A Practical Guide To Renewable Energy

This book presents a highly accessible introduction to the multi-disciplinary field of renewable energy sources—an area which is becoming increasingly important. It is intended to serve as a textbook for undergraduate electrical and mechanical engineering students and will also be useful for courses in environmental science. The book helps beginners to understand the basic energy conversion processes involved in various renewable energy based equipment such as solar photovoltaics, solar water heaters, wind turbines, and biomass plants. Under each technology, several possi-ble system configurations and their usages are considered. Step-by-step procedures are given to design and cost estimate several renewable energy based systems, designed for the given requirements. Numerous chapter-end problems are given to reinforce concepts, and for getting used to system design and system costing procedures. Besides students, this book will be immensely useful for individuals interested in learning and practising renewable energy technologies.

The renewable energy field is an area of rapid growth with many government initiatives in place to encourage mainstream take-up of energy-saving technologies in buildings. In the UK, over 100,000 students per year undertake plumbing and electrical installation vocational courses that will be directly affected by these developments. More importantly, there will be an even greater number of professionals studying toward renewable energy installation and inspection courses that need this information. This new book from bestselling author Chris Kitcher provides an overview of all of the latest technologies and how they can be incorporated. Students and professionals will use it on a range of courses and as a reference on-site.

The Solar Electricity Handbook is a practical and straightforward guide to using electric solar panels. Assuming no previous knowledge of solar panels, the book explains how solar panels work, how they can be used and explains the steps you need to take to successfully design and install a solar electric system from scratch using photovoltaic solar panels. Accompanying this book is a solar resource website containing lots of useful information, lists of suppliers and on-line solar energy calculators that will simplify the cost analysis and design processes. Readers can also get in touch with the author directly to ask questions and get further support with their solar projects.

Skyrocketing energy costs and constant reminders of the impacts of conventional energy sources are making homeowners and businesses look at different ways to use energy more efficiently and to generate their own electricity to reduce fuel bills and their carbon footprint. Power From the Wind is the completely revised and updated edition of the go-to guide for individuals and businesses interested in installing small wind energy systems. Written for the layperson, this practical guide provides an accurate and unbiased view of all aspects of small wind energy systems, including: Wind and wind energy system options Ways to assess wind resources at your site Wind turbines and towers Inverters and batteries Installation and maintenance of systems Costs and benefits of installing a wind system. Readers will gain the knowledge they need to make wise decisions during the design, purchase, and installation of small wind energy systems and to communicate effectively with wind system installers, and will be empowered to help make the smartest, most economical choices.

From the author of Power from the Sun, the complete guide to switching to clean, affordable, renewable energy resources. Energy bills have skyrocketed in the United States, and traditional energy sources can be as damaging to the environment as they are to your pocketbook. The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy will show you how to slash your home energy costs while dramatically reducing your carbon footprint. Completely revised and updated, this new edition describes the most practical and affordable methods for significantly improving in-home energy efficiency and tapping into clean, affordable, renewable energy resources. If implemented, these measures will save the average homeowner tens of thousands of dollars over the coming decades. Focusing on the latest technological advances in residential renewable energy, this guide examines each alternative energy option available including: · Solar hot water and solar hot air systems · Passive and active solar retrofits for heating and cooling · Electricity from solar, wind, and microhydro · Hydrogen, fuel cells, methane digesters, and biodiesel This well-illustrated and accessible guide is an essential resource for those wanting to enter the renewable energy field. Packed with practical tips and guidelines, it gives readers sufficient knowledge to hire and communicate effectively with contractors and is a must-read for anyone interested in saving money and achieving energy independence. “If you’re thinking about investing in a renewable energy system for your home . . . The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Resources helps clarify the decision-making process . . . . Dan guides you through everything you need to choose which renewable options to integrate into your lifestyle. A great addition to my bookshelf!” —Mick Sagrillo, Sagrillo Power & Light

Skyrocketing energy costs and constant reminders of the impacts of conventional energy sources are making homeowners and businesses look at different ways to use energy more efficiently and to generate their own electricity to reduce fuel bills and their carbon footprint. Power From the Wind is the completely revised and updated edition of the go-to guide for individuals and businesses interested in installing small wind energy systems. Written for the layperson, this practical guide provides an accurate and unbiased view of all aspects of small wind energy systems, including: Wind and wind energy system options Ways to assess wind resources at your site Wind turbines and towers Inverters and batteries Installation and maintenance of systems Costs and benefits of installing a wind system. Readers will gain the knowledge they need to make wise decisions during the design, purchase, and installation of small wind energy systems and to communicate effectively with wind system installers, and will be empowered to help make the smartest, most economical choices.

As the world population grows and places more demand on limited fossil fuels, renewable energy becomes more relevant as part of the solution to the impending energy dilemma. Renewable energy is now included in national policies, with goals for it to be a significant percentage of generated energy within the coming decades. A comprehensive overview, Introduction to Renewable Energy explores how we can use the sun, wind, biomass, geothermal resources, and water to generate more sustainable energy. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the book integrates economic, social, environmental, policy, and engineering issues related to renewable energy. It explains the fundamentals of energy, including the transfer of energy, as well as the limitations of natural resources. Starting with solar power, the text illustrates how energy from the sun is transferred and stored; used for heating, cooling, and lighting; collected and concentrated; and converted into electricity. A chapter describes residential power usage—including underground and off-grid homes—and houses that are designed to use energy more efficiently or to be completely self-sufficient. Other chapters cover wind power; bioenergy, including biofuel; and geothermal heat pumps; as well as hydro, tidal, and ocean energy. Describing storage as a billion-dollar idea, the book discusses the challenges of storing energy and gives an overview of technologies from flywheels to batteries. It also examines institutional issues such as environmental regulations, incentives, infrastructure, and social costs and benefits. Emphasizing the concept of life-cycle cost, the book analyzes the costs associated with different sources of energy. With recommendations for further reading, formulas, case studies, and extensive use of figures and diagrams, this textbook is suitable for undergraduates in Renewable Energy courses as well as for non-specialists seeking an introduction to renewable energy. Pedagogical Features: End-of-chapter problems Numerous case studies More than 150 figures and illustrations A solutions manual is available upon qualifying course adoption