The Path To More Sustainable Energy Systems

Energy engineers, technology managers, and political leaders all need a solid, holistic understanding of where the world finds its energy--the limits of that energy--and what we will need to do in the future if we are to have a cleaner and environmentally sustainable world, all without sacrificing our modern technological-based civilization. This book will shed some much needed light on that conundrum. It * Provides a broad overview of our current energy sources, their uses and limitations and political and economic constraints * Clarifies the urgency behind the sweeping changes in the world's energy needs and available supplies * Offers a rational paradigm for how we can go about selecting the optimal mix of fossil, renewable and sustainable energy sources and how we can then aggressively move toward those more sustainable sources Drawing from a combined 40 years of teaching about energy and its applications, the authors offer a broad, balanced analysis of our current energy circumstances and how we can intelligently transition from our reliance on fossil fuels to more sustainable and renewable energy sources--solar, wind, nuclear, and bio-mass. With their grounding in the traditional petroleum industries, the authors embed their arguments for cleaner and more sustainable energy sources in the hard realities of energy economics. Those hard realities include the enormous "energy density" advantage that oil and gas currently provide over other alternative energies and how that must always enter into any rationale economic plan for future energy growth.

"Over the next few decades, we will see a profound energy transformation as society shifts from fossil fuels to renewable resources like solar, wind, biomass. But what might a one hundred percent renewable future actually look like, and what obstacles will we face in this transition? Authors explore the practical challenges and opportunities presented by the shift to renewable energy."--Page 4 of cover.

. . . this book is a timely and significant read for anyone with an interest in the operation of the energy sector. Karen Morrow, International Energy Law & Taxation Review This is a timely and comparative assessment of initiatives to promote renewable electricity sources (RES-E) in eight European countries. Carried out by the ProSus research programme at the University of Oslo in cooperation with leading research institutions in each country, the book focuses on the promotional schemes used to foster RES-E in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. The book is unique in that it monitors progress on implementing the EU RES-E Directive in relation to the impact of the dominant energy systems in each country. Employing notions of path dependency/path creation , the analysis demonstrates that crucial lessons for promoting RES-E are to be found in the contextual conditions of national and regional settings; conditions that qualify the effects of more general, market-oriented schemes. The conclusions reached are of direct relevance for the ongoing debate as to the most effective policy instruments for achieving sustainable energy and climate policies in Europe. Promoting Sustainable Electricity in Europe will be of interest to academics and researchers involved in environmental management, energy studies, technology and sustainable development. Furthermore, it will be of interest to policymakers and bureaucrats both at the EU level and among EU/EEA member states concerned with climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development at large. The book should also be of relevance for business organizations and NGOs concerned with the promotion of sustainable electricity.

The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely diversified energy portfolios, job creation, energy security, and pollution reduction, making renewable energy development an important strategy with wide-ranging implications. Given the size of their energy markets, any substantial progress the two countries make in advancing use of renewable energy will provide global benefits, in terms of enhanced technological understanding, reduced costs through expanded deployment, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to conventional generation from fossil fuels. Within this context, the U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), reviewed renewable energy development and deployment in the two countries, to highlight prospects for collaboration across the research to deployment chain and to suggest strategies which would promote more rapid and economical attainment of renewable energy goals. Main findings and concerning renewable resource assessments, technology development, environmental impacts, market infrastructure, among others, are presented. Specific recommendations have been limited to those judged to be most likely to accelerate the pace of deployment, increase cost-competitiveness, or shape the future market for renewable energy. The recommendations presented here are also pragmatic and achievable.

Microgrids are a growing segment of the energy industry, representing a paradigm shift from centralized structures toward more localized, autonomous, dynamic, and bi-directional energy networks, especially in cities and communities. The ability to isolate from the larger grid makes microgrids resilient, while their capability of forming scalable energy clusters permits the delivery of services that make the grid more sustainable and competitive. Through an optimal design and management process, microgrids could also provide efficient, low-cost, clean energy and help to improve the operation and stability of regional energy systems. This book covers these promising and dynamic areas of research and development and gathers contributions on different aspects of microgrids in an aim to impart higher degrees of sustainability and resilience to energy systems.

This Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report (IPCC-SRREN) assesses the potential role of renewable energy in the mitigation of climate change. It covers the six most important renewable energy sources - bioenergy, solar, geothermal, hydropower, ocean and wind energy - as well as their integration into present and future energy systems. It considers the environmental and social consequences associated with the deployment of these technologies and presents strategies to overcome technical as well as non-technical obstacles to their application and diffusion. SRREN brings a broad spectrum of technology-specific experts together with scientists studying energy systems as a whole. Prepared following strict IPCC procedures, it presents an impartial assessment of the current state of knowledge: it is policy relevant but not policy prescriptive. SRREN is an invaluable assessment of the potential role of renewable energy for the mitigation of climate change for policymakers, the private sector and academic researchers.

Sustainable Energy Development: A Multi-Criteria Decision Making Approach discusses sustainable energy development, the main path for achieving carbon neutrality, and the use of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) in assessing energy transition in both operational and socio-political forms. It proposes ways to support responsible decision making toward sustainable energy in key areas such as power distribution, household energy, and transportation. The authors have developed frameworks and tools to help choose sustainable energy options like renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency improvements, policies, and how to promote them in different communities. The book includes several case studies focused on electricity, district heating, transport sectors in the European Union (EU), and decision making in the household sector. Features Analyzes the connection between sustainable energy development and the transition toward a carbon neutral society. Compares and discusses advanced MCDM tools to support sustainable energy options. Develops new frameworks of indicators for the assessment of sustainable regional and national energy system planning, and provides practical illustrative examples in various energy sectors. Provides policy implications when promoting sustainable energy development. Presents case studies on the applications of multi-criteria tools to support sustainable energy options in different energy sectors. Readers interested in gaining insight into leading trends in energy efficiency and sustainability, such as academics, researchers, graduate students, and professionals interested in sustainable energy and energy producers, city planners, policy makers, and more, will benefit from the topics and frameworks discussed in this book.

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, completely upending the energy grid of the small island. The nearly year-long power outage that followed vividly shows how the new climate reality intersects with race and access to energy. The island is home to brown and black US citizens who lack the political power of those living in the continental US. As the world continues to warm and storms like Maria become more commonplace, it is critical that we rethink our current energy system to enable reliable, locally produced, and locally controlled energy without replicating the current structures of power and control. In Revolutionary Power, Shalanda Baker arms those made most vulnerable by our current energy system with the tools they need to remake the system in the service of their humanity. She argues that people of color, poor people, and indigenous people must engage in the creation of the new energy system in order to upend the unequal power dynamics of the current system. Revolutionary Power is a playbook for the energy transformation complete with a step-by-step analysis of the key energy policy areas that are ripe for intervention. Baker tells the stories of those who have been left behind in our current system and those who are working to be architects of a more just system. She draws from her experience as an energy-justice advocate, a lawyer, and a queer woman of color to inspire activists working to build our new energy system. Climate change will force us to rethink the way we generate and distribute energy and regulate the system. But how much are we willing to change the system? This unique moment in history provides an unprecedented opening for a deeper transformation of the energy system, and thus, an opportunity to transform society. Revolutionary Power shows us how.