Providing electric power to remote, cold regions at high latitude or altitude can be an expensive and technically challenging task. Photovoltaics (PV) provide a reliable and cost-effective solution yet their potential is underdeveloped, in part because of a lack of knowledge about their effectiveness in cold climates. This book illustrates the potential and the techniques for using PV in cold climates. The book starts with a general section illustrating how PV can be applied in cold climates, with a succinct overview of the main considerations and chapters covering both the solar resource and the economics. It then covers the effects of cold climates on PV systems looking at the issues around the array and electronics, the battery and energy management. The third section covers design considerations and possible configurations (stand alone/battery systems, hybrid systems, seasonal storage and system simulation). The next part covers installation and operation and the book concludes with several case studies. The book will be invaluable both for all managers charged with providing power to cold climates whether for dwellings, other buildings or technical installations and for all technicians, engineers, installers and researchers working on such installations. It will also be of great interest to those working with PV in any form, or interested to see PV technology reach its full potential.

Mutual funds form the bedrock of retirement savings in the United States, and, considering their rapid growth, are sure to be more critical in the future. Because the size of fees paid by investors to mutual fund advisers can strongly affect the return on investment, these fees have become a contentious issue in Congress and the courts, with many arguing that investment advisers grow rich at the expense of investors.

This ground-breaking book not only conceptualizes a new economic model of the mutual fund industry, but also uses this model to test for price competition between investment advisers, evaluating the assertion that market forces fail to protect investors' returns from excessive fees. Highly experienced authors track the growth of the industry over the past twenty-five years and present arguments and evidence both for and against theories of adviser malfeasance. The authors review the regulatory history of mutual fund fees and summarize leading case decisions addressing excessive fees.

Revealing the extent to which the governance structure of mutual funds truly impacts fund performance, this book provides the best understanding of today's mutual fund industry and is a vital tool for investors, money managers, fund directors, securities lawyers, economists, and anyone concerned with the regulation of mutual funds.

Providing electric power to remote, cold regions at high latitude or altitude can be an expensive and technically challenging task. Photovoltaics (PV) provide a reliable and cost-effective solution yet their potential is underdeveloped, in part because of a lack of knowledge about their effectiveness in cold climates. This book illustrates the potential and the techniques for using PV in cold climates. The book starts with a general section illustrating how PV can be applied in cold climates, with a succinct overview of the main considerations and chapters covering both the solar resource and the economics. It then covers the effects of cold climates on PV systems looking at the issues around the array and electronics, the battery and energy management. The third section covers design considerations and possible configurations (stand alone/battery systems, hybrid systems, seasonal storage and system simulation). The next part covers installation and operation and the book concludes with several case studies. The book will be invaluable both for all managers charged with providing power to cold climates whether for dwellings, other buildings or technical installations and for all technicians, engineers, installers and researchers working on such installations. It will also be of great interest to those working with PV in any form, or interested to see PV technology reach its full potential.