Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources: A Reference Handbook

by Smith, Zachary A.

• ISBN13: 9781598840896
• ISBN10: 1598840894
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-08-01
• Publisher: Abc-Clio Inc

Summary

This volume provides an insightful overview of renewable and alternative energy technologies and policies in the United States and around the world.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xiii
Background and History	p. 1
Introduction	p. 1
Definitions and Distinctions of Energy Sources	p. 2
Energy Conversions	p. 2
Roles and Transitions of Energy Sources	p. 3
History of Renewable Energy Policy in the United States	p. 5
Current Energy Sources	p. 8
Projected Outlook for Worldwide Energy Demand and Consumption	p. 9
Renewable and Alternative Energy Technologies	p. 11
Solar	p. 12
Wind	p. 15
Biomass	p. 16
Geothermal	p. 20
Hydro	p. 22
Ocean Energy: Wave, Tidal, and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion	p. 23
Alternative Energy	p. 26
Nuclear Fission	p. 26
Fusion	p. 28
Energy Conservation	p. 30
Hydrogen	p. 31
Conclusion	p. 31
References	p. 32
Problems, Controversies, and Solutions	p. 37
Introduction	p. 37
Problems	p. 37
The Energy Debate	p. 38
Controversies	p. 47
Controversy: Viability of Renewable and Alternative Energy Technologies	p. 47
Controversy: Nuclear Power	p. 54
Controversy: Energy Conservation	p. 57
Controversy: Oil Topping Point	p. 58
Controversy: Global Warming	p. 59
Controversy: Economic and Political Problems	p. 60
Solutions	p. 61
Broad Advantages of Renewable and Alternative Energy	p. 61
Technical Solutions	p. 63
Policy Solutions	p. 64
Global Perspectives	p. 75
Conclusion	p. 77
References	p. 78
Worldwide Perspective	p. 83
Introduction	p. 83
Europe	p. 84
EU Renewable and Alternative Energy Policies	p. 85
Germany	p. 86
France	p. 88
United Kingdom	p. 89
Other Notable Policies of EU Member States	p. 90
Asia and Oceania	p. 92
China	p. 93
India	p. 96
Japan	p. 99
Australia	p. 102
Other Notable Issues in Asia	p. 104
Africa and the Middle East	p. 106
South Africa	p. 108
Middle East	p. 108
North America	p. 109
Canada	p. 110
Mexico	p. 112
Central America	p. 113
South America	p. 114
Brazil	p. 115
Other Issues in South America	p. 117
Conclusion	p. 118
References	p. 119
Chronology	p. 125
References	p. 152
Biographical Sketches	p. 155
William Grylls Adams	p. 155
Svante Arrhenius	p. 156
Jacques-Arsene d'Arsonval	p. 157
Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel	p. 157
Elliott Berman	p. 158
Homi Jehangir Bhabha	p. 158
Frank Bridgers	p. 158
Gro Harlem Brundtland	p. 159
Jimmy Carter	p. 159
Georges Claude	p. 160
Arthur Compton	p. 160
Georges Jean Marie Darrieus	p. 161
Rudolph Diesel	p. 161
Thomas Alva Edison	p. 162
John Ericsson	p. 162
Michael Faraday	p. 163
Enrico Fermi	p. 163
Benoit Fourneyron	p. 164
Charles Fritts	p. 164
Arnold J. Goldman	p. 164
Albert A. Gore Jr.	p. 165
William R. Grove	p. 166
Subhendu Guha	p. 167
John Burden Sanderson Haldane	p. 168
James E. Hansen	p. 168
William Heronemus	p. 169
M. King Hubbert	p. 170
Jeremy Leggett	p. 171
Amory Bloch Lovins	p. 171
Auguste Mouchout	p. 172
Willie Nelson	p. 173
Roger Revelle	p. 173
Frank Shuman	p. 174
Lyman Spitzer Jr.	p. 175
Robert Stirling	p. 175
Alexander T.B. Stuart	p. 176
Hans Eduard Suess	p. 177
Leo Szilard	p. 177
Tom Udall	p. 178
Data and Documents	p. 179
Worldwide Data	p. 180
U.S. Data	p. 240
Environmental Impacts	p. 245
Reference	p. 253
Directory of Organizations	p. 255
Nongovernmental Organizations	p. 255
Research Institutes	p. 259
Associations	p. 264
U.S. Government Agencies	p. 275
International Agencies	p. 277
Resources	p. 283
Print Resources	p. 283
Books and Articles	p. 283
Journals and Magazines	p. 288
Nonprint Resources	p. 289
DVDs	p. 289
Internet Resources	p. 291
Databases and CD-Roms	p. 296
Glossary	p. 301
Index	p. 307
About the Author	p. 323
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