India, being a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions; however, the country's dilemmas are whether to prioritize environment over economy or vice versa and also whether economic growth can be sustained by relying on carbon-intensive development. Those are explored in this book. The Indian economy is poised for a big leap in the near future, and the topmost priority of the government is to ensure energy security, accessibility, and affordability for nearly 1.5 billion people. Currently, 70% of India's electricity generation comes from coal- and oil-based thermal power plants, and only 12-15% of energy is generated from renewable sources. Experts are of the view that the demand for coal and gas power generation will continue to rise and is expected to reach the equivalent of nearly 2 billion t of oil by 2030. The annual consumption of natural gas is expected to increase fourfold to 200 billion m3 a year in the near future, and its share in the primary energy basket of coal, oil, and gas will rise from 6.5% to 15% by 2030. This will not only cause a significant drain on foreign reserves but will also pose an enormous challenge to policymakers and scientists. This book serves as a useful guide in shaping India's future energy policy.

This book presents an overview of both the theory and experimental methods required to realize high efficiency solar absorber devices. It begins with a historical description of the study of spectrally selective solar absorber materials and structures based on optical principles and methods developed over the past few decades. The optical properties of metals and dielectric materials are addressed to provide the background necessary to achieve high performance of the solar absorber devices as applied in the solar energy field. In the following sections, different types of materials and structures, together with the relevant experimental methods, are discussed for practical construction and fabrication of the solar absorber devices, aiming to maximally harvest the solar energy while at the same time effectively suppressing the heat-emission loss. The optical principles and methods used to evaluate the performance of solar absorber devices with broad applications in different physical conditions are presented. The book is suitable for graduate students in applied physics, and provides a valuable reference for researchers working actively in the field of solar energy.

This book presents a concept for fostering resource efficient manufacturing. The protection of our environment demands a more responsible use of natural resources, and a higher degree of transparency along manufacturing value chains will be required in order to make significant advances in this context. Industrial decision makers must be provided with adequate methods and tools to simultaneously and systematically pursue technical, economic and environmental targets. Building on established and complementary methods, such as material and energy flow analysis (MEFA), value stream mapping (VSM), life cycle costing (LCC) and environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), this book introduces a concept that allows a holistic modeling and multi-dimensional performance assessment of manufacturing systems on different levels - from processes up to entire value chains and product life cycles. It also demonstrates the application of the concept using two case studies from the metal mechanic industry.

This book provides an introduction to the main design principles, methods, procedures, and development trends in spacecraft power systems. It is divided into nine chapters, the first of which covers the classification and main components of primary power system design and power distribution system design. In turn, Chapters 2 to 4 focus on the spacecraft power system design experience and review the latest typical design cases concerning spacecraft power systems in China. More specifically, these chapters also introduce readers to the topological structure and key technologies used in spacecraft power systems. Chapters 5 to 7 address power system reliability and safety design, risk analysis and control, and in-orbit management in China's spacecraft engineering projects. The book's closing chapters provide essential information on new power systems and technologies, such as space nuclear power, micro- and nano-satellite power systems, and space energy interconnection systems. An outlook on future development trends rounds out the coverage.

This proceedings addresses the challenges of urbanization that gravely affect the world's ecosystems. To become efficiently sustainable and regenerative, buildings and cities need to adopt smart solutions. This book discusses innovations of the built environment while depicting how such practices can transform future buildings and urban areas into places of higher value and quality. The book aims to examine the interrelationship between people, nature and technology, which is essential in pursuing smart environments that optimize human wellbeing, motivation and vitality, as well as promoting cohesive and inclusive societies: Urban Sociology - Community Involvement - Place-making and Cultural Continuity - Environmental Psychology - Smart living - Just City. The book presents exemplary practical experiences that reflect smart strategies, technologies and innovations, by established and emerging professionals, provides a forum of real-life discourse. The primary audience for the work will be from the fields of architecture, urban planning and built-environment systems, including multi-disciplinary academics as well as professionals.

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (ELCA) that was developed about three decades ago demands a broadening of its scope to include lifecycle costing and social aspects of life cycle assessment as well, drawing on the three-pillar or 'triple bottom line' model of sustainability, which is the result of the development of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA). LCSA refers to the evaluation of all environmental, social and economic negative impacts and benefits in decision-making processes towards more sustainable products throughout their life cycle. Combination of environmental and social life cycle assessments along with life cycle costing leads to life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). This book highlights various aspects of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA).

This book focuses on the different kinds of biofuels and biofuel resources. Biofuels represent a major type of renewable energy. As part of a larger bio-economy, they are closely linked to agriculture, forestry and manufacturing. Biofuels have the potential to improve regional energy access, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to climate protection. Further, this alternative form of energy could revitalize the forestry and agricultural sector and promote the increased use of renewable resources as raw materials in a range of industrial processes. Efforts are continuously being made to develop economically competitive biofuels, and microbes play important roles in the production of biofuels from various bioresources. This book elaborates on recent advances in existing microbial technologies and on sustainable approaches to improving biofuel production processes. Additionally, it examines trends in, and the limitations of, existing processes and technologies. The book offers a comprehensive overview of microbial bioresources, microbial technologies, advances in bioconversion and biorefineries, as well as microbial and metabolic engineering for efficient biofuel production. Readers will also learn about the environmental impacts and the influence of climate change on the sustainability of biofuel production. This book is intended for researchers and students whose work involves biorefinery technologies, microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, environmental biology and related fields.

Energy efficiency touches all parts of the economy and lies at the heart of all plausible strategies for addressing climate change. A fascinating range of new technologies and new business models have emerged in the past few years and are rapidly reshaping the field and driving efficiency improvements - many of them completely unexpected.This book provides a fresh look at energy efficiency written in a way that can be interesting to experts and serve as an entry point for novices. With chapters written by recognized experts in their fields of expertise, the book provides readers with a clear perspective on the state-of-the art developments of both new technologies and new approaches to system design and operations in buildings, industry, transportation, and urban design. Strategies for electrification and optimization based on data and powerful algorithms are also explored in depth. The discussion includes new mobility systems, smart buildings, reimagined industrial processes, new materials, and smart grid integration.Related Link(s)

This book explores China's low-carbon consumption in the context of residential behaviour, corporate practices and policy Implication. It first calculates the carbon and ecological footprints of residential consumption, including both direct and indirect emissions, before discussing Chinese residential behavioural aspects and determinants of electricity saving, low-carbon transportation, low-carbon product purchasing, and e-waste recycling. The authors then investigate the relationship between industrial growth and carbon emissions, using the example of the iron and steel industry to examine the motivation for energy intensive industries to reduce carbon emissions. They also consider energy efficiency and inter-company collaboration on carbon emission reduction. Lastly, the book describes the major low-carbon policies in China and their impact, economic cost and public acceptance.

This book presents research related to energy and environmental technologies in the context of market liberalization and global warming. It focuses on the development and efficient use of alternative energy sources, implementation of sustainable energy policies, power generation, and energy finance. Advances in Managing Energy and Climate Risks provides readers with the necessary information to use energy sources more efficiently, discover cleaner energy sources and their applications, and urge consumers and producers to make changes to reach a carbon-neutral economy through financial, technological, regulatory and tax incentives.

This policy-oriented paper identifies initiatives that policy-makers in the Asia Pacific region should duly consider for promoting CSR practices, at both the regional and national levels, and spanning domestic SMEs to large MNEs. The initiatives are diverse in focus and scope, although there is one common denominator: virtually none can be enacted by government alone. Any initiative to promote sustainable and responsible business needs to be sustainable in itself, and that in turn necessitates the active engagement and tangible inputs of the business community.

This book offers an authoritative analysis of the state-of-the art in energy and climate research and policy. It starts by describing the current status of technologies that are expected to have an influence on the energy systems of the future. For an adequate evaluation, it presents the latest findings on the effects of energy supply and consumption as well as of the emissions on both the environment and people's health. This is followed by an extensive discussion of the economic and social problems related to climate change, the need for energy transitions, and other issues that may require public investment and international agreements. The book reviews the problem of energy policy from a global perspective, providing readers with the technical, political, economic and ethical background needed to understand the current situation and work at better solutions for a sustainable, just and prospering world.

Sustainable investing is a rapidly growing and evolving field. With investors expressing ever greater interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics and reporting, companies face a sustainability imperative and the need to remake their business models to respond to an array of pressing issues including climate change, air and water pollution, racial justice, workplace diversity, economic inequality, privacy, corporate integrity, and good governance. From equities to fixed income and from private equity to impact-investing, investors of all kinds now want to understand which companies will be marketplace leaders in a business future redefined by sustainability. Thus, investment strategies, risk models, financial vehicles, applications, data, metrics, standards, and regulations are all changing rapidly around the world. In an effort to better understand the current status and movement of this dynamic field and to provide a practical reference for the growing pool of investors, financial advisors, companies, and academics seeking information on sustainable investing and ESG reporting, this edited book covers the latest trends, tools, and thinking. It showcases the work of authors from leading companies and academic institutions across a range of vital topics such as financial disclosure, portfolio assessment, ESG metrics construction, and law as well as regulation. Readers of the book will be better able to identify and address the hurdles to moving mainstream capital toward more sustainable companies, investments, and projects.

This book provides a broad overview of the financial, economic and legal implications of energy industry regulations in various countries. In light of significant changes around the globe, it analyses various institutions that are involved in regulative measures, and based on various country studies, it offers insights into how energy sector regulations differ across countries with different market structures and institutions. Covering major topics such as laws and regulations geared to market competition and sustainability and the impact of noncompliance to regulations, from the perspectives of financial markets, and financial risks, the book is divided into four parts: Part I Regulations: price and trade controls; Part II. Non-price & trade control regulations; Part III: Compliance with regulations; and Part IV: Market issues and regulation. It will appeal to scholar in economics, finance and related fields as well as to policymakers and practitioners in the energy industry. This is the seventh volume in a series on energy organized by the Centre for Energy and Value Issues (CEVI). The previous volumes in the series were: Financial Aspects in Energy (2011), Energy Economics and Financial Markets (2012), Perspectives on Energy Risk (2014), Energy Technology and Valuation Issues (2015), Energy and Finance (2016) and Energy Economy, Finance and Geostrategy (2018).

Process Plant Operating Procedures presents an introduction to the theory and applications of procedure synthesis that is primarily concerned with the task of conjecturing the sequence of controller (or operator) actions needed to achieve designated operational goals in a given system. In order to facilitate practical implementation, the formal problem statement, two alternative approaches, their validation methods and a series of realistic examples are provided. The authors explore Petri nets and automata to identify the best paths leading to the specified goal of operation. The model-building methods for characterising all components in the given system, as well as the required control specifications, are explained with simple examples. The sequential control actions and the corresponding time schedule can then be identified accordingly. This book exposes practitioners to an important area of plant operations, teaching them effective approaches for procedure synthesis, enabling them to construct and solve scheduling models, and providing them with tools for simulation and validation of procedures and schedules. It is written for readers with a basic understanding of process design and control activities, and it will appeal to engineers in diverse fields with an interest in synthesizing operating procedures in process plants. Advances in Industrial Control reports and encourages the transfer of technology in control engineering. The rapid development of control technology has an impact on all areas of the control discipline. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present an extended exposition of new work in all aspects of industrial control.

This book discusses key techniques of protection and fault ride-through in VSC-HVDC grids, including high-speed selective protection, DC fault current limitation, converter restarting, and DCCB reclosing strategies. It investigates how high-speed transient-variable-based protection can be used to improve grids' acting sensitivity, acting reliability, and ability to withstand high transition resistance compared with traditional protection. In addition, it discusses the applicability of the pilot protections, including the current differential protection and travelign-wave based protection, in the dc grid, as well as the improved methods. Furthermore, it proposes several DC FCL topologies, which are suitable for DC grids. Lastly, in the context of overhead line application conditions, it explores converter restarting and DCCB reclosing strategies, which not only identify the fault property, but also limit the secondary damage to the system, improving the system's operation security and reliability. As such, the book offers a comprehensive overview of original and advanced methods and techniques for the protection of VSC-HVDC grids.

The world’s economy is fuelled by energy. Depletion of resources and severe environmental effects resulting from the continuous use of fossil fuels has motivated an increasing amount of interest in renewable energy resources and the search for sustainable energy policies. This volume contains research papers presented at the 9th International conference on Energy and Sustainability. The changes required to progress from an economy mainly focussed on hydrocarbons to one taking advantage of sustainable renewable energy resources require considerable scientific research, as well as the development of new engineering systems. Energy policies and management are of primary importance to achieve the development of sustainability and need to be consistent with recent advances in energy production and distribution. In many cases, the challenges lie as much in the conversion from renewable energies (wind, solar, etc.) to useful forms (electricity, heat, fuel) at an acceptable cost including damage to the environment as in the integration of these resources into the existing infrastructure. The diverse topics covered by the papers in this book involve collaboration between different disciplines in order to arrive at optimum solutions, including studies of materials, energy networks, new energy resources, storage solutions, waste to energy systems, smart grids and many others. These research papers put a focus on sustainability across the multidisciplinary components of urban planning, the challenges presented by the increasing size of cities, the number of resources required and the complexity of modern society.

This book examines the economics of natural resource markets and pricing, as well as the field of natural resource economics in general. It presents the key contributions to this field of research, including the pioneering works and contemporary studies. The book highlights the basic principles and ideas underlying theoretical models of resource pricing. The models considered in the book underline the fundamental determinants of resource prices and the economic nature of rents for non-renewable and renewable resources. Besides the classical theory of exhaustible resource economics, the book includes several issues that are of high importance for global economic growth, such as the transition to alternative energy and the economics of climate change. The authors also consider the issues of commodity pricing and a resource cartel's activity that are relevant to the world oil market. The book provides analytical solutions illustrated with numerical examples. It allows an intuitive understanding of the subject and the model inferences through graphical illustrations and an informal introduction. It, therefore, is a must-read for everybody interested in a better understanding of resource prices, resource markets, and resource economics.