Economic Competitiveness of Renewable Energy : A Rules of Thumb Approach for Scientists, Engineers, and Policy Makers

The world is at the crossroads of either quickly changing the energy picture towards implementing efficient renewable energy sources or postponing this process by another generation. Based on the author's more than 30 years industrial experience, this book gives a set of assumptions by extrapolating known technology developments and shows that 100% coverage by renewable technology of the global energy needs is much more probable than previously argued. Implementing Renewable Energy gives the reader an easy to understand guide. Basic facts using "rule of thumb" and "order-of-magnitude" considerations underpin the author's argument. The book shows how energy efficiency technologies will be able to drastically reduce the energy consumption for the same quality of life. It demonstrates that traditional energy technologies are not able to sustainably support the future energy requirements of a growing world population because of limited resources and increasing prices. The most relevant renewable energy technologies are discussed. Solar photovoltaic, solar thermal concentrators, solar thermal wind, as well as biomass and biofuels, hydro, geothermal, wave and tidal technologies are debated. The conclusion of this unique book shows how and why the renewable technologies will be cost competitive and even superior to the traditional technologies in the mid-term. Market-pull instead of technology push provide the increase of the cumulative installed volume of the new renewable technologies, thereby driving down the specific price of the critical components along Price Experience Curves.