Alternative Energy Resources

Alternative Energy Sources is designed to give the reader, a clear view of the role each form of alternative energy may play in supplying the energy needs of the human society in the near future (20-50 years). The two first chapters on "energy demand and supply" and "environmental effects," set the tone as to why alternative energy is essential for the future. The third chapter gives the laws of energy conversion processes, as well as the limitations of converting one energy form to another. The section on exergy gives a quantitative background on the capability/potential of each energy source to produce power. The fourth, fifth and sixth chapters are expositions of fission and fusion nuclear energy, the power plants that may produce power from these sources and the issues that will frame the public debate on nuclear energy. The following five chapters include descriptions of the most common renewable energy sources (wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, hydroelectric) some of the less common sources (e.g. tidal and wave energy). The emphasis of these chapters will be on the global potential of each source, the engineering/technical systems that are used in harnessing the potential of each source, the technological developments that will contribute to wider utilization of the sources and environmental effects associated with their wider use. The last three chapters are: "energy storage," which will become an important issue if renewable energy sources are used widely. The fourteen chapters in the book have been chosen so that one may fit a semester University course around this book. At the end of every chapter, there are 10-20 problems and 1-3 suggestions of semester projects that may be assigned to students for further research.

This book reviews alternative and renewable energy resources in order to pave the way for a more sustainable production in the future. A multi-disciplinary team of authors provides a comprehensive overview of current technologies and future trends, including solar technologies, wind energy, hydropower, microbial electrochemical systems and various biomass sources for biofuel production. In addition, the book focuses on solutions for developing countries. Conventional energy sources are finite, and estimates suggest that they will be exhausted within a few decades. Finding a solution to this problem is a global challenge, and developing countries in particular are still highly dependent on fossil fuels due to their rapidly growing populations accompanied by a huge growth in primary energy consumption. Moreover, the most common conventional energy sources (coal and petroleum) are non-sustainable since their combustion exponentially increases greenhouse gas emissions. As such, there is a pressing need for clean energy based on alternative or renewable resources, not only to ensure energy supplies at an affordable price but also to protect the environment.

A balanced introduction to tomorrow's energy sources Over the course of the next fifty years, there will be a shift in the quest for sustainble energy, including a major change in transportation from internal combustion engines burning petroleum-derived fuels to newer technology engines using new transportation fuels. Alternative Energy Reources examines our options for energy sources with a focus on hydrogen as a large-scale, secondary energy vector parallel to electricity. As the price of petroleum products increases, the world is scrambling to find a suitable replacement energy source. In this comprehensive primer, Professor Paul Kruger examines energy use throughout history and the exponential expansion of our energy use beginning with the Industrial Revolution through the present day. The book then analyzes the various alternative energy sources available, including renewable energy (hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal), nuclear, and hydrogen. He addresses each energy source's pros and cons based on our needs, availability, and environmental impact aspects. Finally, Dr. Kruger proposes the use of hydrogen as a fuel to sustain our energy supply produced by appropriate technology mixtures of renewable and nuclear energy.

Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources provides comprehensive information on the status of all renewable and non-renewable energy resources. Chapters discuss the technological developments and environmental impacts of each energy source, giving a valuable reference of up-to-date scientific progress, technical application and comparative ecological analysis of each source. In addition to understanding the process involved in generating energy, the book looks at possible merits and demerits relevant to environmental problems, highlighting the importance of the implementation of sustainable, approachable, cost effective and durable renewable energy resources. Designed to highlight relevant concepts on energy efficiency, current technologies and ongoing industrial trends, this is an ideal reference source for academics, practitioners, professionals and upper-level students interested in the latest research on renewable energy. Discusses developments in both renewable and non-renewable energy sources Highlights the status of exploitive, experimental studies conducted on the global status of alternative energies Outlines novel opportunities for improving technologies for the billion-dollar renewable industry

In the years between the first and this second edition, renewable energy has come of age; it makes good sense, good government and good business. This book considers the unchanging principles of renewable energy technologies alongside modern application and case studies. In this second edition, the presentation of the fundamentals has been improved throughout, and chapters on economics and institutional factors have been added. Likewise, sections on environmental impact have been added to each technology chapter. Renewable Energy Resources supports multi-disciplinary.

This volume provides an insightful overview of renewable and alternative energy technologies and policies in the United States and around the world. Are renewable and alternative energy solutions needed to combat many of the negative effects of fossil fuel (including global warming)? Can such solutions be "clean," and still economically viable? For readers wanting clear, objective answers to questions like these, this fascinating, highly informative volume is the ideal source. Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources: A Reference Handbook provides an authoritative, unbiased overview of existing and potential renewable and alternative energy technologies, covering the benefits and drawbacks associated with each. It then looks at a number of specific questions and controversies on this issue, examining the social, political, and economic aspects of renewable and alternative energy use in the United States and other countries—detailing different approaches and activities of international organizations, national governments, and private sector initiatives.

We use energy every day. It fuels our cars, powers our cell phones, and provides light through the night. For centuries, people have relied mostly on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas to provide this energy. But renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, water and geothermal power are a safer and healthier source than fossil fuels. They can serve our electricity needs without damaging the planet we call home.

World Energy Resources is an explanatory energy survey of the countries and major regions of the world, their geographic and economic settings, and signif icant inter-relationships. This book attempts to combine several interacting energy themes that encompass a historical development, energy issues and forecasts, economic geography, environmental programs, and world energy use. The main thrust of this book -World Energy Resources - is based on princi ples of energy science, applied geology, geophysics, and other environmental sciences as they relate to the exploration, exploitation, and production of resources in this country and throughout the world. This work is an analysis of the United States (USA) and world oil, gas, coal, and alternative energy resources and their associated issues, forecasts, and related policy. This book could not have been attempted without a broad geological exposure and international ge ographic awareness. Much information is scattered among federal and state agencies, schools, and other institutions, and this book has attempted to com bine some of the vast information base. This attempt can only skim the infor mation surface at best, but its regional and topical coverage is broad in scope. Part I introduces conventional energy resources and their historical develop ments, and includes chapters 1 to 7. The basic concepts and supporting facts on energy sources are presented here for the general education of energy analysts, policy makers, and scientists that desire a brief review of advanced technologies and history.