Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- 1 Our Hunger for Energy -- 1.1 Energy Supply - Yesterday and Today -- 1.2 Energy Needs - Who Needs What, Where and How Much? -- 1.3 'Anyway' Energy -- 1.4 Energy Supplies - Wealth Forever -- 1.5 The End of Fission -- 1.6 Oil Prices Today - Politics, Supply and Demand -- 2 The Climate Before the Collapse? -- 2.1 It Is Getting Warm - Climate Changes Today -- 2.2 The Guilty Parties - Causes of Climate Change -- 2.3 Outlook and Recommendations - What Lies Ahead? -- 2.4 Difficult Birth - Politics and Climate Change -- 2.5 Self-Help Climate Protection -- 3 From Wasting Energy to Saving Energy and Reducing Carbon Dioxide -- 3.1 Less Efficient - Energy Use and Waste Today -- 3.2 Personal Energy Needs - Easily Saved at Home -- 3.3 Industry and Co - Everyone Else is to Blame -- 3.4 The Personal Carbon Dioxide Record -- 3.5 The Sale of Ecological Indulgences -- 4 Carbon-Free Energy - Vision or Utopia? -- 4.1 Options for Carbon-Free Energy Supply -- 4.2 Renewable Energy Sources - No End to What is Available -- 4.3 Options for Protecting the Climate -- 4.4 Reliable Supply Using Renewable Energies -- 5 Photovoltaics - Energy from Sand -- 5.1 Structure and Function -- 5.2 Production of Solar Cells - from Sand to Cell -- 5.3 Photovoltaic Systems - Networks and Islands -- 5.4 Planning and Design -- 5.5 Economics -- 5.6 Ecology -- 5.7 Photovoltaic Markets -- 5.8 Outlook and Development Potential -- 6 Solar Thermal Systems - Year-Round Heating from the Sun -- 6.1 Structure and Functionality -- 6.2 Solar Collectors - Collecting the Sun -- 6.3 Solar Thermal Systems -- 6.4 Planning and Design -- 6.5 Economics -- 6.6 Ecology -- 6.7 Solar Thermal Markets -- 6.8 Outlook and Development Potential -- 7 Solar Power Plants - Even More Energy from the Sun -- 7.1 Concentration on the Sun -- 7.2 Solar Power Plants -- 7.3 Planning and Design -- 7.4 Economics -- 7.5 Ecology -- 7.6 Solar Power Plant Markets -- 7.7 Outlook and Development Potential -- 8 Wind Power Systems - Electricity from Thin Air.

8.1 Gone with the Wind - Where the Wind Comes From -- 8.2 Utilizing Wind -- 8.3 Installations and Parks -- 8.4 Planning and Design -- 8.5 Economics -- 8.6 Ecology -- 8.7 Wind Power Markets -- 8.8 Outlook and Development Potential -- 9 Hydropower Plants - Wet Energy -- 9.1 Tapping into the Water Cycle -- 9.2 Water Turbines -- 9.3 Hydropower Plants -- 9.4 Planning and Design -- 9.5 Economics -- 9.6 Ecology -- 9.7 Hydropower Markets -- 9.8 Outlook and Development Potential -- 10 Geothermal Energy - Power from the Deep -- 10.1 Tapping into the Earth's Heat -- 10.2 Geothermal Heat and Power Plants -- 10.3 Planning and Design -- 10.4 Economics -- 10.5 Ecology -- 10.6 Geothermal Markets -- 10.7 Outlook and Development Potential -- 11 Heat Pumps - from Cold to Hot -- 11.1 Heat Sources for Low-Temperature Heat -- 11.2 Working Principle of Heat Pumps -- 11.3 Planning and Design -- 11.4 Economics -- 11.5 Ecology -- 11.6 Heat Pump Markets -- 11.7 Outlook and Development Potential -- 12 Biomass - Energy from Nature -- 12.1 Origins and Use of Biomass -- 12.2 Biomass Heating -- 12.3 Biomass Heat and Power Plants -- 12.4 Biofuels -- 12.5 Planning and Design -- 12.6 Economics -- 12.7 Ecology -- 12.8 Biomass Markets -- 12.9 Outlook and Development Potential -- 13 The Hydrogen Industry and Fuel Cells -- 13.1 Hydrogen as an Energy Source -- 13.2 Fuel Cells: Bearers of Hope -- 13.3 Economics -- 13.4 Ecology -- 13.5 Markets, Outlook and Development Potential -- 14 Sunny Prospects - Examples of Sustainable Energy Supply -- 14.1 Climate-Compatible Living -- 14.2 Working and Producing in Compatibility with the Climate -- 14.3 Climate-Compatible Driving -- 14.4 Climate-Compatible Travel by Water or Air -- 14.5 Carbon-Free Electricity for an Island -- 14.6 All's Well that Ends Well -- Appendix -- A.1 Energy Units and Prefixes -- A.2 Geographic Coordinates of Energy Power Plants -- References -- Index.

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This dazzling introductory textbook encompasses the full range of today's important renewable energy technologies. Solar thermal, photovoltaic, wind, hydro, biomass and geothermal energy receive balanced treatment with one exciting and informative chapter devoted to each. As well as a complete overview of these state-of-the-art technologies, the chapters provide: clear analysis on their development potentials; an evaluation of the economic aspects involved; concrete guidance for practical implementation; how to reduce your own energy waste. If we do not act now to stop climate change, the cons.

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Mode of access: World Wide Web

Description based on PDF viewed 12/21/2015.