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The Energy-Climate Continuum
by Antoine BretThis book puts the debates about the energy-climate continuum on a scientific ground! It is a must-read for everyone, who wants to understand how intimately the energy and climate debates are linked to each other, and who wants to participate in these omnipresent discussions. Antoine Bret explains in his book how fossil fuels became indispensable for our society. He carefully explains how and why this impacts the earth's climate. And he points out that all available fossil fuels will sooner or later be used up. Therefore, he introduces and discusses the alternatives, which are currently considered. The book is divided into three parts. The first part explains the problem and where we stand today, the second part critically discusses possible elements of solution. The third part illustrates historic case studies, containing both warning as well as encouraging examples of societies at turning points. This book is a careful introduction to these topics. The basic science behind the problem and the debates are introduced in an understandable and nicely readable fashion. Facts are illustrated with simple back-on-the-envelope calculations, providing a good feeling for orders of magnitudes. A rich appendix provides additional background information for the interested readers. In this way, the book can even be a valuable resource for introductory university courses in physics, climate science, natural science and many more subjects. This book is a real conversation starter and can be recommended to everyone, specialist or non-specialist, who wants to understand the actual energy-climate debates and maybe even involve.
Energy, Complexity and Wealth Maximization
by Robert AyresThis book describes the evolution and mechanisms of natural wealth creation. The author explains how natural wealth consists of complex physical structures of condensed ("frozen") energy and what the key requirements for wealth creation are, namely a change agent, a selection mechanism and a life-extending mechanism. He uses elements from multiple disciplines, from physics to biology to economics to illustrate this. Human wealth is ultimately based on natural wealth, as materials transform into useful artifacts, and as useful information is transmitted by those artifacts when activated by energy. The question is if the new immaterial wealth of ideas of the knowledge economy can replace depleted natural wealth. This book reveals the vital challenge for economic and political leaders to explore how knowledge and natural capital, energy in particular, can interact to power the human wealth engine in the future.
Energy Cooperation in South Asia: Utilizing Natural Resources for Peace and Sustainable Development (Routledge Explorations in Energy Studies)
by Mirza Sadaqat HudaThis book analyses the key political challenges to regional energy cooperation in South Asia. It argues that investment in the planning of regional energy projects can increase their viability and also drive integration and peacebuilding. Regional cooperation has been substantiated by academics and multilateral development banks as one of the most viable solutions to South Asia’s crippling energy crisis. However, three decades of national and regional efforts have failed to develop a single multilateral energy project or foster high levels of bilateral cooperation. Using data collected through extensive interviews with policymakers in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, this book identifies the specific roadblocks to energy cooperation – including domestic politics and the failure of leadership on multiple levels - and evaluates how these political challenges determine regional interactions on energy securitisation, environmental cooperation and human rights. Huda then undertakes case studies on four transnational energy projects to highlight specific policy recommendations to overcome these challenges, suggesting planning mechanisms through which the significant issue of energy cooperation in South Asia can be addressed. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of energy security and geopolitics, natural resource governance and South Asian politics.
Energy Demand Challenges in Europe: Implications for policy, planning and practice
by Frances Fahy Gary Goggins Charlotte JensenThis open access book examines the role of citizens in sustainable energy transitions across Europe. It explores energy problem framing, policy approaches and practical responses to the challenge of securing clean, affordable and sustainable energy for all citizens, focusing on households as the main unit of analysis. The book revolves around ten contributions that each summarise national trends, socio-material characteristics, and policy responses to contemporary energy issues affecting householders in different countries, and provides good practice examples for designing and implementing sustainable energy initiatives. Prominent concerns include reducing carbon emissions, energy poverty, sustainable consumption, governance, practices, innovations and sustainable lifestyles. The opening and closing contributions consider European level energy policy, dominant and alternative problem framings and similarities and differences between European countries in relation to reducing household energy use. Overall, the book is a valuable resource for researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and others interested in sustainable energy perspectives.
Energy Democracy: Advancing Equity in Clean Energy Solutions
by Denise Fairchild Al Weinrub Diego Angarita Horowitz Isaac Baker Lynn Benander Strela Cervas Ben Delman Anthony Giancatarino Vivian Yi Huang Derrick Johnson Cecilia Martinez Michelle Mascarenhas-Swan Anya Schoolman Dr Sean Sweeney Maggie Tishman Miya YoshitaniThe near-unanimous consensus among climate scientists is that the massive burning of gas, oil, and coal is havingcataclysmic impacts on our atmosphere and climate. These climate and environmental impacts are particularly magnifiedand debilitating for low-income communities and communities of color.Energy democracy tenders a response and joins the environmental and climate movement with broader movements for social and economic change in this country and around the world.Energy Democracy brings together racial, cultural, and generational perspectives to show what an alternative, democratized energy future can look like. The book will inspire others to take up the struggle to build the energy democracy movement.
Energy Development and Wildlife Conservation in Western North America
by David E. NaugleEnergy Development and Wildlife Conservation in Western North America offers a road map for securing our energy future while safeguarding our wildlife heritage. Contributors show how science can help craft solutions to conflicts between wildlife and energy development by delineating core areas, identifying landscapes that support viable populations, and forecasting future development scenarios to aid in conservation design. The book calls for a shift away from site-level management that has failed to mitigate cumulative impacts on wildlife populations toward broad-scale planning and implementation of conservation in priority landscapes. It concludes by identifying ways that decision makers can remove roadblocks to conservation, and provides a blueprint for implementing conservation plans.
Energy Dynamics and Climate Mitigation: An Indian Perspective (Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences)
by Asheem SrivastavThis book analyzes the current approaches to energy management in India that is based on a carbon-intensive pathway, which if continued, may have serious implications for climate change mitigation with severe consequences for human health and survival. India, being a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions; however, the country’s dilemmas are whether to prioritize environment over economy or vice versa and also whether economic growth can be sustained by relying on carbon-intensive development. Those are explored in this book. The Indian economy is poised for a big leap in the near future, and the topmost priority of the government is to ensure energy security, accessibility, and affordability for nearly 1.5 billion people. Currently, 70% of India’s electricity generation comes from coal- and oil-based thermal power plants, and only 12–15% of energy is generated from renewable sources. Experts are of the view that the demand for coal and gas power generation will continue to rise and is expected to reach the equivalent of nearly 2 billion t of oil by 2030. The annual consumption of natural gas is expected to increase fourfold to 200 billion m3 a year in the near future, and its share in the primary energy basket of coal, oil, and gas will rise from 6.5% to 15% by 2030. This will not only cause a significant drain on foreign reserves but will also pose an enormous challenge to policymakers and scientists. This book serves as a useful guide in shaping India’s future energy policy.
Energy Economics: Concepts, Issues, Markets and Governance
by Subhes C. BhattacharyyaThis book provides an updated and expanded overview of basic concepts of energy economics and explains how simple economic tools can be used to analyse contemporary energy issues in the light of recent developments, such as the Paris Agreement, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and new technological developments in the production and use of energy. The new edition is divided into four parts covering concepts, issues, markets, and governance. Although the content has been thoroughly revised and rationalised to reflect the current state of knowledge, it retains the main features of the first edition, namely accessibility, research-informed presentation, and extensive use of charts, tables and worked examples.This easily accessible reference book allows readers to gain the skills required to understand and analyse complex energy issues from an economic perspective. It is a valuable resource for students and researchers in the field of energy economics, as well as interested readers with an interdisciplinary background.
Energy Economics: Markets, History and Policy
by Roy L. NersesianThree quarters of our current electricity usage and transport methods are derived from fossil fuels and yet within two centuries these resources will dry up. Energy Economics covers the role of each fossil and renewable energy source in today’s world, providing the information and tools that will enable students to understand the finite nature of fossil fuels and the alternative solutions that are available. This textbook provides detailed examinations of key energy sources – both fossil fuels and renewables including oil, coal, solar, and wind power – and summarises how the current economics of energy evolved. Subsequent chapters explore issues around policy, technology and the possible future for each type of energy. In addition to this, readers are introduced to controversial topics including fracking and global warming in dedicated chapters on climate change and sustainability. Each chapter concludes with a series of tasks, providing example problems and projects in order to further explore the proposed issues. An accompanying companion website contains extensive additional material on the history of the major types of fuel as well as technical material relating to oil exploration, the development of solar power and historical environmental legislation. This textbook is an essential text for those who study energy economics, resource economics or energy policy.
Energy Economics (Routledge Textbooks in Environmental and Agricultural Economics)
by Peter M. SchwarzWith interest in topics such as climate change, energy security, and alternative energy sources being at an all-time high, the effects of today's decisions now rest on the shoulders of future generations. There are no easy answers to our energy issues, so costs and benefits must be considered when evaluating all energy alternatives; alongside that, prices must be right and need to reflect the full social costs to society of a given source of energy. Energy Economics outlines the fundamental issues and possible solutions to the challenges of energy production and use, and presents a framework for energy decisions based upon sound economic analysis. It considers market forces and policy goals, including economic prosperity, environmental protection, and other considerations that affect societal well-being. This book focuses on both energy choices and the impact of these choices on market performance, environmental conditions, and sustainability. The initial section covers the fundamental economic concepts for analyzing energy markets. Following this, a detailed analysis of established energy sources, specifically fossil fuels and nuclear energy, leads into consideration of energy alternatives such as renewable energy and next-generation alternatives. Electricity production and regulatory trends are covered in depth. The final section considers policy: environmental considerations, sustainability, and energy security. The concluding chapter is a comprehensive vision for our energy future. Drawing on current energy headlines, perspectives familiar from the popular press, and views outside economics, this text sharpens students' ability to understand, evaluate, and critique policy using appropriate economic analysis. The text builds a foundation that culminates in a view of a comprehensive energy policy that improves upon the vacillations of past decades.
Energy Economics (Routledge Textbooks in Environmental and Agricultural Economics)
by Peter M. SchwarzEnergy Economics outlines the fundamental issues and possible solutions to the challenges of energy production and use, presenting a framework for decisions based upon sound economic analysis. This approach considers market forces and policy goals, including economic prosperity, environmental protection, and societal well-being. The second edition has been thoroughly updated, addressing dramatic shifts in the use of fuel and electricity, accelerated plans for the use of renewable energy, and pathways towards a lower-carbon future. A new chapter on electric vehicles examines its impact on transportation, the electricity market, and carbon emissions. Global examples throughout the book reflect the universal application of energy economics. With this economic foundation, coupled with perspectives from real-world applications, and perspectives from related disciplines, this text sharpens the student’s ability to understand, evaluate, and critique energy policy. A companion website provides reinforcement for students through multiple choice self-test quizzes and homework exercises, as well as additional materials for instructors. This textbook should be essential reading for students of energy economics, environmental and natural resource economics, energy-related disciplines, and general readers seeking to expand their knowledge of energy economics and policy.
Energy Efficiency: Building a Clean, Secure Economy
by James L. SweeneyThe entire world, especially the United States, is in the midst of an energy revolution. Since the oil embargo of 1973, individuals, corporations, and other organizations have found ways to economically reduce energy use. In this book, Jim Sweeney examines the energy policies and practices of the past forty years and their impact on three crucial systems: the economy, the environment, and national security. He shows how energy-efficiency contributions to the country's overall energy situation have been more powerful than all the increases in the domestic production of oil, gas, coal, geothermal energy, nuclear power, solar power, wind power, and biofuels. The author details the impact of new and improved energy-efficient technologies, the environmental and national security benefits of energy efficiency, ways to amplify energy efficiency, and more. Energy Efficiency: Building a Clean, Secure Economy reveals how the careful nurturing of private- and public-sector energy efficiency--along with public awareness, appropriate pricing, appropriate policies--and increased research and development, the trends of decreasing energy intensity and increasing energy efficiency can be beneficially accelerated.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Metal Industries: With Selected Cases of Investment Grade Audit
by Swapan Kumar Dutta Jitendra Saxena Binoy Krishna ChoudhuryThis book provides a deep insight into the energy usage in the energy intensive metal industry and the methodology for efficiency assessment. Various methodologies for energy audits are described, along with concept-level analysis for minimum energy design. Apart from the technical and engineering analysis, the book also describes management aspects such as energy management systems and financial, environmental and social analysis leading to the development of a comprehensive plan for implementation of energy efficiency and conservation in industries. Barriers to investment in energy efficiency and conservation are discussed, based on review of global and Indian case studies. FEATURES: Details fundamental principles driving energy consumption in an industrial set-up backed with illustrative examples Explains various alternative methods for discovery of energy efficiency and conservation projects. Focusses on metal-producing and -processing facilities with an emphasis on environmental quality Supports maximum digitalization of energy audit assessment and report preparation processes Includes global case studies and tutorials at the end of the corresponding chapters This book is useful for researchers, professionals and graduate students in thermodynamics, manufacturing, thermal engineering, energy engineering, energy efficiency and energy processes, especially in the metal industry.
Energy Efficiency and the Future of Real Estate
by Yongsheng Wang N. Edward Coulson Clifford A. LipscombThis book explores how energy efficiency is a major component in the development of sustainable real estate. Efficiency is one of the most frequently-mentioned aspects of government policies for green building design in the United States and around the world. There has been a significant amount of effort devoted to the creation of green practices in real estate, including building construction, building assessment, city planning, investment, governmental regulation and policies, and industrial development. One of the key emphases of the above activities is energy efficiency, thus it is crucial for researchers and readers to have a comprehensive overview of the topic, as this book provides.
Energy Efficiency Finance: Assessing the Impact of IFC's China Utility-based Energy Efficiency Finance Program
by World BankThis evaluation assesses the performance of IFC's energy efficiency finance program in China aimed at stimulating energy efficiency investments through bank guarantees and technical assistance. The difference made by the program is traced along the chain of interventions: (i) at the level of banks, the program is narrowly based on one of the two partner banks, which, with the help of the program, expanded its energy efficiency lending as a new business line; (ii) at the level of energy management companies, the program's technical assistance improved the program participants' access to finance; and (iii) at the end-user level, it promoted the use of energy efficiency investments that achieved reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The utilization of IFC's program has been rapid compared with other similar programs. The energy efficiency investments supported by the program have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 14 million CO2 tons per year, slightly in excess of the target set at the beginning of the program. However, there is only a weak differentiation in behavior surrounding energy efficiency investment between end users supported by the program and other similar companies that were not. It is important to note that the performance of the program was heavily influenced by the government's policy actions and the earlier efforts of other players: The Chinese government and other players such as the World Bank. The CHUEE program, relying mainly on commercial funding through IFC's guarantees, builds on these efforts
Energy Efficiency Improvement of Geotechnical Systems: International Forum on Energy Efficiency
by Genadiy Pivnyak Oleksandr Beshta Mykhaylo AlekseyevThis book covers innovative technologies and approaches for improvement of technical and economic parameters of functional geotechnical systems. The focus is on mathematical modelling of objects and processes, as well as the development of techniques and their control algorithms. The book comprises schemata of practical tasks solving related to min
Energy Efficiency in Developing Countries: Policies and Programmes (Routledge Studies in Energy Policy)
by Suzana Tavares Da Silva Gabriela Prata DiasThis book presents a comparative analysis of energy efficiency policies in developing countries. Although there is a vast amount of literature available about renewable energy policy and implementation in the developing world, energy efficiency tends to lack attention. This book fills this lacuna by examining the current state of the field and scope for future improvements. Drawing on a wide range of case studies including Brazil, China and Chile, the authors use a comparative approach to examine the policies and programmes being implemented, looking at the existing legal frameworks and regulatory challenges. By showcasing stories of success, as well as barriers to energy efficiency, they highlight the opportunities for increased energy access and efficiency and demonstrate how these opportunities may directly impact on climate change mitigation. This volume will be a useful resource for scholars and practitioners with an interest in energy policy and efficiency, climate change and international development.
Energy Efficiency in the Urban Environment
by Heba Allah Khalil Essam E. KhalilEnergy Efficiency in the Urban Environment is a study of energy crisis, urbanisation, and climate change, as well as a discussion of how to combat these global challenges. With a special focus on Egypt, this book addresses the macroscale of urbanism from the perspective of city dwellers' quality of life, and explores the microscale of buildings and
Energy Efficient Affordable Housing: Policy Design and Implementation in Canadian Cities
by Sasha TsenkovaThis book provides the first comparative assessment of the energy-efficiency retrofit programs in the social housing sector of Canadian cities, focusing on program efficiency and effectiveness. The analytical framework explores key policy instruments - regulatory, fiscal and institutional - in relation to major results achieved. The approach is interdisciplinary, supported by rich empirical data from case studies, observations and interviews. The book explores important strategies for the provision of green and affordable housing, while addressing climate change imperatives and resilience issues. This is of great interest to researchers, policy makers, city leaders, professionals and students. Its value added contribution to scholarship is complemented by practical relevance for social housing organisations in countries with a small residual housing sector. It offers valuable lessons for the design, planning and implementation of energy retrofit programs in North America and beyond.
Energy Efficient Building Design
by Ana-Maria DabijaThis book is the result of recent research that deals with the built environment and innovative materials, carried out by specialists working in universities and centers of research in different professional fields ─ architecture, engineering, physics ─ and in an area that that spans from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf, and from South Eastern Europe to the Middle East. This book takes the necessity of re-shaping the concept of building design in order to transform buildings from large scale energy consumers to energy savers and producers into consideration. The book is organized in two parts: theory and case studies. For the theoretical part, we chose from the wide range of sources that provide energy efficient materials and systems the two that seem to be endless: the sun and vegetation. Their use in building products represents a tool for specialists in the architectural design concept. The case-studies presented analyze different architectural programs, in different climates, from new buildings to rehabilitation approaches and from residential architecture to hospitals and sports arenas; each case emphasizes the interdisciplinarity of the building design activity in order to help readers gain a better understanding of the complex approach needed for energy efficient building design
Energy Efficient Cities: Assessment Tools and Benchmarking Practices
by Ranjan K. BoseUrban areas account for two-thirds of global energy requirements while housing approximately half of the world's population. With current projections indicating that 70 percent of the world's population will live in cities by 2050, an increase in urban energy use is inevitable. In the face of this growing energy demand, developing climate-friendly urban energy solutions, while protecting the urban development that is crucial to socioeconomic progress in developing countries, is imperative. In an effort to catalyze solutions that would delink high levels of carbon-intensive energy use from urban growth, the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank launched the Energy Efficient Cities Initiative in October 2008. 'Energy Efficient Cities: Assessment Tools and Benchmarking Practices' is a product of that initiative. The analytical tools and policy insights offered in this volume extend from integrated assessments of new cities to the impacts of socioeconomic, climate, and demographic changes on existing cities. In addition, the documentation and benchmarking of a variety of low-carbon and carbon-neutral good practices provide a range of practical insights on plausible energy efficient interventions in urban sectors. This book will be of particular interest to policy makers, development practitioners, and decision makers in the private sector, as well as researchers within nongovernmental organizations and the academic community.
Energy-Efficient HVAC Design
by Javad KhazaiiThis book provides readers with essential knowledge enabling the successful design of today's new energy efficient HVAC systems. The author introduces important concepts such as Knowledge Categorization, Performance Based Design Standards, and Quantification of Uncertainty in Energy Modeling for Buildings. Pivotal topics that all HVAC and architectural engineers must master in order to navigate the green building renaissance are given focused attention, including the role of renewables, air quality, automatic controls, and thermal comfort. Relevant ASHRAE standards, as well as sustainability scoring systems such as BREEAM, HQE, LEED and CASBEE are explained in depth. Armed with the material contained in this practical reference, students and practitioners alike will become more effective and prepared for engineering success.
Energy-Efficient Timber-Glass Houses
by Vesna Žegarac Leskovar Miroslav PremrovThe book discusses combining timber and glass, two eco materials, with a view to developing an optimal contemporary energy-efficient house with an attractive design. Furthermore, the book connects an architectural design approach with structural research to show the possibilities of stabilizing the building with an increased size of the glazing. Research results where the glazing is considered as a load-bearing structural element are therefore presented in a manner leading to the development of an optimal model of the timber-glass house, considering both the structural and energy related aspects. The presented research work can be useful to designers and future experts in their planning of optimal energy-efficient timber buildings. The study is based on using timber and glass, which were previously neglected as construction materials. With suitable technological development and appropriate use, they are nowadays becoming essential construction materials as far as energy efficiency is concerned. However, their combined use is extremely complicated, from both the constructional point of view as well as from that of energy efficiency and sets multiple traps for designers. A good knowledge of their advantages and drawbacks is thus vitally important, which is shown in the present monograph. Energy-efficient timber-glass houses was selected by the Slovenian National Research Agency as an extraordinary scientific achievement in the field of technical sciences/civil engineering for the year 2013.
Energy, Environment and Development
by Jose Goldemberg Oswaldo LuconThe relationship between energy and the environment has been the basis of many studies over the years, as has the relationship between energy and development, yet both of these approaches may produce distortions. In the first edition of this book, Professor Goldemberg pioneered the study of all three elements in relation to one another. With contributions from Oswaldo Lucon, this second edition has been expanded and updated to cover how energy is related to the major challenges of sustainability faced by the world today. The book starts by conceptualizing energy, and then relates it to human activities, to existing natural resources and to development indicators. It then covers the main environmental problems, their causes and possible solutions. Disaggregating national populations by income and by how different income groups consume energy, the authors identify the differences between local, regional and global environmental impacts, and can thus ascertain who is responsible for them. Finally, they discuss general and specific policies to promote sustainable development in energy. New coverage is included of today's pressing issues, including security, environmental impact assessment and future climate change/renewable energy regimes. The authors also cover all major new international agreements and technological developments. Energy, Environment and Development is the result of many years of study and practical experience in policy formulation, discussion and implementation in these fields by the authors. Written in a technical yet accessible style, the book is aimed at students on a range of courses, as well as non-energy specialists who desire an overview of recent thought in the area.
Energy, Environment and Globalization: Recent Trends, Opportunities and Challenges in India
by Anshuman Gupta Narendra N. DaleiThis book analyzes contemporary issues relating to energy, environment, and globalization in the Indian context. As a signatory to the Paris climate accord, India has reiterated its commitment to taking strong and positive steps toward climate change mitigation. However, as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, it is battling the effects of a steep rise in fossil fuel usage and pollution. Further, increasing globalization is leading to greater economic activity and production, resulting in additional energy use, which has a negative effect on the environment. The book argues that globalization need not have only a negative environmental impact; it can also have positive impact through the importation of environmentally sound technologies and implementing global compliance standards. The book is divided into three sections: The energy section discusses issues relating to the status of Indian natural gas market and the need for developing an efficient gas market in India; the economics and politics of sustainable energy in India; the challenges of thermal power and significance of clean thermal power generation in India; environmental and policy issues concerning energy use in urban India; the importance of energy use in developing Human Development Index (HDI); and issues relating to renewable energy in India. The environment section then examines topics such as the impact of global warming on local weather by examining the frequency of extreme weather events such as drought and floods, and their impact on farming activities in the Indian state of Odisha; the importance of according the economic value to environmentally significant things like national park , mangroves, etc. for sustainable development; the role of environmental accounting for ecological sustainability and ecotourism; and environmental concerns increasingly gaining traction among the corporate sector for their long-run benefits . Lastly, the third section addresses issues relating to the challenges and opportunities of globalization, such as the interface between globalization and environment; managing India’s business interest in proposing new Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT); the challenges being faced by Indian exports and their revival; and making Indian SMEs competitive. As such, it is an invaluable resource for policymakers, researchers, practitioners and students in the field of energy, environment and trade economics.