Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes

About this book

With energy sustainability and security at the forefront of public discourse worldwide, there is a pressing need to foster an understanding of clean, safe alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power. Aldo da Rosa's highly respected and comprehensive resource fulfills this need; it has provided thousands of engineers, scientists, students and professionals alike with a thorough grounding in the scientific principles underlying the complex world of renewable energy technologies. This new third edition of the classic text highlights advances in this vital area, which are proceeding at an unprecedented pace, allowing everyone interested in this burgeoning field to keep up with the latest developments in diverse topics from solar cooling to renewable energy storage. It illuminates the basic principles behind all key renewable power sources – solar, wind, biomass, hydropower & fuel cells; connects scientific theory with practical implementation through physical examples; end-of-chapter questions help readers apply their knowledge; and written by one of the world's foremost experts in renewable energy, drawing from his decades of experience in academia and industry.

New to this edition:
- All new chapter on pivotal renewable energy storage technologies
- Now includes discussion of power grid and transmission issues
- Expanded coverage of Hydropower and advances in PV cells
- New and improved figures and additional end-of-chapter problems

Contents

Chapter 1: Generalities

Part I: Heat Engines
Chapter 2: A Minimum of Thermodynamics and of the Kinetic Theory of Gases
Chapter 3: Mechanical Heat Engines
Chapter 4: Ocean Thermal Energy Converters
Chapter 5: Thermoelectricity
Chapter 6: Thermionics
Chapter 7: AMTEC
Chapter 8: Radio-Noise Generators
Part II: The World of Hydrogen

Chapter 9: Fuel Cells
Chapter 10: Hydrogen Production
Chapter 11: Hydrogen Storage

Part III: Energy from the Sun
Chapter 12: Solar Radiation
Chapter 13: Biomass
Chapter 14: Photovoltaic Converters

Part IV: Wind and Water
Chapter 15: Wind Energy
Chapter 16: Ocean Engines
Chapter 17: Nuclear Energy
Chapter 18: Storage of Energy

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Biography

Dr. Aldo da Rosa is Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, where he has taught the perennially popular Renewable Energy course for over 30 years. Former Chairman of the Brazilian National Research Council, Director of the Aeronautical Technical Center, and founder of Brazilian NASA, he also has extensive industry experience, serving as the CEO of a tech start-up, Chairman of the Board for a microprocessor manufacturer, and as a member of Siemens Corporation's scientific advisory board. Dr. da Rosa is Eminent Engineer TauBeta Pi, member Sigma Xi, and Senior Member IEEE.