Product Description
Alternative Energy Solutions to go Green and Save Green

Do you want to cut energy bills, stop relying on foreign energy and help reverse climate change? Then this book is the perfect first step. Filled with straightforward, clearly illustrated projects, Renewable Energy for Your Home details the practical options available today. It provides the information you need to choose the solutions that best fit your house, lifestyle and budget, including:

* SOLAR POWER From photovoltaic cells to passive-collection systems, the new solar technologies are more cost-effective than ever before.

* WIND ENERGY Available in a range of sizes, there's a wind tower for any home, including virtually silent 400-watt mini turbines ideal for a suburban setting.

* BIOFUEL Install a backyard micro-power plant that transforms society's waste, including french-fry oil or animal manure, into low-cost fuel.

Plus, there is also helpful information on less-common options, including: * HYPROPOWER * GEOTHERMAL * WOOD FUEL ... Read more

Product Description
For 200 years industrial civilization has relied on the combustion of abundant and cheap carbon fuels. But continued reliance has lead to perilous consequences. On the one hand, the insecurity of relying on the world’s most unstable region--the Middle East--compounded by the imminence of Peak Oil, growing scarcity, and mounting prices.

Yet there is an answer: to make the transition to renewable sources of energy and to distributed, decentralized energy generation. It is a model that has been proven, technologically, commercially and politically, as Scheer comprehensively demonstrates. He shows that the widely advocated return to nuclear power is compromised and illusory.

The energy autonomy route does not just avoid the harm from following business-as-usual, but also offers enormous additional positive benefits. Whole new industries will be created to stimulate the global economy and two billion people, who don't receive electricity now, will have access to it. The advantages are so clear and so overwhelming that resistance to them needs diagnosis, which Scheer also provides, showing why and how entrenched interests oppose the transition and what must be done to overcome these obstacles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good analysis but badly written
It could be caused by the fact that I'm Dutch and not a native English speaker/reader, but this book is really hard to read. I'm working in ICT though, and I'm used to read English books. In this book the text is very official, like I'm reading a governmental report, with very long sentence, several clauses, sometimes comma's are missing, etc. It could be the translator of course. Even I can tell that some lines are broken English.
But Hermann Scheer explains very well why communities needs to get more independent regarding energy production and what options are available to get there.

Finally! Solutions instead of problems.
This is an exciting read. Full of facts about current problems, but also with suggested solutions to these problems. Those solutions are then carefully outlined. Mr. Scheers ideas are genereally not very investor friendly, therfore they do not get their deserved attention. A very important book in my opinion.

Indictment of Fossil Fuels and Strong Case for Distributed Generation
Written by German parliament member, Hermann Scheer, Energy Autonomy makes a strong case for the decentralization of energy production. Scheer was an instrumental part of passing legislation in Germany which has created the solar and wind boom in that country. Clearly writing with a very solid grasp on the politics of renewable energy, Scheer's argument is powerful and cogently presented.

This book is not just for policy wonks, renewable energy advocates,green investors and environmentalists. But the book is also very approachable for those with less background in the science, technology and politics of renewable energy. If you have never heard the term, 'distributed generation' you should read this book because you will find it fascinating. If you already find distributed generation fascinating, YOU MUST read this book because YOU WILL LOVE IT.

Energy Autonomy & Gluttony
Hermann Scheer's book is not as much about energy autonomy as it is about battling the fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries.
Scheer pays no attention to the past when Germany used little fossil fuels and no nuclear power.He doesn't mention that many poor countries are still as free from fossil fuels as Germany hopes to become years hence.
Nature, the beauty of sunlight, the excitement of towns, buildings and travels as seasons change, these topics don't come up in Energy Autonomy.Does Scheer notice nature, the sun and the seasons?I think he is too absorbed in battle to consider what the battle is for.
Nevertheless, however focused on a grim cloud bank, Scheer is a smart, stalwart solar advocate with a great deal of combat experience.He has grappled with the most powerful and wiley groups who insist on overfeeding us fossil fuels and nuclear power.
I would have read the entire book just to learn what a quango is (a non governmental organization that has become overwhelmingly and permanently dependant on government money), or to read his thoughts on "proactive neutralization".
Give this veteran an iron cross, and a long vacation in a sunny land.On his next campaign the sun will touch him; he will awake from the German (and American) spell and see the goal is not to be rich and fat, Energy Autonomy and Gluttony, but a new civilization.

Scholarly but dry
I bought this book after hearing an interview with Mr. Scheer on NPR.I must say the interview was much more interesting that the book proved to be.

Mr. Scheer is very thorough in making his arguments and I sure this is necessary to convince government and industry but it sure makes for dry reading for the average lay person.
... Read more

Product Description
This is a comprehensive textbook for the new trend of distributed power generation systems and renewable energy sources in electric power systems. It covers the complete range of topics from fundamental concepts to major technologies as well as advanced topics for power consumers. As a textbook it will serve undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines such as mechanical, chemical, civil and environmental engineering, and electrical engineering. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Remarkable for its breadth, depth and clarity
I've been a practicing solar energy professional for over 10 years: My bachelor's was in EE, master's degree in solar energy engineering and now work as a solar project developer and investor. I picked up this book at the PV America conference a couple of days ago - and read the whole PV grid-connected section towards the end of the book. I also read through the early "intro" chapters and the

The book covers a huge, but highly relevant selection of topics. Bottoms up, if you're building up from basics, it covers all the relevant basics in the early chapters, and technology-specific basics wherever relevant. e.g. the PV coverage of cell-basics, equivalent circuits and modeling, and adding up to modules and array performance, system sizing and economic analysis is very well done - you have enough knowledge after reading these chapters to do calculations, basic-to-advanced designs, and understand more detailed texts.

As a reference, almost anyone would benefit from the more advanced and thorough discussions. e.g. in the discussion on DC, standalone PV systems, you can quickly go through key issues relating to PV module performance with specific types of loads, e.g. resistors, DC motors etc, and understand the impact of max power point trackers, and design issues. The author has thought through the text from the readers' point of view: Every relevant angle was discussed and covered with clear text, plus wherever relevant, numerical calculation examples are given such that a reader can replicate in real-life situations.

A complaint and a couple of warnings. My one gripe: Much of the industry data in the book is "old", i.e. 2002-2003 vintage. I have access to more recent data, but an update to the book might be useful. Caution (who's this book for): If you're not an engineer by training, have no technical background, and don't like numbers, this book will be of limited use to you - though far from useless. Also, if you're an experienced engineer working in either solar or wind design, your main utility for this book will be as a reference, a quick overview of basics and less-used topics.

All in all, I was waiting for a book like this for a while. I'm glad I bought this, despite a discounted (conference) price above $120, and look forward to using it as a reference for a long time.

Thorough, well written, good balance between depth and breadth
I bought mainly for verification of wind stochastics (Weibull vs normal distribution questions).But I also work in solar energy as well.Found the text to be well written, sufficient formulas and derivations to understand and do necessary calculations, and a very useful reference.Not cheap, but a bargain for a working engineer.Have correlated wind section with other references, and although variable terms are slightly different, all seem to be verifiable with other sources.

a beautiful mind...
I've scoured several texts, journals and articles on renewable energy to make sense of the various technologies and their underlying economics, but wasn't until I stumbled upon this hidden treasure that the cloud lifted and the light dawned on my bewildered mind. And it took me a few months to scrub the book cover-to-cover - I was so taken in by the author's mastery of the subject matter and its concise, cogent and crystal-clear presentation.

Prof. Masters assumes nothing of the reader and takes her/him through a narrative that is just so-perfectly blended with rigorous, yet first-order analytical methods to enable the joyous discovery and lucid understanding of most of the major renewable sources of energy - from the gusty wind to the brilliant sun. He explains, proves and illustrates the logic, the math and the mechanics of the what, why and how it all works. He then gets under the hood and crunches the numbers (the economics) of if, when and where it all makes sense.

For instance, he'd prove Betz's law for the maximum efficiency of a wind turbine or derive the average wind power with a Rayleigh p.d.f by totally simplifying the convoluted math and soon follow it up with a practical example of whether it makes economic sense for a farmerto lease his land to a wind farm. Every concept is suffused with first-rate real-world examples:
* should a house in Boulder, CO use a single-axis tracker for a photo-voltaic installation? How about Madison, WI?
* what is the carbon spewed out by a coal-fired power plant? How does that compare to a combined cycle natural gas plant?

In addition to a fair amount of coverage of various renewable and distributed energy resources, a complete soup-to-nuts analysis of photo-voltaic design, sizing and analysis is presented. And it doesn't stop there. Energy efficiency is a major theme - ever heard of absorption cooling? All of this material is developed in the context of `basic electricity' that powers and runs most everything today (except vehicles of course, but that's also soon coming...) The beauty of it all is the seemingly effortless simplicity in which the concepts are explained/analysed without sacrificing rigor - it just flows!

In this age of hype and bias, a certain amount of disinformation coming from the media is understandable. But, living in Silicon Valley, I find it amusing to hear even respectable venture capitalists touting/undermining this technology or that without getting their facts/numbers right - perhaps they are vested or they are simply clueless, like I once was and still continue to be often. Whereas, having earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering at Stanford, Prof. Masters has spent his entire lifetime around these issues (has been there, done that) and has distilled the better part of some of what he's learned into this book. Reading it is a bit like peering into a beautiful mind, indeed. Whether you are a serious student out to change the world, an academic do-gooder, a VC moneybag, a hobbyist moonlighter, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is by far, the best such introductory text in this field.

An Important Book on Renewable Electric Power Systems
Here is a book that is needed by those (especially engineers) interested in energy systems for the future.It has broad coverage and yet enough depth to allow design of new systems.Professor Masters' casual writing style and his sense of humor make the book fun to read.

The book covers wind systems, photovoltaic cells(PV) and PV systems, distributed generation (concentrating solar power, microhydro, fuel cells, biomass), and economics of renewable electric power generation and comparison with conventional thermal power plants.This book is important as the engineering world moves into the era of rising energy prices and is compelled to provide alternatives to fossil and nuclear fueled generation. There are abundant very helpful examples worked out in the text.

We used this book in a one semester introduction to renewable power taught as an elective for senior and first year graduate students.Since this was the first time the course was taught by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of NH, and our first time through the book, the course covered only a subset of chapters.

The book provides solid engineering background for topics discussed in applied "how to" books on renewable energy systems.It will appeal to that person who wants deeper understanding of principles.The ideas - both theoretical and practical - are carefully developed.

We read a good number of the problems at the end of the chapters we covered and assigned a subset of those.We found the book problems to be very enlightening and carefully thought out.Many of the problems provided profound insight and preparation for understanding and using the material studied.Even the first chapter on basic electrical and magnetic circuits has problems involving models for photovoltaic modules.

Michael J. Carter, Associate Professor of ECE at UNH
Filson H. Glanz, Professor Emeritus of ECE at UNH

A gem of a book
Gil Masters is a master teacher, as every page in this book makes clear.The best summary is found in the preface:

"Engineering for sustainability is an emerging theme for the twenty-first century, and the need for more environmentally benign electric power systems is a critical part of this new thrust. Renewable energy systems that take advantage of energy sources that won't diminish over time and are independent of fluctuations in price and availability are playing an ever-increasing role in modern power systems. Wind farms in the United States and Europe have become the fastest growing source of electric power; solar-powered photovoltaic systems are entering the marketplace; fuel cells that will generate electricity without pollution are on the horizon. Moreover, the newest fossil-fueled power plants approach twice the efficiency of the old coal burners that they are replacing while emitting only a tiny fraction of the pollution.

There are compelling reasons to believe that the traditional system of large, central power stations connected to their customers by hundreds or thousands of miles of transmission lines will likely be supplemented and eventually replaced with cleaner, smaller plants located closer to their loads. Not only do such distributed generation systems reduce transmission line losses and costs, but the potential to capture and utilize waste heat on site greatly increases their overall efficiency and economic advantages. Moreover, distributed generation systems offer increased reliability and reduced threat of massive and widespread power failures of the sort that blacked out much of the northeastern United States in the summer of 2003.

It is an exciting time in the electric power industry, worldwide. New technologies on both sides of the meter leading to structural changes in the way that power is provided and used, an emerging demand for electricity in the developing countries where some two billion people now live without any access to power, and increased attention being paid to the environmental impacts of power production are all leading to the need for new books, new courses, and a new generation of engineers who will find satisfying, productive careers in this newly transformed industry.

This book has been written primarily as a textbook for new courses on renewable and efficient electric power systems. It has been designed to encourage self-teaching by providing numerous completely worked examples throughout.Virtually every topic that lends itself to quantitative analysis is illustrated with such examples. Each chapter ends with a set of problems that provide added practice for the student and that should facilitate the preparation of homework assignments by the instructor.

While the book has been written with upper division engineering students in mind, it could easily be moved up or down in the curriculum as necessary. Since courses covering this subject are initially likely to have to stand more or less on their own, the book has been written to be quite self-sufficient. That is, it includes some historical, regulatory, and utility industry context as well as most of the electricity, thermodynamics, and engineering economy background needed to understand these new power technologies.

Engineering students want to use their quantitative skills, and they want to design things. This text goes well beyond just introducing how energy technologies work; it also provides enough technical background to be able to do first-order calculations on how well such systems will actually perform. That is, for example, given certain windspeed characteristics, how can we estimate the energy delivered from a wind turbine? How can we predict solar insolation and from that estimate the size of a photovoltaic system needed to deliver the energy needed by a water pump, a house, or an isolated communication relay station? How would we size a fuel cell to provide both electricity and heat for a building, and at what rate would hydrogen have to be supplied to be able to do so? How would we evaluate whether investments in these systems are rational economic decisions? That is, the book is quantitative and applications oriented with an emphasis on resource estimation, system sizing, and economic evaluation." ... Read more

Product Description
Today energy and sustainability are areas of primary concern throughout the world. Energy Systems and Sustainability provides a thorough introduction to the economic, social, environmental, and policy issues raised by current systems of energy use. In addition, it describes the key physical and engineering features of these systems.

The book begins with an introductory account of the present world energy situation. This is followed by chapters explaining basic energy concepts and describing the magnitudes and patterns of human energy needs. The central part of the book deals with the historical evolution and present status of conventional fossil- and nuclear-fueled energy systems. These systems, along with hydropower and traditional biofuels, currently supply the majority of the world's commercial energy. In addition, a section on economics describes the basic methods by which the monetary costs of energy are calculated, and discusses the external costs of energy production. The concluding sections deal with the sustainability problems associated with both fossil and nuclear fuel use, and possible solutions using new technological developments.

Energy Systems and Sustainability is the only text on the market to provide a fresh, contemporary perspective on energy and sustainability for an undergraduate audience. It is ideal for courses in energy, sustainable development, environmental science, and architecture.

FEATURES


·Includes extensive coverage of the important concepts and issues behind modern energy production


·Provides detailed descriptions of the main methods used to produce energy today


·Lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs and diagrams


·Presents in-depth case studies and further explanations on more advanced topics in boxed sections throughout the text ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Never got the book.
I never received my book. And now i have to deal with returns. it sucks. but might be a legit seller.

Interesting Overall and Initial Approach
The author presents an overall about the Renewable Energy Sources (RES). I recommend this book for those ones with no previous experience in this subject. Good book for a fresh start in RES business.

Excellent Resource
This book, and its companion "Renewable Energy", are excellent introductory books to the topic of energy.The basics are explained in clear language, the references are up-to-date and the graphics are colorful and very helpful.These two books take a HUGE topic and make it understandable and interesting. I hope that new editions continue to be published.

If I had to make one complaint, it's that it's focused on the UK, which in terms of energy is a relatively small country.But in today's world, that is a minor issue. The book gives you the tools you need evaluate other sources of information. ... Read more

Product Description
Brought to you by the creator of numerous bestselling handbooks, the Handbook of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy provides a thorough grounding in the analytic techniques and technological developments that underpin renewable energy use and environmental protection. The handbook emphasizes the engineering aspects of energy conservation and renewable energy. Taking a world view, the editors discuss key topics underpinning energy efficiency and renewable energy systems. They provide content at the forefront of the contemporary debate about energy and environmental futures. This is vital information for planning a secure energy future.

Practical in approach, the book covers technologies currently available or expected to be ready for implementation in the near future. It sets the stage with a survey of current and future world-wide energy issues, then explores energy policies and incentives for conservation and renewable energy, covers economic assessment methods for conservation and generation technologies, and discusses the environmental costs of various energy generation technologies. The book goes on to examine distributed generation and demand side management procedures and gives a perspective on the efficiencies, economics, and environmental costs of fossil and nuclear technologies.

Highlighting energy conservation as the cornerstone of a successful national energy strategy, the book covers energy management strategies for industry and buildings, HVAC controls, co-generation, and advances in specific technologies such as motors, lighting, appliances, and heat pumps. It explores energy storage and generation from renewable sources and underlines the role of infrastructure security and risk analysis in planning future energy transmission and storage systems. These features and more make the Handbook of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy the tool for designing the energy sources of the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

cheap but excellent
Bought this being interested in CSP technologies for work project. Already having a good understanding of the subject, I found the explanations very clear and even found some more valuable info. ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Feed-In Tariff, Financial Incentives for Photovoltaics, New York Energy Law, Feed-In Tariffs in Australia, Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 110-343, Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz, Renewable Portfolio Standard, Renewable Energy Law in Pennsylvania. Excerpt:The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub.L. 109-58) is a bill passed by the United States Congress on July 29, 2005, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 8, 2005, at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico . The act, described by proponents as an attempt to combat growing energy problems, changed US energy policy by providing tax incentives and loan guarantees for energy production of various types. Provisions General provisions begin{itemize... ... Read more

Product Description

Covering the latest codes and standards and the Energy Independence and Security Act, this edition includes information on software packages from the Best Practices Program of the U.S. Department of Energy; and emerging technologies such as oxy-fuel combustion, high efficiency burners, enhanced heat exchangers, and ceramic membranes for heat recovery. This reference will guide you step by step in applying the principles of energy engineering and management to the design of electrical, HVAC, utility, process and building systems for both new design and retrofit projects. Topics covered include how to do an energy analysis of any system; electrical system optimization; state-of-the-art lighting and lighting controls; thermal storage; cogeneration; HVAC and building system optimization; compressed air systems; third party financing and much more. The text is thoroughly illustrated with tables, graphs, diagrams and sample problems.

Customer Reviews (2)

Useful Book but Needs Improvement
I purchased this book as a reference for the Certified Energy Manager's exam. At first, I was taken aback by the cost of the book, but rationalized that the price was well worth the future fruits I would gain with certification. I found the material to be very useful. The problem with the book, however, is that it is POORLY organized. The table of contents is a quick short list of topics. The chapters contain sub categories that are covered again and again in other chapters. This makes for alot of confusion. The index of the book is abolutely worthless. I have spent alot of time adding words, subject matter, etc to the existing index in order to be able to quickly access the information. While the content of the book is useful...good luck quickly accessing it. I recommend that the author update the book with an exhaustive index of topics and expand the table of contents to include all of the sub-topics that are located in each of the chapters. I also think more information about the energy policy and codes prior to EPACT or at least a source reference would be useful.

Useful Reference
Useful handbook for introduction to energy analysis
Boring reading for those looking for some exciting material. ... Read more

Product Description
The solution to our current energy dilemma will contain features of both alternate energy sources and alternate use of existing energy sources. In order to help engineers find this solution, Alternative Energy Systems covers a wide range of concepts. They will examine areas involving reat turbomachine and solar energy, CHP applications, and additional alternate energy concepts. All chapters focus on first-order engineering calculations. Alternate energy topics are also equated to topics related to renewable energy resources. Engineers will learn how to apply these concepts to find new solutions. ... Read more

Product Description
Ages 9 to 12 years. This amazing new book tells why solar power is becoming a very real replacement for our current energy sources, with detailed images featuring different types of solar collectors, solar thermal plants, and solar cells. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Disappointed
The book was very general.I expected to get more specific and indepth information. ... Read more

Product Description
Can renewable energy provide reliable power? Will it need extensive backup?

The energy available from wind, waves, tides and the sun varies in ways that may not match variations in energy demand.Assimilating these fluctuations can affect the operation and economics of electricity networks. Is this a significant problem, or can these new sources be integrated into the grid system without the need for extensive backup or energy storage capacity?

This book examines the significance of the issue of variability of renewable electricity supplies, and presents technical and operational solutions to the problem of reconciling the differing patterns of supply and demand. Its chapters are authored by leading experts in the field, who aim to explain and quantify the impacts of variability in renewable energy, and in doing so, dispel many of the myths and misunderstandings surrounding the topic. ... Read more

Product Description
This pocket reference book provides a wealth of practical information at your fingertips, whenever you need it. Rich in background detail, at-a-glance tables and diagrams, equations, and more, the Passive Solar Architecture Pocket Reference is a handy resource for architects, engineers and students.

Coverage includes:
• Definitions
• Load determinants and Responses (including world wide biomes and climates, building metabolism and response, thermal sources and sinks, passive building responses to sources and sinks, tuning the building to the environment, optimizing insulation & thermal mass for comfort)
• Contextual Aspects (including microclimate and siting, temperatures, humidity, wind, radiation and comfort parameters)
• Passive Components (including building envelope, passive solar terminology, orientation, apertures and glazing, thermal storage, thermal control and materials
• Design Tools (including sun path diagrams, sun peg diagrams, air flow relationships, thermal modelling and life cycle design)
• Specific Functions (including passive heating, passive cooling and ventilation, natural lighting, passive water heating, resource collection and Integrated design) ... Read more

Product Description
* Provides technical details on different renewable energy systems plus background information on climate change and related economics
* Contains free CD-ROM, including simulation software and figures from the book
* Ideal as a student text, including worked examples

Beginning with an overview of renewables (including biomass, hydroelectricity, geothermal, tidal, wind, and solar power) this book explores the fundamentals of various renewable energy systems. The main focus is on technologies with high development potential such as solar thermal systems, photovoltaics, and wind power.
This text not only describes technological aspects but also deals consciously with problems of the energy industry. In this way, the topics are treated in a holistic manner, enabling readers to gain a broad understanding of renewable energy technology and its potential. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A good book... not only for beginners
This book gives you a complete overview of all the renewable energies.
If you are looking for answers with explanations, this book might be a good option: it is detailed enough, without being too much. The language is always simple, as all technichal books should be.
Could be a good book for basic courses on Renewable Energies for engineers. I use it as a reference book.

A difficult book for students
Unfortunately, this book doesn't live up to the promise of its title. It reads very much like a catalog of statements, with little motivation or explanation given.Consider, for example, the following paragraph: "The ends of the windings of a slipring rotor are only connected internally on one side.The beginnings of the windings are connected via sliprings and graphite brushes to the outside of the machine.There, they can be short-circuited over rotor resistances.This can improve the behaviour of the asynchronous machine during start-up."The foregoing statements may all well be true, but how much does someone who isn't already familiar with slipring rotors learn from them?

Another problem is one of physics.One reads that in the Bohr hydrogen atom the Coulomb and centrifugal force on the electron are balanced, whereas in fact the unbalanced Coulomb force provides the centripetal force required to keep the accelerating electron in its orbit.The Bohr postulate is renamed the Planck theorem, the electron's energy is represented as purely kinetic (no electrostatic potential energy is given), and the atom's energy is given as positive rather than negative, decreasing (rather than increasing) with increasing n.This in the space of a few paragraphs.

Not every page suffers from these problems, of course, but for the engineering student truly interested in "Understanding Renewable Energy Systems," Gilbert Masters' "Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems" is a better investment. ... Read more

Product Description
Human survival depends on a continuing energy supply, but the need for ever-increasing amounts of energy poses a dilemma: How can we provide the benefits of energy to the population of the globe without damaging the environment, negatively affecting social stability, or threatening the well-being of future generations? The solution will lie in finding sustainable energy sources and more efficient means of converting and utilizing energy. This textbook is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as others who have an interest in exploring energy resource options and technologies with a view toward achieving sustainability. It clearly presents the trade-offs and uncertainties inherent in evaluating and choosing different energy options and provides a framework for assessing policy solutions.

Sustainable Energy includes illustrative examples, problems, references for further reading, and links to relevant Web sites. Outside the classroom, the book is a resource for government, industry, and nonprofit organizations. The first six chapters provide the tools for making informed energy choices. They examine the broader aspects of energy use, including resource estimation, environmental effects, and economic evaluations. Chapters 7-15 review the main energy sources of today and tomorrow, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, biomass, geothermal energy, hydropower, wind energy, and solar energy, examining their technologies, environmental impacts, and economics. The remaining chapters treat energy storage, transmission, and distribution; the electric power sector; transportation; industrial energy usage; commercial and residential buildings; and synergistic complex systems. Sustainable Energy addresses the challenges of integrating diverse factors and the importance for future generations of the energy choices we make today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Really useful book
If you're a beginner or someone with more experience, this is the "one book" to purchase in the area of energy and sustainability.Useful, practical content at a level that allows you to refresh or build on your knowledge in the area.

Extremely useful reference, if a bit dated
I've been working in the energy field for the past few years, and this is one of the few references I've found that describes all of our energy options with real depth.Information is well organized and systematically laid out.The book is, as others have pointed out, unfortunately already outdated.

Dated, horrible mess of a book
This just goes to show that even though you might have a dozen authors from MIT, they still can't manage to write a coherent, readable book. The organization of the book is horrible, with hardly any sub-sections and massive blocks of text--this makes it almost impossible to find the information you're looking for without digging through the index. The ordering of the chapters is haphazard and they range in quality from extremely basic to completely esoteric. I would strongly recommend against using this book if at all possible, as there are better written, more contemporary works available that address this subject.

AWESOME!THANKS ONCE AGAIN AMAZON FOR GREAT QUALITY!
AMAZON IS THE WAY TO GO WHENEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE ANYTHING.I WILL ALWAYS BE A LIFELONG SUPPORTER AND BUYER!

Great Read
A great book if you are interested in sustainable energy technologies and the ways the affect our world. ... Read more

Product Description
Rapidly developing countries such as China and India are the real main players in the climate debate, with the potential for massive increases in their carbon emissions in coming years. Brazil is often included in their number, yet this country is in fact notable for its exceptionally high reliance on energy from renewable sources -- approaching 50%. However, the fact that much of this energy comes from hydropower and biofuels, and recent discoveries of massive oil reserves off of the Brazilian coast, are a recipe for controversy.

In this detailed account, Antonio Dias Leite sets out the development of Brazil's energy mix. Beginning with the history of energy provision and use, he then moves on to tackle the various sources in detail: hydropower, biomass and other renewables, as well as fossil fuels and nuclear power. In each case he examines growth, distribution, environmental and socio-economic issues (such as deforestation and displacement of indigenous communities) and potential for future development -- highlighting what has worked, and what hasn't. The book ends by examining Brazilian approaches to energy efficiency, and by positioning Brazil in the world context.

This is a major contribution to the discussion around climate change mitigation that will be key reading for policymakers and researchers concerned with the future role and impacts of rapidly developing countries.
... Read more

Product Description

You never had a science teacher like this! Max Axiom is a super-cool super-scientist.Using powers he acquired in a freak accident.Max demonstrates and explains science in ways never before seen in the classroom.Whether shrinking downto size of an ant or riding on a sound wave, Max can do whatever it takes to make science super cool and accessible.

... Read more

Product Description
Scientists tell us we need to cut carbon emissions immediately to forestall effects of global warming. Reducing fossil fuel use is the key, and energy experts are hard at work devising solutions. Engineers create remarkable clean energy technologies. Energy policy analysts invent carbon credits and renewable portfolio standards. Fossil energy industrialists promise new, "clean" technology. Renewable energy industrialists compete to develop the magic bullet for transportation fuel or power generation. Every idea is designed to change the nation's energy sector to one that is clean and sustainable for the future.

But what is this energy sector we have and how did it come about? Design professionals, planners, elected officials, and community leaders are under tremendous pressure to find solutions to climate change. They need a broader view of America's relationship with energy to gain perspective on how new ideas might work. Energy in America tells this story, emphasizing that energy use has always been based on cultural factors as well as technology.

Energy in America relates how coal, oil and natural gas built the nation from its beginning and created today's consumer culture. It continues with the rise of the electric utility industry and its influence on American society. Finally, it explores the 1970s, when America woke to conservation and efficiency, and the renewable energy industries were born. It concludes with a look at the future possibilities for community energy planning and current trends in sustainable energy policy. The book features a comprehensive energy timeline from 1775 to the present. Each chapter provides primary web sources, and the book contains a complete index.
... Read more

Product Description
* An invaluable, handy, and affordable reference for all interested in solar energy

* Peer-reviewed and authoritative, this book provides essential solar data, explains the underlying theory, and offers helpful illustrations on a myriad of topics relating to solar energy

* Written for a global audience by leading international experts in association with the International Solar Energy Society (ISES)

Prepared and peer-reviewed by some of the foremost experts in the field, this easy-to-use pocket reference includes a wealth of information relating to solar energy.

Topics covered range from solar angles, sun path diagrams, solar radiation, and radiative properties of materials to thermal collectors, thermal energy storage, photovoltaics, and daylighting. The book also includes conversion factors and constants and is peppered throughout with helpful illustrations, equations, and explanations.

Renewable energy professionals, students, and solar entrepreneurs among others will find a host of answers in this book -- a practical assimilation of data, fundamentals, and guidelines for appication. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not exactly what we wanted.
This book is rich in technical detail, with graphs and charts that are mind-boggling.We were looking for something to help us optimize solar energy for a home in Brazil and found this book lacked information for this particular purpose.Only buy this book if you are already fairly well versed in energy and solar related mathematics. ... Read more

Product Description
Addressing the needs of engineers, energy planners, and policy makers, CRC Handbook of Energy Efficiency provides up-to-date information on all important issues related to efficient energy use, including: oEfficient energy technologiesoEconomicsoUtility restructuringoIntegrated resource planningoEnergy efficient building designoIndustrial energy conservationoWind energyoSolar thermal systemsoPhotovoltaicsoRenewable energyoCogenerationoFossil fuel cost projectionsThe rapid changes that characterize the technology of energy generation systems, and the forthcoming competition among energy producers, make this handbook a must for anyone involved in the science, technology, or policy of energy. The 53 expert contributors from industry, government, and universities, and the 600+ figures and tables make CRC Handbook of Energy Efficiency a professional and valuable resource. ... Read more

Product Description
A straight-talking book tells grid-connected homeowners how to use free energy from the sun and wind to reduce or even eliminate their electric bills, and what to expect from this independent, thoughtful lifestyle.Whether you live in the sun-soaked Southwest, or windy North Dakota, alternative energy has come of age with affordable modern technology.Now with rebates and incentives from most states, installing a home system is an economically-attractive and environmentally-responsible option.Chapters include:- Why invest in alternative energy for your home?- Is it legal and safe?- How solar electricity really works- Batteries or not?- Sizing a system to fit your home and your needs- Got Wind?- What does it cost?- Does your state offer rebates or incentives?- Permits, Paperwork and Financing- The Nuts & Bolts: what to look for, what to avoid- Who does the installation?- Extensive appendix with resources, manufacturers, sizing worksheets, glossary, and more ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

got sun? go solar
great book, a must for people who want to go grid tied solar. great and thorough explantions. would highly reccomend.

Excellent Book
This definitely in no how to book. The author's intent is to make you more knowledgeable prior to having a solar technician out. He does not to tell you how to do it yourself, he actually discourages it for several reasons which he lists. I think you can build them yourself. But he does show you how to size a system and give you a in depth look at the many different solar possibilities that are available.

I am new to solar technology, and have found this book to be very helpful. It is well documented and gives you many details. The authors try and keep it fun when they can, to keep your interest. Researching this subject on the Internet is very hard to do for solar, its hard to know is which system to use. Without this book, my head would still be spinning attempting to determine who has the best kit.

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Awesome
Awesome book on renewable energy. Thanks to these tips, I now know how I will build it.AAAA++++

Solar energy
Provides the needed basic information to beginners like me in a clear and easy to understand language. Well illustrated.

Great intro for getting a home solar system!
"Got Sun? Go Solar" provided me with a great amount of introductary information for a residential solar PV system. When looking for information on a $20,000 home investment, $15 is a great start. Well worth it. ... Read more