Energy technology and engineering Books

Book SynopsisThis book organises and presents a comprehensive review of the multiple benefits of clean energy, together with an analytical framework that states can use to assess those benefits during the development and implementation of clean energy policies and programs. State clean energy initiatives can produce significant savings in fuel and electricity costs, the environment and public health and the economy.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a comprehensive review of energy research studies from authors across the globe, including recent research in renewable energy, emerging energy technologies and sustainable development; the production of biofuels in the Italian energy system; hydrogen production in the dark fermentation process; price effects of biofuel tax credits and blending mandates; wind power as an economically viable and environmentally sustainable source of renewable energy; and using aquatic plants as biofuel sources.

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Book SynopsisThe exploration for and production of oil and gas to meet our nation''s energy needs also results in the production of large quantities of water as a by-product. This water, which is produced from wells during exploration and production, is known as "produced water." Because produced water may contain a variety of contaminants, such as salts and minerals, it is often considered to be a waste stream that oil and gas producers must appropriately manage and treat before this water can be disposed of. If it is not appropriately managed or treated, the contaminants present in produced water discharged from oil and gas operations may threaten human health and the environment. This book explores the inextricable link between energy production and water with a focus on what is known about the volume and quality of produced water from oil and gas production; what practices are generally used to manage and treat produced water; and how the management of produced water is regulated at the federal level and in selected states.

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Book SynopsisRenewable energy is available to consumers in three forms: (1) utility green pricing programs offered in regulated states, (2) competitive retail electricity products in deregulated or competitive markets, and (3) renewable energy certificates (RECs) purchased in over-the-counter transactions or through independent REC marketers. The objective of this book is to explore trends in consumer interest and awareness of renewable energy options through analysis of historical and regional survey data. This book documents green power marketing activities and trends in the United States and discusses the social acceptance of utility-scale renewable energy projects.

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Book SynopsisHeating and cooling losses from forced-air ducts can result in high energy costs, lead to thermal comfort problems, and -- in some extreme situations -- result in serious health and safety concerns. Reducing air leakage and conductive losses from ducts can be a straight-forward way to reduce energy use and improve comfort in homes. This book discusses the basics of air distribution and duct design; strategies to seal and insulate ducts in existing homes; accurate heating and cooling load calculations and HVAC equipment sizing.

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Book SynopsisThe potential economic benefits of the growing renewable energy sector have led to increased federal, state, and local investments in solar industries, including federal grants for expanded workforce training for U.S. solar installers. However, there remain gaps in the data required to understand the size and composition of the workforce needed to meet the demand for solar power. This book seeks to address that gap, improving the understanding of both the evolving needs of employers and the economic opportunity associated with solar market development. It also focuses on solar market trends through 31 December 2010. It provides an overview of the U.S. solar electricity market, including photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies, identifies successes and trends within the market from both global and U.S. perspectives, and offers a general overview of the state of the solar energy market.

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Book SynopsisLight-emitting diodes (LEDs), a type of solid-state lighting (SSL), offers the electric lighting market a new and revolutionary light source that saves energy and improves light quality, performance, and service. Today, white-light LEDs are competing or are poised to compete successfully with conventional lighting sources across a variety of general illumination applications due to their ability to offer high quality and cost-effective performance. This book forecasts the energy savings potential of light emitting diode (LED), white-light sources compared to conventional white-light sources (ie: incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, and high intensity discharge).

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Book SynopsisOver the past 30 years, wind energy has evolved from a small industry active in a few countries to a large international industry involving major players in the manufacturing, development, and utility sectors. Coinciding with the industry growth, significant innovation in the technology has resulted in larger sized turbines with lower associated costs of energy and more complex designs in all subsystems, from the rotor to the drivetrain to the electronics and control systems. However, as deployment of the technology grows and its role within the electricity sector has become more prominent, so have the expectations of the technology in terms of performance, reliability, and cost. This book surveys the landscape of systems engineering methods and catalogues the various existing modelling tools that relate to the design of wind energy systems from components to entire plants.

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Book SynopsisAs many of the authors in this book note, the energy available in the hydrogen currently produced around the world is relatively small when compared to the global primary energy use. Such comparisons however yield a poor estimate of hydrogen''s importance as we undergo the necessary transition towards low carbon intensity energy generation systems. There are many possible scenarios for future global supply of energy. Production of hydrogen is of vital importance if we wish to secure reliable supplies of low carbon energy. This book is about the methods which can be used to produce the hydrogen that is needed. The methods presented range from those which seek to further develop existing technologies through refinement of the catalysts used, to new methods relying on direct use of sunlight or micro-organisms. The material presented ranges from topic reviews to experimental studies, many of which are at the forefront of their respective areas.

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the prospects and processes of offshore oil and gas resources in the U.S., Cuba and Israel. Access to potential oil and gas resources under the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf continues to be controversial. The oil spill that occurred on April 20th, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico brought increased attention to off-shore drilling risks. Cuba is moving toward development of its offshore oil resources. While the country has proven oil reserves of just 0.1 billion barrels, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that offshore reserves in the North Cuba Basin could contain an additional 4.6 billion barrels of undiscovered technically recoverable crude oil. Israel has been dependent on energy imports since it became a nation in 1948, but recent offshore natural gas discoveries could change that and possibly make Israel an exporter of natural gas.

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Book SynopsisEnergy storage technology has great potential to improve electric power grids, to enable growth in renewable electricity generation, and to provide alternatives to oil-derived fuels in the nation''s transportation sector. In the electric power system, the promise of this technology lies in its potential to increase grid efficiency and reliability, optimizing power flows and supporting variable power supplies from wind and solar generation. In transportation, vehicles powered by batteries or other electric technologies have the potential to displace vehicles burning gasoline and diesel fuel, reducing associated emissions and demand for oil. This book summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding energy storage technologies for both electric power grid and electric vehicle applications. It also addresses the significant policy, market, and other non-technical factors that may impede storage adoption, and considers eight major categories of storage technology; pumped hydro, compressed air, batteries, capacitors, superconducting magnetic energy storage, flywheels, thermal storage, and hydrogen.

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Book SynopsisIn communities across the United States, people are seeking alternatives to conventional energy sources. Whether they aim to increase energy independence, hedge against rising fuel costs, cut carbon emissions, or provide jobs, people are looking to community-scale renewable energy projects for solutions. Falling costs and creative new financing models have made solar projects, including community shared solar projects, more financially feasible. "Community shared solar" is defined as a solar-electric system that provides power and/or financial benefit to multiple community members. This book provides current detail on projects designed to increase access to solar energy and to reduce up-front costs for participants.

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Book SynopsisThe Biomass Scenario Model (BSM) is a system dynamics model developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a tool to better understand the interaction of complex policies and their potential effects on the biofuel industry in the United States. This book provides a holistic understanding of the dynamics surrounding the allocation of biomass among uses that include traditional use, wood pellet exports, bio-based products and bioproducts, biopower and biofuels. Also discussed is a methodology for modeling tradeoffs between alternative uses of scarce biomass energy resources using a linear program (LP) designed to estimate concurrent biomass allocations to the transportation and electricity market sectors. The LP model is called the Biomass Allocation Model. Also discussed are the biomass allocation results of this methodology and the ethanol production and carbon mitigating potential of biomass allocations along with relevant sensitivities to significant model parameters.

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Book SynopsisElectric power engineering occupies the most dominant role in provision of the population with energy. The advantages of electric power and energy systems are universal and easily being converted into various other types of energy, easiness and cheapness of its transportation, accessibility for massive amounts of end users and practically capable to actuate directly all existing technical means. The book chapters and materials are very efficient in theoretical and application issues and are highly recommended for studying and considering in educational and research fields.

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Book SynopsisMore than 100 years ago, all-electric vehicles (EVs) held much of the U.S. car market, but their popularity waned as the interest in cars with internal combustion engines (ICEs) rose. The ICE vehicle had a longer driving range, petroleum fuel costs were declining, and the electric starter and manufacturing assembly line improved the affordability and usability of ICE vehicles. Gasoline and diesel-powered ICE vehicles dominated transportation in the 20th century. However, concerns about the environmental impacts of ICE vehicles sparked a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) renaissance at the end of the 20th century. Today, PEVs are back and ready to compete with and complement the ubiquitous ICE technology. This book is a primer for consumers, electrical contractors, fleet managers, and public charging station hosts on plug-in vehicles.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a comprehensive review of energy research studies from authors across the globe, including recent research in direct expansion ground source heat pumps for better heating and cooling in new buildings; potential renewable energy technologies, efficient energy systems, and energy savings techniques to reduce climate changes; sustainable energy development and the environment; non-linear finite element analysis of tubular expansion in oil wells; and super long conductive channels for energy delivery.

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Book SynopsisCarbon capture and sequestration (or storage), known as CCS, has attracted congressional interest as a measure for mitigating global climate change because large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from fossil fuel use in the United States are potentially available to be captured and stored underground and prevented from reaching the atmosphere. Large, industrial sources of CO2, such as electricity-generating plants, are likely candidates for CCS because they are predominantly stationary, single-point sources. Electricity generation contributes over 40% of U.S. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. Currently, U.S. power plants do not capture large volumes of CO2 for CCS. This book provides an overview of what CCS is, how it is supposed to work, why it has gained the interest and support of some members of Congress, and what some of the challenges are to its implementation and deployment across the United States.

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Book SynopsisFederal policymakers have long been concerned about the impact of manmade carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on global climate change. To address these concerns, Congress has been debating a range of potential initiatives for reducing atmostpheric CO2 from U.S. sources. Legislative proposals would seek to limit U.S. CO2 emissions to specific (historical) levels through emissions caps, carbon taxes, or other regulatory mechanisms. Many of these proposals dictate or anticipate a declining long-term trajectory for annual U.S. carbon emissions. The most prominent CO2 proposals seek reductions of nationwide CO2 emissions to 1990 levels or lower by 2030. This book examines key uncertainties associated with CO2 emissions abatement measures, with a focus on available and emerging technologies, and new source review permits.

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Book SynopsisIt is certain that energy production and, particularly, the generation and sustained growth of electricity constitute indispensable elements for the economic and social progress of any country. Energy, undoubtedly, constitutes the motive force of civilisation and it determines, to a high degree, the level of the future economic and social development of that country. This book examines energy power in Latin America and the Caribbean and the future role of renewable and nuclear energy sources in the region''s electricity generation.

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Book SynopsisLarge-scale power plants and energy producers discard massive heat energy that goes unused. Energy efficiency techniques such as insulation or properly maintained heating systems are less likely when it requires high investments. While "conservation" generally refers to the reduction of total energy usage, "efficiency" means increasing the yield per unit of energy. In many cases, the energy needed to heat water or refrigerate products can also be reduced through conservation and application of more efficient technologies. Heat pump water heaters use electricity to "move" heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly. Therefore, they can be two to three times more energy-efficient than conventional electric resistance water heaters. This book examines the full application of energy-efficient water-heating systems, focused on heat pump devices. The main objective is to present a brief introduction of the working principles of this equipment, and concentrate on descriptions and applications where both "purposes" of the system are used, the heating and the cooling components, maximising its effectiveness.

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Book SynopsisSince the 1960s, the U.S. electric power system has experienced a major blackout about once every 10 years. Each has been a vivid reminder of the importance society places on the continuous availability of electricity and has led to calls for changes to enhance reliability. At the root of these calls are judgements about what reliability is worth and how much should be paid to ensure it. In principle, comprehensive information on the actual reliability of the electric power system and on how proposed changes would affect reliability ought to help inform these judgements. Yet, comprehensive, national-scale information on the reliability of the U.S. electric power system is lacking. This book helps to address this gap by assessing trends in U.S. electricity reliability based on information reported by electric utilities on power interruptions experienced by their customers.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an overview of middle income households across the United States, which are under significant financial strain, and rising energy bills are a contributor to this stress. Energy efficiency improvements have the potential to provide significant benefits to these households, by lowering bills, increasing the structural integrity of homes, improving health and comfort, and reducing exposure to volatile, and rising, energy prices. Middle income households are also responsible for a third of U.S. residential energy use. Increasing the energy efficiency of their homes would deliver substantial public benefits: reducing power system costs, easing congestion on the grid, and avoiding emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. To achieve those goals, utilities and governments are beginning to look beyond typical residential energy efficiency programs and are turning to programs that improve the energy efficiency of the entire house by sealing the leaks, reducing plug loads, adding insulation, and replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors present current research in the study of bioenergy systems and their biological sources and environmental impact. Topics discussed include the assessment of sustainability of bioenergy systems; soil loss as a forgotten aspect of biofuel production; effective biocatalysts for lignocellulosic biofuel by a proteomics study of fungal secretome; enhancing the interface between agricultural production, and tree biomass/bioenergy systems to improve farm-scale productivity in Western Australia; hydrogen and ethanol comparison as fuels for internal combustion engines; and hydrogen production by mixed cultures.

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Book SynopsisNew applications of horizontal drilling techniques and hydraulic fracturing, in which water, sand, and chemical additives are injected under high pressure to create and maintain fractures in underground formations, allow oil and natural gas from shale formations to be developed. As exploration and development of shale oil and gas have increased, including in areas of the country without a history of oil and natural gas development, questions have been raised about the estimates of the size of these resources, as well as the processes used to extract them. This book examines the environmental and public health requirements, risks, and size of shale resources of unconventional oil and gas development.

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. electric power system has historically operated at such a high level of reliability that any major outage, either caused by sabotage, weather, or operational errors, makes new headlines. The transmission system is extensive, consisting mainly of transformers, switches, transmission towers and lines, control centers, and computer controls. A spectrum of threats exists to the electric system ranging from weather-related to terrorist attacks. The main risk from weather-related damage or terrorist attack against the electric power industry is a widespread power outage that lasts for an extended period of time. This book explores the infrastructure reliability and vulnerabilities in the electric system; who should be responsible for implementing appropriate actions; who should pay; and should reliability guidelines or standards be implemented by the federal government or industry groups.

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Book SynopsisDue to the growth in natural gas production from shale gas, the United States is benefiting from some of the lowest prices for natural gas in the world and faces the question of how to best use this resource. Different segments of the U.S. economy have different perspectives on the role natural gas can play. Suppliers, which have become the victims of their own production success, are facing low prices that are forecast to remain low. Some companies that have traditionally produced only natural gas have even turned their attention to oil in order to improve their financial situation. Smaller companies are having a difficult time continuing operations and larger companies, have bought into many shale gas assets. Prices have remained low even as consumption has increased, in part, because producers have raised production to meet the demand and because companies have improved efficiency and extraction techniques. This book examines what has changed in the natural gas industry and focuses on the demand side and ancillary benefits to the U.S. economy.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a broad perspective of sediment transport in rivers, reservoirs, estuaries, and coastal areas. It deals with the related fundamentals of sediment transport, computational modelling of cohesive and non-cohesive sediments transport, and sedimentation engineering management. Topics include river morphological changes after dam removal, local scour and its monitoring, marsh edge erosion, turbidity dynamics in a bay surrounded by marshes, effects of harbour construction on hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes in a coastal area, and impact of climate change on sediment yield from a watershed, are discussed. The breath of the topics covered will be of interest to researchers and practising engineers alike. This book contains twelve chapters.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a comprehensive review of energy research studies from authors around the globe, including recent research in determining potential energy and environmental impacts; sustainable development and environmentally friendly systems; helping agriculture and horticulture through technology, energy efficiency and environmental protection; clean and green energy technologies; heat pump features, characteristics and refrigerants; a passive system for energy needs in green houses; design and operation of low consumption passive human comfort solutions; and the pretreatment of cellulosic biomass for better yield of bioethanol production.

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Book SynopsisWind energy has been the fastest growing source of U.S. electric power generation in recent years. The increase in federal funding for wind technologies and involvement of multiple agencies has raised questions about fragmented, overlapping, or duplicative federal support. This book examines federal wind-related initiatives; programs or groups of agency activities that promoted wind energy through a specific emphasis or focus. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) identifies wind-related initiatives implemented by federal agencies in fiscal year 2011; assesses the extent of fragmentation, overlap, and duplication, if any, among these initiatives, and the extent to which they were co-ordinated; and examines how agencies allocate support to projects through their initiatives and the extent to which they assess applicant need for support.

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Book SynopsisThe development of low-carbon energy is progressing too slowly to limit global warming. With power generation still dominated by coal and governments failing to increase investment in clean energy, the target of controlling the rise in global temperature is a tough task. This book is written so as to address some of the issues as well as waste management practices of fossil fuels and modified fossil fuels through ten original and very interesting chapters. Carbon sequestration of fossil fuels has been greatly emphasised so as to reduce the carbon footprint. The book starts with an overview of fossil fuels which include oil, natural gas and its hydrates, coal, kerogen shale, and peat. Information on reserves and extraction of each type of fuel is presented in Chapter One. The book continues with Chapter Two, where increased levels of sophistication for fossil fuels have been discussed to alleviate the subsequent depletion of fossil fuels. In Chapter Three partial substitution of coal by renewable biomass in existing coal-fired boilers for power generation is presented. It has been stated that hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) offers a promising conversion process to upgrade raw biomass feedstock. In Chapter Four, discussion on the types of biomass and the ways to modify the same have been presented. Through Chapters Five to Eight the reader will know the great potentials of gasification, mineral carbonation, geo-engineering and remote sensing in achieving almost zero emission.

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Book SynopsisToday''s oil and gas are at record prices, whilst global energy demand is increasing from population and economic development pressures. New and highly improved methods to detect, explore, and exploit new resources of oil and gas are necessary to maintain the world''s energy needs toward sustainable economic development. This books aim is to offer the latest developments in several areas related to the above mentioned goals. As authors, it is our understanding and expectation, that interested readers will find plenty of useful, insightful, and reliable information for their energy-related tasks.

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Book SynopsisMany countries, reflecting very different geographies, markets, and power systems, are successfully managing high levels of variable renewable energy on the electric grid, including that from wind and solar energy. This book documents the diverse approaches to effective integration of variable renewable energy among six countries: Australia (South Australia), Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Spain, and the United States (Colorado and Texas), and summarises policy best practices that energy ministers and other stakeholders can pursue to ensure that electricity markets and power systems can effectively co-evolve with increasing penetrations of variable renewable energy. There is no one-size fits all approach; each country has crafted its own combination of policies, market designs, and system operations to achieve the system reliability and flexibility needed to successfully integrate renewables. Notwithstanding this diversity, the approaches all coalesce around five strategic areas: lead public engagement, particularly for new transmission; co-ordinate and integrate planning; develop rules for market evolution that enable system flexibility; expand access to diverse resources and geographic footprint of operations; and improve system operations. This book also underscores the value of countries sharing their experiences. The more diverse and robust the experience base from which a country can draw, the more likely that it will be able to implement an appropriate, optimised, and system-wide approach.

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Book SynopsisThe production of energy feedstocks and fuels requires substantial water input. Not only do biofuel feedstocks like corn, switchgrass, and agricultural residues need water for growth and conversion to ethanol, but petroleum feedstocks like crude oil and oil sands also require large volumes of water for drilling, extraction, and conversion into petroleum products. Moreover, in many cases, crude oil production is increasingly water dependent. Competing uses strain available water resources and raise the spectre of resource depletion and environmental degradation. Water management has become a key feature of existing projects and a potential issue in new ones. This book examines the growing issue of water use in energy production by characterising current consumptive water use in liquid fuel production. As used throughout this book, "consumptive water use" is the sum total of water input less water output that is recycled and reused for the process. The estimate applies to surface and groundwater sources for irrigation but does not include precipitation. Water requirements are evaluated for five fuel pathways: bioethanol from corn, ethanol from cellulosic feedstocks, gasoline from Canadian oil sands, Saudi Arabian crude, and U.S. conventional crude from onshore wells. Regional variations and historic trends are noted, as are opportunities to reduce water use.

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Book SynopsisDigital networks are the foundation of the information services, such as cell phones, e-mail, and the Internet, and are an expanding and indispensable part of our lives. With the wide availability of these networks, many of the devices and equipment we use in buildings increasingly depend on these networks for the functions they perform. Today, networked devices are mostly electronics, but other types of devices are gaining rich communications ability. While the information services provided by these networks are perceived almost universally to provide a net benefit to society, one drawback to these networks is that they increase energy use, both through the direct energy use of the network interfaces and equipment that comprise the network, and in the effect they have on the operating patterns of devices connected to the network. This book investigates a variety of technology and policy issues related to the energy used by digital networks to further the development of several energy efficiency technologies. Several of these technologies have since been introduced to the market, saving energy in California, the United States, and globally.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the first of the Environmental Protection Agency''s (EPA''s) triennial reports on the current and potential future environmental impacts associated with the requirements of the Clean Air Act. It reviews environmental and resource conservation impacts, as well as opportunities to mitigate these impacts, at each stage of the biofuel supply chain: feedstock production, feedstock logistics, biofuel production, biofuel distribution, and biofuel use. The information included here is considered foundational for future efforts to quantitatively compare the environmental impacts of alternative scenarios for meeting the goals of the RFS2 program, representing the best available information through July 2010 and reflecting the current understanding about biofuel production and use, including input from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an overview of various energy strategies that are available to Guam in the pursuit of diversifying fuel sources and reducing fossil energy consumption 20% by 2020 (20x20). The information in this book is based upon input from the Guam Energy Task Force (GETF), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory''s (NREL''s) Guam Initial Technical Assessment Report, and additional stakeholders. The information presented in this strategic energy plan is intended to be used by the GETF in developing an energy action plan. The next step in reaching the 2020 goal involves selecting the most appropriate strategies from the options outlined in this strategic plan and creating a roadmap for implementation in the Guam Energy Action Plan. The strategies are categorised based on the time required to implement them. Near-term strategies can be accomplished in 1-2 years, mid-term strategies require 3-5 years, long-term strategies require 6-8 years, and some strategies require 8 or more years before they can be fully implemented. The prioritisation of the strategies will help facilitate the development of an action plan and the selection of appropriate strategies for meeting Guam''s 2020 goal.

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Book SynopsisEnergy is central to sustainable development. It has huge environmental, social, and economic impacts, such as its influence on climate change, poverty reduction efforts, industrial and agricultural productivity and environmental and human health. The development of strategies towards a sustainable energy transition is one of the most important world challenges of the twenty-first century. The choices that we will make in the coming years about energy will determine what world future generations will inherit. This book gives an overview of the key issues, strategies, operational guidelines and policy implications of current research on the transition to more sustainable energy consumption. It investigates the important issue of the relation between human activities, energy systems and energy use. It addresses the environmental, social and economic impacts of energy consumption and their interrelationships. This book was written by academic and research experts in the field of energy, and they have developed strategies for an energy sustainable plan for the main energy-intensive sectors: energy production, transportation, buildings, agriculture and domestic appliances. The best opportunities and solutions for energy demand reduction are shown, including energy efficiency improvement, increases in the share of renewable energy sources, technological progress and behavioural changes in the field of energy. The aim of this work is to guide the reader toward more efficient policies and actions that will actually improve the future. The book also addresses the different issues faced by developing and developed countries, as well as their relative respective solutions. It presents various alternative pathways that are open to our societies. The methods of energy consumption assessment and modelling approaches are also discussed. All those who are interested in energy challenges will find practical knowledge and operational solutions in this book, providing a solid foundation for making well-informed choices in the future, as individuals and as societies.

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Book SynopsisSince the spring of 2009, billions of federal dollars have been allocated to state and local governments as grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and programs. The scale of this American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding, focused on "shovelready" projects to create and retain jobs, is unprecedented. Thousands of newly funded players -- cities, counties, states, and tribes -- and thousands of programs and projects are entering the existing landscape of energy efficiency programs for the first time or expanding their reach. The nation''s experience base with energy efficiency is growing enormously, fed by federal dollars and driven by broader objectives than saving energy alone. This book focuses on a selected set of ARRA-funded energy efficiency programs administered by state energy offices: the State Energy Program (SEP) formula grants, the portion of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) formula funds administered directly by states, and the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP).

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Book SynopsisPrevious research on the effects of wind energy facilities on surrounding home values has been limited by small samples of relevant home-sale data and the inability to account adequately for confounding home-value factors and spatial dependence in the data. This book provides a spatial hedonic analysis of the effects of wind energy facilities on surrounding property values in the United States to help fill those gaps. The impact of wind power projects on residential property value in the United States is also discussed.

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Book SynopsisGlobal investment in renewable energy has grown sharply in the past five years as countries strive to meet growing energy demands, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and strengthen energy security. Given that a broad group of services are indispensable to the development and functioning of renewable energy projects, the rapid expansion in renewable energy investment and installed capacity world-wide implies a similarly vibrant global market for renewable energy services. This book offers estimates of the U.S. and global markets for trade and investment in services essential to energy production in the solar, wind, small hydropower, and geothermal sectors, as well as discusses trade barriers affecting these services. The book also describes federal programs that provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, and other direct or indirect incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation, and renewable energy.

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Book SynopsisPresently, energy and the environment are closely related issues throughout the world. The indiscriminate use of fossil fuels has resulted in adverse effects on the environment (i.e, excessive production of greenhouse gases, pollution of underground and superficial waters, soil contamination). The international reserves of crude oil are declining, and some pessimistic references refer to an important detriment in the annual oil availability for 2050. Because of these facts, the necessity to develop novel sources of energy, especially fuels from sustainable sources, is mandatory. Such alternative sources of energy (ie: wind, solar, biomass, hydraulic) are potential renewable sources capable of changing the paradigm of productive activities around the world. In many cases, the energy production processes include resources commonly available or even the use of materials that are considered waste (ie: wastewaters, agriculture residues, urban solid wastes). Despite all the desirable characteristics involved, the processes included in the generation of renewable energy may not only positively impact the environment, but may also cause harm on surrounding areas. However, to our knowledge, relatively few works have been published carrying out this type of environmental cost-benefit analysis.

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