This volume is a true shelf reference, providing a thorough overview of the entire renewable energy sphere, while still functioning as a go-to information source for professionals and students when they need answers about a specific technical issue. Crafted over the last 15 years into a problem-solving tool for engineers, researchers, consultants and planners currently working in the field, as well as a detailed map of the renewables universe for those looking to expand into new technological specialties, Renewable Energy by Sorensen offers the most comprehensive coverage of the subject available.
The book has been structured around three parts in order to assist readers in focusing on the issues that impact them the most for a given project or question. PART I covers the basic scientific principles behind all major renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind and biomass. PART II provides in-depth information about how these raw renewable sources can actually be converted into useful forms, transmitted into the grid and stored for future utilization. Finally, PART III undertakes the aspects of energy planning, environmental impacts and socio-economic issues on regional and global levels.
In this fourth edition update, new material includes expanded coverage of biofuels, solar conversion, biomass and fuel cells, storage and transmission, and a new chapter on integrated technologies to introduce the hybrid systems now being explored. New surveys and the most recent research findings are included throughout.
*New, thoroughly updated fourth edition of the authoritative field guide to the entire Renewable Energy universe
*The only books to scientific principles and implementation methods, technologies and socio-economics, environmental impacts and cutting-edge advances, all in one volume.
*New material includes expanded coverage of biofuels, solar conversion, biomass and fuel cells, storage and transmission, and a new chapter on integrated systems.

A hydrogen economy, in which this one gas provides the source of all energy needs, is often touted as the long-term solution to the environmental and security problems associated with fossil fuels. However, before hydrogen can be used as fuel on a global scale we must establish cost effective means of producing, storing, and distributing the gas, develop cost efficient technologies for converting hydrogen to electricity (e.g. fuel cells), and creating the infrastructure to support all this. Sorensen is the only text available that provides up to date coverage of all these issues at a level appropriate for the technical reader.

The book not only describes the "how" and "where" aspects of hydrogen fuels cells usage, but also the obstacles and benefits of its use, as well as the social implications (both economically and environmental). Written by a world-renowned researcher in energy systems, this thoroughly illustrated and cross-referenced book is an excellent reference for researchers, professionals and students in the field of renewable energy.
Updated sections on PEM fuel cells, Molten carbonate cells, Solid Oxide cells and Biofuel cellsUpdated materialto reflect the growing commercial acceptance of stationary and portable fuel cell systems, while also recognizing the ongoing research in automotive fuel cell systemsAnew example of a regional system based on renewable energy sources reflects the growing international attention to uses of renewable energy as part of the energy gridExamples of life cycle analysis of environmental and social impacts"

In a multidisciplinary field such as energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cells stands out by covering the entire width of hydrogen production and usage technologies, giving detailed descriptions of not just one but the range of very different fuel cells that have been developed or are under development. In one volume, respected experts Bent Sorensen and Giuseppe Spazzafumo provide all the basic scientific theory underlying hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, but at the same time present applications and sustainable integration into society in a way accessible to a broad range of people working in this field, whether in technical, economic or management roles. The third edition reflects both recently emerged technologies and the market penetration of the most promising technologies, and it gives an appraisal of how far fuel cell technology may go in the future, considering current challenges and economic trends. This new edition has updated and expanded content on hydrogen storage and transmission, molten carbonate fuel cells, PEM fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells, biofuel cells, including microbial fuel cells, applications in transportation and power plants, future scenarios and life-cycle assessment. It is ideal for researchers and professionals in the field of energy, and renewable energy in particular, both in academia and industry. It is also useful to lecturers and graduate students in engineering, physics, and environmental sciences, as well as professionals involved in energy or environmental regulation and policy.

Scientist and engineers working in the field renewable energy must overcome the challenges of conversion, transmission and storage before it can replace more traditional power sources such as oil and gas. In this book, Bent Sorenson provides strategies for the efficient conversion, transmission and storage of all forms of renewable energy.
The book provides the reader with a complete background on how renewable energy is transformed into power and the best methods for transmitting and storing the energy produced. Specific to this book is a discussion of conversion processes and storage methods for: geothermal energy, biological and liquid fuels, wave energy, and photovoltaic. In addition the book will cover renewable energy conversions for powering small electrics, as well as battery applications for portable power, and energy bands in semiconductors.

*Energy conversion methods for all types of renewable energy
*Energy conversion and storage for small *Electronics portable power
*Battery applications for portable power
*Energy bands and semiconductors

Bent Sorensen's Renewable Energy: Physics, Engineering, Environmental Impacts, Economics and Planning, Fifth Edition, continues the tradition by providing a thorough and current overview of the entire renewable energy sphere. Since its first edition, this standard reference source helped put renewable energy on the map of scientific agendas. Several renewable energy solutions no longer form just a marginal addition to energy supply, but have become major players, with the promise to become the backbone of an energy system suitable for life in the sustainability lane. This volume is a problem-solving tool for engineers, researchers, students, consultants, and planners currently working in the field, as well as a detailed map of the renewables universe for those looking to expand into new technological specialties, offering the most comprehensive coverage of the subject available. The book has been structured around three parts in order to assist readers in focusing on the issues that impact them the most for a given project or question. PART I covers the basic scientific principles behind all major renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, and biomass. PART II provides in-depth information about how these raw renewable sources can actually be converted into useful forms, transmitted into the grid, and stored for future utilization. Finally, PART III undertakes the aspects of energy planning, environmental impacts, and socio-economic issues on regional and global levels. In this new edition, Sorensen presents his audience with updated data about renewables market penetration, current insights on climate change, the most recent available technology for renewable energy conversion, transmission and storage, and revised planning scenarios and the future outlook.

While solar is the fastest-growing energy source in the world, key concerns around solar power's inherent variability threaten to de-rail that scale-up . Currently, integration of intermittent solar resources into the grid creates added complication to load management, leading some utilities to reject it altogether, while other operators may penalize the producers via rate increases or force solar developers to include storage devices on-site to smooth out power delivery at the point of production. However these efforts at mitigation unfold, it is increasingly clear to parties on all sides that energy storage will be pivotally important in the drive to boost the integration of variable renewable sources into power infrastructures across the globe. Thoughtfully implemented storage technologies can reduce peak demand, improve day-to-day reliability, provide emergency power in case of interrupted generation, reduce consumer and utility costs by easing load balance challenges, decrease emissions, and increase the amount of distributed and renewable energy that makes it into the grid. While energy storage has long been an area of concern for scientists and engineers, there has been no comprehensive single text covering the storage methods available to solar power producers, which leaves a lamentable gap in the literature core to this important field. Solar Energy Storage aims to become the authoritative work on the topic, incorporating contributions from an internationally recognized group of top authors from both industry and academia, focused on providing information from underlying scientific fundamentals to practical applications, and emphasizing the latest technological developments driving this discipline forward.

Bent Sorensen, one of the world's leading experts in the field of renewable energy systems, explores the current hurdles to the universal adoption of renewable energy sources and proposes solutions to the current situation in this new inspiring work. He discusses the social, political and economic issues that make sustainability seem like such an attainable goal, and explores the ways through which change can be achieved without loss of welfare. Even though the author has written several scientific monographs covering the technical issues behind the energy and social transitions mentioned in this book, and bases his conclusions on solid facts and analysis, Sorensen avoids specialist jargon in this text. He therefore addresses scientists and engineers directly involved in sustainable technologies, as well as energy planners and decision makers in industry and government, and also those interested in the direction in which our societies are moving. This book can be a good basis for discussions and debate, whether in academic or in political circles, and may even be used as complementary reading for students in the field of energy generation, implementation, planning, management, markets and policy.

A one-stop Desk Reference, for engineers involved in renewable energies; this is a book that will not gather dust on the shelf. It brings together the essential professional reference content from leading international contributors in the field. The full range of renewable energies are explored including solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy.
* A hard-working Desk Reference, providing all the essential material needed by energy and environmental engineers on a day-to-day basis
* Fundamentals, key techniques, engineering best practice and rules-of-thumb together in one quick-reference sourcebook
* Definitive content by the leading authors in the field, including Bent Sorensen, Paul Breeze, Galen Suppes and Truman Storvick