Clean Technology and the Environment


Book Description

Many environmental problems resulting from atmospheric, land and water pollution are now widely understood. The combination of both improved technology and legislative pressure has led to a reduction in pollution from industrial practices in the West in recent years. However, sustainable development is dependent upon a new approach to environmental protection - clean technology. This book is in two parts. The first explores the ecological principles governing the function of ecosystems, sustain ability and biodiversity (Chapter 1) and the problems resulting from atmospheric pollution (Chapter 2), water pollution (Chapter 3) and land pollution (Chapter 4). For example, there is increasing international concern that the combustion of fossil fuels is leading to an increase in the levels of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen gases which pollute the atmosphere of our planet. The enhanced levels of carbon gases such as carbon dioxide may cause change in our global climate and, in tum, lead to flooding and loss of low-lying coastal regions. In addition, the deposition of sulphur and nitrogen oxides is believed to be the cause of 'acid rain' which has led to loss of fish stocks from upland lochs and damage to forestry plantations.




100% Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage for Everything


Book Description

Textbook on the science and methods behind a global transition to 100% clean, renewable energy for science, engineering, and social science students.




Clean Coal Engineering Technology


Book Description

Concern over the effects of airborne pollution, green house gases, and the impact of global warming has become a worldwide issue that transcends international boundaries, politics, and social responsibility. The 2nd Edition of Coal Energy Systems: Clean Coal Technology describes a new generation of energy processes that sharply reduce air emissions and other pollutants from coal-burning power plants. Coal is the dirtiest of all fossil fuels. When burned, it produces emissions that contribute to global warming, create acid rain, and pollute water. With all of the interest and research surrounding nuclear energy, hydropower, and biofuels, many think that coal is finally on its way out. However, coal generates half of the electricity in the United States and throughout the world today. It will likely continue to do so as long as it's cheap and plentiful [Source: Energy Information Administration]. Coal provides stability in price and availability, will continue to be a major source of electricity generation, will be the major source of hydrogen for the coming hydrogen economy, and has the potential to become an important source of liquid fuels. Conservation and renewable/sustainable energy are important in the overall energy picture, but will play a lesser role in helping us satisfy our energy demands today. Dramatically updated to meet the needs of an ever changing energy market, Coal Energy Systems, 2nd Edition is a single source covering policy and the engineering involved in implementing that policy. The book addresses many coal-related subjects of interest ranging from the chemistry of coal and the future engineering anatomy of a coal fired plant to the cutting edge clean coal technologies being researched and utilized today. A 50% update over the first edition, this new book contains new chapters on processes such as CO2 capture and sequestration, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) systems, Pulverized-Coal Power Plants and Carbon Emission Trading. Existing materials on worldwide coal distribution and quantities, technical and policy issues regarding the use of coal, technologies used and under development for utilizing coal to produce heat, electricity, and chemicals with low environmental impact, vision for utilizing coal well into the 21st century, and the security coal presents. - Clean Liquids and Gaseous Fuels from Coal for Electric Power - Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) systems - Pulverized-Coal Power Plants - Advanced Coal-Based Power Plants - Fluidized-Bed Combustion Technology - CO2 capture and sequestration







Green and Clean Technology: Innovations and Applications


Book Description

Green technology is the application of the environmental science and technology for the development and application of products, equipment and systems to conserve the natural resources and environmental management, as well as to minimize or mitigate the harmful effects on the environment by the mankind. Whereas ‘green technology’ is a fascinating term, it expresses the meaning effectively as ‘clean technology’ or in the classical approach ‘environmental technology’. The field of green technology emphasizes constantly evolving areas of environment friendly methods, protocols, principles, techniques, materials, equipment, software & hardware, intelligence & learning, rules & regulations, from technologies for developing non-conventional energy sources such as biofuels to ecofriendly solar power management as greener tools that help in auditing greenhouse gas emissions. Green and clean technology must be sustainable, that is, balancing the fulfilment of human needs without greed, with the protection and conservation of the natural environment and all the resources so that these needs can be met for the present and the future.




The Globalization of Clean Energy Technology


Book Description

An examination of barriers that impede and incentives that motivate the global development and deployment of cleaner energy technologies, with case studies from China. The development and deployment of cleaner energy technologies have become globalized phenomena. Yet despite the fact that energy-related goods account for more than ten percent of international trade, policy makers, academics, and the business community perceive barriers to the global diffusion of these emerging technologies. Experts point to problems including intellectual property concerns, trade barriers, and developing countries' limited access to technology and funding. In this book, Kelly Gallagher uses analysis and case studies from China's solar photovoltaic, gas turbine, advanced battery, and coal gasification industries to examine both barriers and incentives in clean energy technology transfer. Gallagher finds that the barriers are not as daunting as many assume; these technologies already cross borders through foreign direct investment, licensing, joint R&D, and other channels. She shows that intellectual property infringement is not as widespread as business leaders fear and can be managed, and that firms in developing countries show considerable resourcefulness in acquiring technology legally. She finds that financing does present an obstacle, especially when new cleaner technologies compete with entrenched, polluting, and often government-subsidized traditional technologies. But the biggest single barrier, she finds, is the failure of government to provide sensible policy incentives. The case studies show how government, through market-formation policy, can unleash global market forces. Gallagher's findings have theoretical significance as well; she proposes a new model of global technology diffusion that casts doubt on aspects of technology transfer theory.







The Ethics of Nanotechnology, Geoengineering, and Clean Energy


Book Description

Nanotechnology, clean technology, and geoengineering span the scale of human ingenuity, from the imperceptibly small to the unimaginably large. Yet they are united by a commonality of ethics that permeates how and why they are developed, and how the resulting consequences are managed. The articles in this volume provide a comprehensive account of current thinking around the ethics of development and use within each of the technological domains, and addresses challenges and opportunities that cut across all three. In particular, the collection provides unique insights into the ethics of ’noumenal’ technologies - technologies that are impossible to see or detect or conceive of with human senses or conventional tools. This collection will be of relevance to anyone who is actively involved with ensuring the responsible and sustainable development of nanotechnology, geoengineering or clean technology.




Accelerating Clean Energy Technology Research, Development, and Deployment


Book Description

Climate change is one of the key challenges of this century. At the same time, energy use the primary source of climate-altering global greenhouse gas emissions is increasing at unprecedented rates and is vital to the continued economic growth of developing countries. This poses a serious dilemma that can only be reconciled with new and improved clean energy technologies that balance climate change mitigation and increased energy needs in developing countries. Despite a recent increase in investment, public and private research, development, and deployment (RD&D) funding rates are well below historical levels. In addition, significant barriers impede the ability to develop new technologies, such as the uncertain future value of CO2 emissions, intellectual property rights issues, limited incentives to commercialize technologies for developing countries, and challenges with technology transfer. These factors must be overcome to accelerate innovation in the energy sector. To introduce new thinking to address these concerns, this report examines four cases from outside the energy sector where creative approaches to RD&D have successfully overcome similar barriers. The case studies review approaches to innovation by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, Advanced Market Commitments for Vaccines, the Human Genome Project, and the concept of Distributed Innovation. These case studies show how creative efforts can generate valuable public goods via: (i) international partnerships between public and private actors, (ii) information sharing and intellectual property rights, and (iii) novel financing schemes.




Green Technology


Book Description

Green Technology: An A-to-Z Guide explores the essential role of technology and its most recent developments toward a sustainable environment. Twofold in its definition, green technology includes the changing of existing technology toward energy conservation as well as the creation of new, clean technology aimed at utilizing renewable resources. With a primary focus on waste management, the volume presents more than 150 articles in A-to-Z format featuring such disciplines as nanoscience, biochemistry, information technology, and environmental engineering. Scholars and experts in their fields present a full range of topics from applications of green technology to The Green Grid global consortium to membrane technology and water purification systems to waste-to-energy technology. This work culminates in an outstanding reference available in both print and electronic formats for academic, university, and public libraries. Vivid photographs, searchable hyperlinks, an extensive resource guide, numerous cross references, and a clear, accessible writing style make the Green Society volumes ideal for classroom use as well as for research.