Energy in the 21st Century


Book Description

Energy may be the most important factor that will influence the shape of society in the 21st century. The cost and availability of energy significantly impacts our quality of life and the health of national economies. This book examines the energy sources that play a vital role in society.




Wind Energy in the 21st Century


Book Description

Wind energy is the great success story of modern renewable energy. Since the industry's rebirth following the energy crisis of the 1970s, thousands of wind energy projects have been installed around the world. The technology today is competitive with traditional fossil-fuelled electricity generation. Wind Energy in the 21st Century explores the current economic, financial, technical, environmental, competitive, and policy considerations facing the wind energy industry. With discussions of the latest electricity industry trends including deregulation, green markets, and tradable renewable credits, this book is a must-read for energy policymakers, researchers, and energy industry professionals.




Energy for the 21st Century


Book Description

Countries around the world are increasingly looking to liquefied natural gas (LNG) - natural gas that has been cooled until it forms a transportable liquid - to meet growing energy demand. Energy for the 21st Century provides critical insights into the opportunities and challenges LNG faces, including its potential role in a carbon-constrained world.




Beyond Smoke and Mirrors


Book Description

Global climate change is one of the most important issues humanity faces today. This updated, second edition assesses the sensible, senseless and biased proposals for averting the potentially disastrous consequences of global warming, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions on switching to more sustainable energy provision. Burton Richter is a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who has served on many US and international review committees on climate change and energy issues. He provides a concise overview of our knowledge and uncertainties within climate change science, discusses current energy demand and supply patterns, and the energy options available to cut emissions of greenhouse gases. Written in non-technical language, this book presents a balanced view of options for moving from our heavy reliance on fossil fuels into a much more sustainable energy system, and is accessible to a wide range of readers without scientific backgrounds - students, policymakers and the concerned citizen.




Natural Gas


Book Description

Natural gas is the world’s cleanest fossil fuel; it generates less air pollution and releases less CO2 per unit of useful energy than liquid fuels or coals. With its vast supplies of conventional resources and nonconventional stores, the extension of long-distance gas pipelines and the recent expansion of liquefied natural gas trade, a truly global market has been created for this clean fuel. Natural Gas: Fuel for the 21st Century discusses the place and prospects of natural gas in modern high-energy societies. Vaclav Smil presents a systematic survey of the qualities, origins, extraction, processing and transportation of natural gas, followed by a detailed appraisal of its many preferred, traditional and potential uses, and the recent emergence of the fuel as a globally traded commodity. The unfolding diversification of sources, particularly hydraulic fracturing, and the role of natural gas in national and global energy transitions are described. The book concludes with a discussion on the advantages, risks, benefits and costs of natural gas as a leading, if not dominant, fuel of the 21st century. This interdisciplinary text will be of interest to a wide readership concerned with global energy affairs including professionals and academics in energy and environmental science, policy makers, consultants and advisors with an interest in the rapidly-changing global energy industry.




Energy In The 21st Century (4th Edition)


Book Description

Energy in the 21st Century is a valuable source of information for students, decision makers, opinion leaders, and the general public. Oil and natural gas price volatility continue to affect both the supply and demand for energy. Advances in other technologies, such as nuclear, wind, solar, and tidal technology, are altering the comparative economics of competing energy sources. New government policies are changing the landscape of the global energy marketplace. From our reliance on fossil fuels to the quest for new sources of energy, Energy in the 21st Century provides a fact-based analysis of the most prominent energy issues of our time. The fourth edition updates data and includes more discussion of recent advances. Some of the highlights of the fourth edition are expanded discussion of climate change and anthropogenic climate change; the 2015 COP21 Paris Agreement on Climate Change; nuclear fusion reactor prototypes (tokomak ITER and stellarator W7-X); advances in solar thermal and solar photovoltaic power plants, space based solar power, transparent photovoltaic cells, and hybrid solar wind technology; tidal and wave energy converters; oil from algae; the EU Supergrid; the Goldilocks Policy for energy transition and the Grand Energy Bargain. Energy in the 21st Century has been used as the text for the general college student population, as well as energy overview for MBA students. Pedagogical material includes learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, end of chapter activities, a comprehensive index, a glossary, and an Appendix to help with converting units. Points to Ponder are provided throughout the text and are designed to encourage the reader to consider material from different perspectives. Video introduction: Energy in the 21st Century (4th edition) Press Release Energy in the 21st Century




Energy Policy Modeling in the 21st Century


Book Description

The roles and applications of various modeling approaches, aimed at improving the usefulness of energy policy models in public decision making, are covered by this book. The development, validation, and applications of system dynamics and agent-based models in service of energy policy design and assessment in the 21st century is a key focus. A number of modeling approaches and models for energy policy, with a particular focus on low-carbon economic development of regions and states are covered. Chapters on system dynamics methodology, model-based theory, fuzzy system dynamics frame-work, and optimization modeling approach are presented, along with several chapters on future research opportunities for the energy policy modeling community. The use of model-based analysis and scenarios in energy policy design and assessment has seen phenomenal growth during the past several decades. In recent years, renewed concerns about climate change and energy security have posed unique modeling challenges. By utilizing the validation techniques and procedures which are effectively demonstrated in these contributions, researchers and practitioners in energy systems domain can increase the appeal and acceptance of their policy models.




Seeing the Light: The Case for Nuclear Power in the 21st Century


Book Description

The first accessible book to discuss all aspects of nuclear power to help combat climate change and lethal air pollution.




The Global Energy Transition


Book Description

Global energy is on the cusp of change, and it has become almost a truism that energy is in transition. But what does this notion mean exactly? This book explores the working hypothesis that, characteristically, the energy system requires a strategy of the international community of states to deliver sustainable energy to which all have access. This strategy is for establishing rules-based governance of the global energy value-cycle. The book has four substantive parts that bring together contributions of leading experts from academia and practice on the law, policy, and economics of energy. Part I, 'The prospects of energy transition', critically discusses the leading forecasts for energy and the strategies that resource-rich countries may adopt. Part II, 'Rules-based multilateral governance of the energy sector', details the development and sources of rules on energy. Part III, 'Competition and regulation in transboundary energy markets', discusses principal instruments of rules-based governance of energy. Part IV, 'Attracting investments and the challenges of multi-level governance', focuses on the critical governance of the right investments. This book is a flagship publication of the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee. It launches the Hart series 'Global Energy Law and Policy' and is edited by the series general editors Professors Peter D Cameron and Volker Roeben, and also Dr Xiaoyi Mu.




Geothermal Energy


Book Description

More than 20 countries generate electricity from geothermal resources and about 60 countries make direct use of geothermal energy. A ten-fold increase in geothermal energy use is foreseeable at the current technology level. Geothermal Energy: An Alternative Resource for the 21st Century provides a readable and coherent account of all facets of geothermal energy development and summarizes the present day knowledge on geothermal resources, their exploration and exploitation. Accounts of geothermal resource models, various exploration techniques, drilling and production technology are discussed within 9 chapters, as well as important concepts and current technological developments. Interdisciplinary approach, combining traditional disciplines such as geology, geophysics, and engineering Provides a readable and coherent account of all facets of geothermal energy development Describes the importance of bringing potable water to high-demand areas such as the tropical regions