Powering The Low Carbon Economy The Once And Future Roles Of Renewable Energy And Natural Gas

Natural gas provides a natural complement to variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. It is the cleanest fossil fuel, emitting less than half the carbon dioxide and a fraction of the smog-forming pollutants that coal power plants do. Moreover, it can be used in a variety of efficient, flexible, and scalable generating technologies, enabling it to back up wind and solar generation on a range of time and geographic scales. If new supplies can be produced responsibly, natural gas can deliver immediate reductions in carbon emissions from the power sector. Methane, the main component of natural gas, already is being captured from landfills and other renewable sources, which can contribute a growing share of natural gas supplies in the decades ahead. As renewable energy and natural gas become more economical, their share in global power generation markets is increasing at the expense of coal. Working together, renewable energy and natural gas can facilitate a rapid decarbonization of the power sector and provide the foundation for a low-carbon energy future, starting now. -- from back cover.

Climate change is one of the main threats to modern society. This phenomenon is associated with an increase in greenhouse gas (GHGs, mainly carbon dioxide—CO2) emissions due to anthropogenic activities. The main causes are the burning of fossil fuels and land use change (deforestation). Climate change impacts are associated with risks to basic needs (health, food security, and clean water), as well as risks to development (jobs, economic growth, and the cost of living). The processes involving CO2 capture and storage are gaining attention in the scientific community as an alternative for decreasing CO2 emissions, reducing its concentration in ambient air. The carbon capture and storage (CCS) methodologies comprise three steps: CO2 capture, CO2 transportation, and CO2 storage. Despite the high research activity within this topic, several technological, economic, and environmental issues as well as safety problems remain to be solved, such as the following needs: increase of CO2 capture efficiency, reduction of process costs, and verification of the environmental sustainability of CO2 storage.

Hybrid Energy Systems: Strategy for Industrial Decarbonization demonstrates how hybrid energy and processes can decarbonize energy industry needs for power and heating and cooling. It describes the role of hybrid energy and processes in nine major industry sectors and discusses how hybrid energy can offer sustainable solutions in each. Introduces the basics and examples of hybrid energy systems Examines hybrid energy and processes in coal, oil and gas, nuclear, building, vehicle, manufacturing and industrial processes, computing and portable electronic, district heating and cooling, and water sectors Shows that hybrid processes can improve efficiency and that hybrid energy can effectively insert renewable fuels in the energy industry Serves as a companion text to the author’s book Hybrid Power: Generation, Storage, and Grids Written for advanced students, researchers, and industry professionals involved in energy-related processes and plants, this book offers latest research and practical strategies for application of the innovative field of hybrid energy.

This updated edition of Gesser’s classic textbook has undergone a full revision and now has the latest material, including new chapters on semiconductors and nanotechnology. It includes a supplementary laboratory section with stepwise experimental protocols.

Life courses, both professional and personal, are often directed by unplanned experiences. At crossroads, which path is followed and which hard choices are made can change the direction of one’s future. Wendell Bell’s life illustrates how totally unforeseen events can shape individual lives. As he notes, despite our hopes and our plans for the future, there is also serendipity, feedback, twists and turns, chance and circumstance, all of which shape our futures with sometimes surprising results. In Bell’s case, such twists and turns of chance and circumstance led to his role in developing the new field of futures studies. In Memories of the Future, Bell recognizes the importance of images of the future and the effect of these images on events to come. Such images—dreams, visions, or whatever we call them—help to determine our actions, which, in turn, help shape the future, although not always in ways that we intend. Bell illustrates, partly with the story of his own life, how people remember such past images of the future and how the memories of them linger and are often used to judge the real outcomes of their lives. This is a fascinating view of the work of an important social scientist and the people and events that helped define his life. It is also about American higher education, especially from the end of World War II through the 1960s and 1970s, a period of educational transformation that included the spread of the merit system; the increase in ethnic, racial, gender, and social diversity among students and faculty; and a massive increase in research and knowledge.

The road to low-carbon energy -- Avoiding catastrophe -- A convenient truth -- No-carbon energy -- Designing a new energy system -- Jumpstarting a revolution.

The Handbook of Clean Energy Systems brings together an international team of experts to present a comprehensive overview of the latest research, developments and practical applications throughout all areas of clean energy systems. Consolidating information which is currently scattered across a wide variety of literature sources, the handbook covers a broad range of topics in this interdisciplinary research field including both fossil and renewable energy systems. The development of intelligent energy systems for efficient energy processes and mitigation technologies for the reduction of environmental pollutants is explored in depth, and environmental, social and economic impacts are also addressed. Topics covered include: Volume 1 - Renewable Energy: Biomass resources and biofuel production; Bioenergy Utilization; Solar Energy; Wind Energy; Geothermal Energy; Tidal Energy. Volume 2 - Clean Energy Conversion Technologies: Steam/Vapor Power Generation; Gas Turbines Power Generation; Reciprocating Engines; Fuel Cells; Cogeneration and Polygeneration. Volume 3 - Mitigation Technologies: Carbon Capture; Negative Emissions System; Carbon Transportation; Carbon Storage; Emission Mitigation Technologies; Efficiency Improvements and Waste Management; Waste to Energy. Volume 4 - Intelligent Energy Systems: Future Electricity Markets; Diagnostic and Control of Energy Systems; New Electric Transmission Systems; Smart Grid and Modern Electrical Systems; Energy Efficiency of Municipal Energy Systems; Energy Efficiency of Industrial Energy Systems; Consumer Behaviors; Load Control and Management; Electric Car and Hybrid Car; Energy Efficiency Improvement. Volume 5 - Energy Storage: Thermal Energy Storage; Chemical Storage; Mechanical Storage; Electrochemical Storage; Integrated Storage Systems. Volume 6 - Sustainability of Energy Systems: Sustainability Indicators, Evaluation Criteria, and Reporting; Regulation and Policy; Finance and Investment; Emission Trading; Modeling and Analysis of Energy Systems; Energy vs. Development; Low Carbon Economy; Energy Efficiencies and Emission Reduction. Key features: Comprising over 3,500 pages in 6 volumes, HCES presents a comprehensive overview of the latest research, developments and practical applications throughout all areas of clean energy systems, consolidating a wealth of information which is currently scattered across a wide variety of literature sources. In addition to renewable energy systems, HCES also covers processes for the efficient and clean conversion of traditional fuels such as coal, oil and gas, energy storage systems, mitigation technologies for the reduction of environmental pollutants, and the development of intelligent energy systems. Environmental, social and economic impacts of energy systems are also addressed in depth. Published in full colour throughout. Fully indexed with cross referencing within and between all six volumes. Edited by leading researchers from academia and industry who are internationally renowned and active in their respective fields. Published in print and online. The online version is a single publication (i.e. no updates), available for one-time purchase or through annual subscription.