Product Description
Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Alternative Energy Sources," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Alternative Energy Sources in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Alternative Energy Sources when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Alternative Energy Sources, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

Product Description
This essential new title provides a contemporary overview on a major key topic of the 21st century. Written by well known scientists in the area who discuss the topic soberly and without ideology, they focus on how photovoltaic, solar power, wind power, hydropower, geothermal energy, fuel cells, and hydrogen enterprise work. Presented in full-colour with catchy information diagrams and information boxes.

"… the book offers a solid overview of possibilities of environmental friendly techniques, energy conversion, storage, and transportation"
—FAZ (German newspaper) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

FOR COLLEGE CLASSES
Good, infomative book.I needed it for college classes and it fits the bill.

Underlying Science
It goes beyond the routine methods discussed in the news...very detailed explanations.... a good deal of technology and science is presented... A good mix of small things that the average person can do and of larger projects that require major coproations and government.

Quite good...although it is not a "How to" book...

You don't mess with "the" Biomass!
I'm a lawyer, and not particularly strong in math, engineering or environmental science.When I was forced to quickly bring myself up to speed on alternative energy for a recent project, I bought several books on this topic and found this one to be just right for me.This is about as good as technical writing gets: brief, clear, accurate, and packed to the gills with information and visual aids.

I was acutely aware that this is a German book, translated from German, by German minds.There's no public nudity or electronic music, but nouns pick up a lot of definite articles ("the" biomass).And much of the information is about the current state of the financial, economic, and regulatory environment of the EU.It didn't bother me, since I couldn't find a comparable resource for the USA, but the reader should just be aware.

An affordable, good renewable energy technology book
Very good at describing, at a high to mid level, the renewable energy technologies.Liked it a lot and use it as a reference, better than the $100s you have to pay for other books.Nicely done...

A delight for the general public & scientific community
This book will delight the general public as well as the scientific community.It provides an astonishingly accessible, yet detailed introduction to the topic of renewable energy sources.A critical overview of the most important technologies which are currently contributing significantly to world wide energy supplies or that are expected to in the future are presented.I particularly liked the colorful graphics, the clearly labeled subsections, the concise summaries at the end of each article, and the reference sections, which include scientific articles, websites, and the authors' e-mails. ... Read more

Product Description

It is widely assumed that our consumer society can move from using fossil fuels to using renewable energy sources while maintaining the high levels of energy use to which we have become accustomed. This book details the reasons why this almost unquestioned assumption is seriously mistaken. It challenges fundamental assumptions and stimulates the discussion about our common future in a way that will be of interest to professionals and lay-readers alike.

Product Description

How long will the world's oil and gas reserves last? Which countries make the most use of alternative energy sources? How will we heat our homes and power our cars in the future? This title tells the amazing story of alternative energy, including biopower,

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

have we reached Peak Oil?
The book is both a history of the main energy sources used globally, and of the prospects for energy generation going forward into this new century. So we get a walkthrough of how OPEC arose, and how the 1973 Yom Kippur war triggered an oil crisis that gave OPEC much power. But after 1979, this diminished for some 20 years.

Other energy sources are studied. Especially coal, which tends to be more evenly distributed around the world than oil. Perhaps more to the point, US and China have ample supplies. Which means that coal is unlikely to diminish in importance.

The most intriguing question posed in the book is the Hubbert hypothesis. Otherwise called the Peak Oil idea. Namely that global oil production has peaked, or will peak soon. To be followed by a gradual but relentless decline. Naturally a disquieting prospect. Especially since China and India (as well as other developing natioons) want to continue to modernise, and will presumably need more oil. Read this part of the book carefully. ... Read more

Product Description
Stimulated by recent technological developments and increasing concern over the sustainability and environmental impact of conventional fuel usage, the prospect of producing clean, sustainable power in substantial quantities from renewable energy sources arouses interest world-wide. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the principal types of renewable energy-including solar, thermal photovoltaics, bioenergy, hydro, tidal, wind, wave, and geothermal. In addition, the text explains the underlying physical and technological principles of renewable energy and examines the environmental impact and future prospects of different energy sources. It includes over 350 detailed illustrations, more than fifty tables of data, and a wide range of case studies. Renewable Energy, 2/e is ideal for undergraduate courses in energy, sustainable development, and environmental science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Not received
I would have liked to have received this item by now. I ordered it over a MONTH ago. Amazon has an awfully poor delivery service. That is my review!!

Renewable Energy
An excellant resource for a closer look at Renewable Energy!The book is well written, and goes into great detail about each topic.It is a very readable book; one that a semi-educated individual could probably figure out and understand.It also has so many references you can follow for further, more detailed study of each topic.

A great book
It's a fantastic book! Covers all you need to know, albeit focusing a bit too much on the UK!

Nice, but not good for a technical course.
This book has very nice pictures and broad overview descriptions but it does not dive into technical details of renewable energy device operation.Many of the exmaples shown are in Europe, and therefore less tangible for U.S. students.It would be a more appropriate textbook for a renewable energy survey course.

Excellent introduction - even for after graduated engineers
This book clarifies much concepts concerning Renewable Energy. It is filled with lots of statistical and economical charts, concepts explanation, schemas and drawings about the technology.

It does not show formulas on how to dimension, but a lot of results from studies are revealed with detailed account on what was found in numbers.

Even for an engineering bachelor degree, its worth, because it covers a lot of concept from all the different kinds of Energy. ... Read more

Product Description
The eighth book in Stephen Chastain's DIY series, Alternative Energy Secrets is a companion text to his title Generators and Inverters. Alternative Energy Secrets focuses on overlooked fuels. Extensive information regarding waste oils and their inexpensive conversion to useful fuels. Plans for a super fast oil collector trailer that picks up 200 gallons in a few minutes and does not form water emulsion like a gear pump will. Describes oil cracking, blending, filtering, testing and construction of centrifuges to clean waste oils and make them suitable for use in home heating or as diesel fuel. Construction of waste oil burners, and heaters, tips on off-grid power generation and converting your car to diesel are included. Practical how to. Very unusual material. Nothing like it anywhere on the market. A must have for alternative energy users. ... Read more

Product Description
Hands-on, practical solutions to save money by making smart energy changes

One of the best and most affordable strategies people can employ to combat global warming is to improve the energy and water efficiency of their homes. Energy Efficient Homes For Dummies provides homeowners with advice, tips, and projects to reduce costs, increase energy efficiency, and cut down on waste and pollution. After performing a do-it-yourself home energy audit, readers create an action plan based on their personal goals. Readers are presented with a wide range of potential solutions, from making better use of blinds and awnings to exploring geothermal options in order to reduce household costs and their impact on the planet.

Rik DeGunther (Rescue, CA) is the founder of Efficient Homes, an energy consulting firm that focuses on home energy audits and the design of efficient heating and cooling systems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good for basics, not for experienced energy savers
This was excellent for the basics, and gave some good info on various energy efficient ways to heat your home such as solar power, radiant heat, etc, but otherwise pretty basic.
The last chapter gives 30 ways to be more energy efficient. Of these, the least helpful was to skip the dishwasher drying cycle, and the most helpful was a tie between sealing the HVAC ducts and getting a solar hot water heater and going DIY to save $$.
Good if you need a basic reference, not so good if you're already well on the path of saving energy. ... Read more

Product Description
Off the Grid confronts the ecological and cultural problems associated with the way we get and use energy, and explains how it is possible to live in a beautifully designed home using much less--no matter where your home is located. < BR> ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good Photography and Concepts
Lori can put together a good photography book of some great solutions to "sustainable" design. I enjoy studying the imagery, and the details I want to learn. The book doesn't get high marks for the detail explaining the ideas she shows, but it's a decent publication recording some good ideas.

Had I seen one of Lorie Rykers' books, I would not have bothered to buy either.
This book, "Off the Grid", and Lori Ryker's other book, "Off the Grid Homes", are just mildly interesting.I regret having ordered them both at the same time.Had I seen one, I would not have bothered with a second.In fact, had I seen one before before purchasing, I would not have purchased either.Kemp's book, "The Renewable Energy Handbook: A Guide to Rural Energy Independence, Off-grid And Sustainable Living", is what most people will find interesting and useful.

Stunning and inspirational
This is a tremendous book that provides great food-for-thought for those interested in both quality design and off- or nearly-off grid living.Even if some of the houses might be out of range as noted by one commenter, there are still boat-loads of ideas around every corner.

Great photos, too!

Inspiration for the earth-conscious homebuilder
My husband and I are looking into building an off-the-grid cabin, and Lori Ryker's book was really helpful for putting all the options in perspective.It is not a technical, in-depth how-to book; it is more of an overview of the different possibilities.The author, a working architect and a professor of architecture at Montana State University, looks at ten different homes that range from grid tied to completely independent for their energy needs.After reading Ryker's book we decided we could build a house that is entirely off the grid; in particular, I was inspired by the four entirely off the grid homes featured in the book, one of which was designed by the author.The homes were built for different environments and living situations--from a full-time 2620 square foot residence in a remote part of Australia, to a 620 square foot vacation cabin on an island in Minnesota, to a 2620 square foot vacation home that is open to the elements of the Texas Hill Country.Some of the energy solutions surveyed are relatively simple and inexpensive (collecting water in cisterns) and others are more high tech and expensive (solar electric panels).This book is a great starting place for someone who wants to see what the possibilities are.

Interesting, but not practical.
Although I liked this book, it is not necessarily helpful.Most of the featured homes are much too expensive for your average middle income homeowners.I was looking for housing solutions for the Southeastern US and like almost every other publication out there, this book completely ignores our region.I suspect it is because our hot, muggy conditions are not as conducive to off the grid living as the other areas featured. ... Read more

Product Description

Design High-Performance Alternative Energy Systems for Buildings

A comprehensive reference for architects and engineers, this GreenSource book provides practical design and installation guidelines for some of the most commercially viable alternative energy technologies. Construction materials, system deployment, typical installations, and environmental impact are covered.

Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design includes information on LEED design, energy conservation, and solar power financing and return on investment. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) and national and international carbon cap and trade are also discussed. Valuable appendices contain detailed design data tables and certified equipment listings.

Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design covers:

• Solar power system physics and technologies
• California solar initiative program
• Energy conservation
• Passive heating solar technologies
• Fuel cell technology
• Wind energy technologies
• Ocean energy technologies
• Hydroelectric and micro-hydro turbine power
• Geothermal energy
• Biofuel, biogas, and thermal depolymerization technologies
• Fission- and fusion-type nuclear power
• Air pollution abatement

Product Description
Learn about the alternative energy sources that are seriously being looked into by lots of countries including most US cities. The main aim of the concerned group and individuals is to lessen the greenhouse gases and pollutants.

The renewable energy sources have proven to be of great help in reducing the quantity of toxins, which are by-products of the use of energy. These sources also preserve most of the natural resources that people use as resources of energy. What are the most popular sources of renewable energy? Learn more.

* Alternative energy sources: A Brief Glimpse

* Helping businesses succeed and gain positive reputation

* Running unconventionally: alternative energy sources for cars

* The best aid in times of crisis

* A bright future for solar energy

* How to spread the word out about alternative energy sources without spending to much

Plus much more!
... Read more

Product Description

Drawing on the authors’ extensive research and project implementation around the globe, Solar Energy: Renewable Energy and the Environment covers solar energy resources, thermal and photovoltaic systems, and the economics involved in using solar energy. It provides background theory on solar energy as well as useful technical information for implementing solar energy applications.

The book details the strengths, weaknesses, and applications of solar power generation technologies. It discusses the design and implementation of often-overlooked solar technologies, such as solar water pumping, distillation, detoxification, refrigeration, and village power. The text also examines photovoltaic power and how it is best suited for remote-site applications with small to moderate power requirements. Examples, real-world case studies, and lessons learned from technical failures illustrate how to best implement solar energy projects.

The time for clean energy solutions is here. Only through energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies can modern civilization extricate itself from the gathering "perfect energy storm." Focusing on one of the keys to lessen the potentially harmful impacts of the storm, this book discusses how to increase energy production from a clean energy source—the sun.

Customer Reviews (1)

All you need to know about solar energy
Robert Foster is passionate about solar energy, and you can feel it in this book, it is really an excellent source of updated information and basics about any single application for the radiation coming from the sun, a must have for any solar or even renewable energy professional. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Makes the case for nuclear power
Although written in 1990, the information in this book is still useful and accurate.As the debate over whether to build more nuclear power plants rages, Dr. Cohen provide clear reasoning as to why we need to revive this clean, safe, and powerful source of base load electric power.He also provides convincing evidence of why the Yucca Mountain site is a safe repository for spent nuclear fuel.

Best book on nuclear power, period.
This got to be one of the best books written about nuclear power ever! I have been in the industry for couple years and I must say that Dr. Cohen has done a superb job in presenting the technical info for ordinary people to grasp. Every issues raised by the environmentalists were fairly analyzed and the facts clearly showed that nuclear power is best option to meet the energy demand of the future. I highly doubt that there is a book out there that can do better job than this one in term of providing an unbiased & fair perspective on the positives and negatives of nuclear power & others energy sources.If you want to learn about nuclear power, get this book, you will not be disappointed even though it was written in the '90 much of the content s are extremely still relevant today.

The Nuclear Energy Option
The "The Nuclear Energy Option" is one of the best books I have read on a technical subject. Cohen is a master at analyzing complex subjects and expressing them in a way that most people can understand.

The book addresses the biases that have led the US to an energy policy that favors high-cost and environmentally dangerous methods to generate power (coal, and yes, alternative energy such as solar cells) and that discourages low-cost, environmentally safe methods such as nuclear.

If you still think that nuclear power is dangerous, then do yourself a favor and read the book. The fear that the public has about nuclear power generation and waste disposal is not supported by the facts. Our TV and print media have done a disservice in the poor and biased reporting that have strongly influenced our public policy as well as our perceptions.

Cohen gives us a common "measuring stick" to compare alternative methods of power generation in terms of cost and safety to the public and the environment.
... Read more

Product Description
A unique electrical engineering approach to alternative sources of energy

Unlike other books that deal with alternative sources of energy from a mechanical point of view, Integration of Alternative Sources of Energy takes an electrical engineering perspective. Moreover, the authors examine the full spectrum of alternative and renewable energy with the goal of developing viable methods of integrating energy sources and storage efficiently. Readers become thoroughly conversant with the principles, possibilities, and limits of alternative and renewable energy.

The book begins with a general introduction and then reviews principles of thermodynamics. Next, the authors explore both common and up-and-coming alternative energy sources, including hydro, wind, solar, photovoltaic, thermosolar, fuel cells, and biomass. Following that are discussions of microturbines and induction generators, as well as a special chapter dedicated to energy storage systems. After setting forth the fundamentals, the authors focus on how to integrate the various energy sources for electrical power production. Discussions related to system operation, maintenance, and management, as well as standards for interconnection, are also set forth.

Throughout the book, diagrams are provided to demonstrate the electrical operation of all the systems that are presented. In addition, extensive use of examples helps readers better grasp how integration of alternative energy sources can be accomplished.

The final chapter gives readers the opportunity to learn about the HOMER Micropower Optimization Model. This computer model, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), assists in the design of micropower systems and facilitates comparisons of power generation techniques. Readers can download the software from the NREL Web site.

This book is a must-read for engineers, consultants, regulators, and environmentalists involved in energy production and delivery, helping them evaluate alternative energy sources and integrate them into an efficient energy delivery system. It is also a superior textbook for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fills a need, but one could hope for better
This is an almost entirely non-mathematical introduction to the topic described in its title.It is easy to read and provides an easy stepping-stone to more complete treatments of the individual topics.I liked the inclusion of a chapter on HOMER which is a free, easy to use and quite useful small system simulation program from NREL.

It seems to suffer by the authors' being in an academic institution in a country that does not supply the technology described forcing them to rely on published information for much of the contents. ... Read more

Product Description
Environmentally acceptable alternative fuels are in demand. This book dicusses the energy resources that are directly tied to the alleviation of petroleum dependence, and the science and technology in the area of alternative fuels. Various process treatments leading to cleaner and better use of existing fuel resources are discussed.This comprehensive reference book is consistent and is helpful for students and researchers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

it's new energy time--or are really controlled by OPEC?
With all the talk, since 1973, of an "energy crisis", the World
is drowning in energy sources and resources.
This book is highly recommended by 'moi' or me, because in
the 1920' and the 1930's, ersatz or synthetic oil, gasoline,
and lubricants, were being developed in Germany.
This means that there have been alternative fuels in use
before World War Two, and this technology has been economically
viable for more than 60 years.

Is U.S. Energy Independence really possible?This book states
that it's more than possible, more than probable, if not a
"slam-dunk" if we utilize our Free Enterprise system, in this
quest for Alternative Fuels.
Professor Lee's book on Alternative Fuels is super-excellent,
and you get your "money's-worth" in the process.
Also, we MUST develop Cars, not just a few thousand hybrid
vehicles per year.I would also read books by the late R.
Buckmaster Fuller. This is where Dr. Lee's fine text is going.
Alternative Fuels--YES----Alternative Transportation--also-YES.

I back Dr. Lee's book--ALTERNATIVE FUELS.Read It.You just
might learn a great deal.It offers many approaches that are
a "MUST READ".From this, energy policies will be a "MUST DO".
The technical reading are down to Earth.There are many examples of the future ofWorld energy resources.
So--BUY THE BOOK!!
Dr. Nick Stage-PHD.,from Indiana
... 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