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PHOTOVOLTAICS ...... SOLAR HOT WATER....WIND POWER....HYDRO POWER....HOME HEATING
ECONOMICS & POLITICS...DAYLIGHTING
GENERAL
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Solar Energy Resource Guide by Barbara Nishi, Karyn Ellis, Pete Shoemaker [Kindle Edition], 2012. With this guide that we affectionately call the SERG, we aim to offer information in the form of a primer on all things solar. Whether you are completely new to the energy world, considering solar or energy upgrades for your home or business, designing a home, seeking a “green” career, already employed in solar, creating energy regulations, volunteering in solar, reporting on energy for the media, or simply a solar energy supporter, we hope you will find the discussions within these pages useful. We’ve expanded the 9th edition’s content to capture some of these changes, but there’s so much more than what could fit within these pages! There’s a bit of overlap, especially in the areas where solar and energy efficiency come together: zero net energy buildings, passive solar/Passive House, retrofitting existing homes … where we’ve repeated the same information in separate articles, we hope that’s the accumulated information is helpful as you pick up and put down this Guide over time.
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Renewable Energy: Technology, Economics and Environment by
Martin Kaltschmitt, Wolfgang Streicher, Andreas Wiese, 2010.
This book presents the physical and technical principles of promising ways of utilising renewable energies. In this context, firstly the main characteristics of the available renewable energy streams are outlined. Subsequently, the book presents the technologies of heat provision from passive and active solar systems, ambient air, shallow geothermal energy as well as energy from deep geothermal sources. In the preceding chapters the book addresses the processes of electricity generation from solar radiation (photovoltaic and solar thermal power plant technologies), wind energy, and hydropower. In addition, a brief discussions of harnessing ocean energies is included.
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A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office: Navigating the Maze of Solar Options, Incentives, and Installers by Stephen and Rebekah Hren, 2010. What system makes the most sense for your home or office: solar electric, solar hot water, solar heating, or some combination of these? This book explains the options so that property owners can make the right choices both for their energy needs and their financial security. Understanding how solar power systems work will enable readers to be informed customers when dealing with professional installers - the book also provides advice on how to select a qualified installer and understand the expanding variety of tax credits and other incentives that are popping up around the country. See Kelly Hart's review of this book.
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Towards Zero Energy Architecture: New Solar Design by Mary Guzowski, 2012. This book explores the theories, practices, and principles of new approaches to solar architecture that foster both design excellence and low-energy use. In response to the challenges of global warming and climate change, design and technology enable architects to achieve greater performance standards while at the same time developing an environmental aesthetic. Towards Zero-energy Architecture is a much-needed call for the design professions to redefine architecture to help solve ecological problems.
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2011 Solar Energy Encyclopedia - Over 1110 Documents and 80,000 Pages - Complete Coverage with Practical Information about Home Systems, Water Heating, Electricity, Financing, Photovoltaic (DVD-ROM) by US Deptartment of Energy and the
National Renewable Energy Lab, 2011. This electronic book on DVD-ROM provides an unprecedented encyclopedic collection of authoritative official documents, reference books, guides, handbooks, and technical reports about every conceivable aspect of solar power, heating, electricity, and research - with over 80,000 pages of invaluable material presented in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. This incredible library, encompassing over 3 gigabytes of data, has been revised and updated for this 2011 edition.
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Off The Grid Homes: Case Studies for Sunstainable Living by Lori Ryker, 2007.
It is possible to harness the power of the environment by utilizing clean-energy generators, such as photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, solar water heaters, and geothermal systems, to conserve precious resources and save money. Houses can be completely or partially off the grid - that is, homes can be entirely self-sustaining or they can be tied to municipal energy sources while still employing resource-conserving technologies. Ryker explores the value of case studies in understanding new alternative-energy technologies. She profiles three completed leading sustainable case study projects to lay the groundwork for the body of the book, which presents six contemporary architectural projects that integrate alternative technologies for generating and conserving energy. Each project explores how the owner's desire to contribute to a more sustainable culture is brought to bear on the design and execution of the home. Diagrams and clear explanations of technologies and their appropriate applications help the reader understand how the technologies work and how they may best be used in their own homes.
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The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy : Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower by Dan Chiras, 2006. I read a pre-publication manuscript of this book, and wrote this for the book jacket: The Homeowners' Guide to Renewable Energy makes it abundantly clear the predicament that humankind has created regarding how we procure and use energy. Ways that we might extricate ourselves from this predicament are placed squarely on the shoulders of renewable forms of energy, rather than fossil fuels. This book shows how we, as individuals, have the power and technology available now to embrace renewable energy for a bright future. ---Kelly Hart, www.greenhomebuilding.com. The book covers solar hot water, cooking, and water purification; space heat: passive and active solar retrofits; wood heat; passive cooling; solar electricity; wind-generated electricity; electricity from microhydropower sources; emerging technologies-hydrogen, fuel cells, methane digesters, and biodiesel.--Kelly Hart
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Design and Construction of High-Performance Homes: Building Envelopes, Renewable Energies and Integrated Practice byFranca Truniano, 2012. Both professionals and students are increasingly committed to achieving high-performance metrics in the design, construction and operation of residential buildings. This book responds to this demand by offering a comprehensive guide which features: architectural innovations in building skin technologies which make lighter more transparent buildings high performin; energy-free architectural design principles and advances in building-integrated photovoltaic; essential engineering principles, controls and approaches to simulation for achieving net zero; the advantages of integrated design in residential construction and the challenges and opportunities it engenders; detailed case studies of innovative homes which have incorporated low-energy design solutions, new materials, alternative building assemblies, digital fabrication, integrated engineering systems and operational controls.
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Renewable Energy: Power for a Sustainable Future by Godfrey Boyle, 2012. The provision of sustainable energy supplies for an expanding and increasingly productive world is one of the major issues facing civilization today. Renewable Energy: Power for a Sustainable Future, Third Edition, examines both the practical and economic potential of the renewable energy sources to meet this challenge. The underlying physical and technological principles behind deriving power from direct solar (solar thermal and photovoltaics), indirect solar (biomass, hydro, wind, and wave) and non-solar (tidal and geothermal) energy sources are explained, within the context of their environmental impacts, their economics, and their future prospects.
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Smart Grid Home by Quentin Wells, 2012. Practical and reader-friendly, the SMART GRID HOME explains how you can adapt and retrofit an existing residence to take advantage of the energy and cost saving technology now available as part of the development of the Smart Grid. Topics covered include reducing home energy consumption by eliminating heat loss and heat transfer, reducing the power-on time of electronics and other power equipment without loss of convenience, automating home electrical systems to maximize energy conservation, evaluating electrical devices for energy efficiency, developing energy conservation strategies for replacing inefficient appliances, and timing the use of electricity in the home to save both energy and money. Throughout each chapter the information needed to take advantage of utility and government incentive programs to offset some or all of the cost is provided. Coverage also includes the selection and installation of renewable energy source electrical generating systems such as photovoltaic solar generating systems, solar water heating systems, and wind turbine generating systems.
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Power With Nature, updated 3rd edition: Renewable Energy Options for Homeowners by Rex A. Ewing, 2012. Take a step toward self-reliance by harnessing free energy from the sun, wind, water, and the earth to power your home. Power with Nature will get you started on the right path, whether you are connected to the grid or far from the nearest power pole. For Off-Grid & Grid-Tied Homes:
- Smart Ways to Conserve Energy - Solar Systems: Passive and Active (Photovoltaics) - Wind Turbines - Microhydro Systems - System Sizing, Pricing & Tax Credits - Backup Generators - Geothermal Heat Pumps - Solar Thermal Collectors - Biomass (Wood) Heating - Finding & Storing Water - Going on Vacation - Extensive Appendix (worksheets, maps, resources & more).
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PHOTOVOLTAICS
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Solar Electricity Handbook, 2013 Edition: A Simple Practical Guide to Solar Energy - Designing and Installing Photovoltaic Solar Electric Systems by Michael Boxwell, 2012. The 2013 edition of the Solar Electricity Handbook is a practical and straightforward guide to using photovoltaic solar panels to generate electricity. It is the seventh edition of the book, which has been updated yearly since 2009. Assuming no previous knowledge of solar panels, the book explains how solar panels work, how they can be used and explains the steps you need to take to successfully design and install a solar electric system from scratch using photovoltaic solar panels.
Accompanying this book is a solar resource website containing lots of useful information, lists of suppliers and on-line solar energy calculators that will simplify the cost analysis and design processes.
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Power from the Sun: A Practical Guide to Solar Electricity by Dan Chiras, 2009. Easy-to-understand, accurate, and comprehensive, this is the guide for anyone interested in installing a solar electric system. It provides a basic understanding of electricity, solar energy and the sun, and solar site assessment. It discusses the types of photovoltaics (PVs) and PV systems, advances in PVs, charge controllers, inverters, batteries, and generators, as well as the installation and maintenance of a PV system. This book is written for the layperson and is designed to raise the solar electricity literacy of readers. It provides a great overview of the many options available and is designed to help homeowners make wise decisions during the design, purchase, and installation of solar electric systems-and save a lot of money.
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Solar Energy Essentials for the Homeowner: Solar Energy Essentials for the Homeowner: Common Questions about Solar Energy for the Home
by Blake Webster, 2012.
Purchasing a solar energy system for the home can be a very rewarding experience, but it also requires a substantial investment. Explore commonly asked questions about solar energy for the home that include topics ranging from basic installation to money saving approaches, turning back the meter, solar batteries, energy efficiency and more. Whether you want to reduce your utility bill or get off the grid, Solar Energy Essentials for the Homeowner offers practical advice on achieving energy independence.
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Grid-connected Solar Electric Systems: The Earthscan Expert Handbook for Planning, Design and Installation by Geoff Stapleton and Susan Neill, 2012.
Solar electricity – or photovoltaics (PV) – is the world's fastest growing energy technology. It can be used on a wide variety of scales, from single dwellings to utility-scale solar farms providing power for whole communities. It can be integrated into existing electricity grids with relative simplicity, meaning that in times of low solar energy users can continue to draw power from the grid, while power can be fed or sold back into the grid at a profit when their electricity generation exceeds the amount they are using. The falling price of the equipment combined with various incentive schemes around the world have made PV into a lucrative low carbon investment, and as such demand has never been higher for the technology, and for people with the expertise to design and install systems.
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SOLAR HOT WATER
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Solar Domestic Water Heating: The Earthscan Expert Handbook for Planning, Design and Installation by Chris Laughton, 2010. Solar Domestic Water Heating is a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of solar domestic water heating systems. This fully-illustrated and easy-to-follow guide shows how domestic solar water heating systems work, the different types of systems, types of collectors, both flat plate and evacuated tube, types of storage tanks and other accessories. It also shows how systems are installed and explains how solar water heating can be integrated into existing water heating systems. Numerous examples from around the world have been included. The ideal guide for plumbers, heating engineers, builders and architects, housing and property developers, home owners and DIY enthusiasts, and anyone who needs a clear introduction to solar water heating technology.
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Solar Water Heating: A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Water And Space Heating Systems by Bob Ramlow, Benjamin Nusz, 2010. This book reviews the history of solar water & space heating systems from prehistory to the present, then presents the basics of solar water heating, including an introduction to modern solar energy systems, energy conservation and energy economics. Drawing on the author's experience as an installer of these systems, the book goes on to cover: Types of solar collectors, solar water and space heating systems and solar pool heating systems, including their advantages and disadvantages; System components, their installation, operation, and maintenance; System sizing and siting; Choosing the appropriate system. The book focuses especially on the financial aspects of solar water or space heating systems, clearly showing that such systems can save significant costs in the long run.
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Do It Yourself Solar Panels for Swimming Pools, Spas & more DVD, 2006. Solar Powered Panel Instructional DVD & Plans for water heating. A simple step-by-step, DIY, easy to follow solar panel construction DVD. No special tools required. Sleek design, professional look and ease of fabrication. Heating system fully integrates into your existing pool piping network. 3500 watts (12,000BTU) of free solar power per panel. 10+degrees F increase in water temperature in one day. Engineered for maximum robustness and weatherability.
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solar hot water: choosing, fitting and using a system by Lee Rose, 2012.
solar hot water: choosing, fitting and using a system provides detailed information about solar-heated water systems and is particularly applicable to domestic dwellings in the UK, although many of the principles described are widely adopted throughout the developed world. Lee Rose has 10 years of experience and involvement in consulting, training and installation work, field trials, technical research, and developmental thinking in the solar thermal industry in the UK and around the world. He combines this with a passionate personal commitment to making the best use of solar energy - the earth's most abundant energy resource. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to every aspect of solar hot water, including all relevant equipment, components, system design and installation and even how to build your own solar panels. |
WIND POWER
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2011 Introduction to Wind Power and Wind Energy Systems: Practical Information about America's Wind Program, Turbines, Consumer Guide, Federal Incentives, Large and Small Systems [Kindle Edition] by the US Department of Energy, 2011.
This ebook provides practical information on wind energy and wind power, with information on the design, development, and financing of wind power systems, small wind power consumer guide for homeowners and businesses, federal government incentives for development, and Department of Energy plans and programs. Contents include: Introduction to Wind Energy: The Basics; Federal Incentives for Wind Power Deployment; Wind Power Today 2010; Small Wind Electric Systems - U.S. Consumer's Guide. This compendium is a excellent reference source for up-to-date wind power information. There is a full list of federal incentive programs, including tax programs, grants, and other programs. For homeowners, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses, the consumer guide to small wind electric systems answers many questions: Is Wind Energy Practical for Me?
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Wind Power Workshop: Building Your Own Wind Turbine by Hugh Piggott, 2011.
This fully revised edition of Wind Power Workshop - the first for ten years - includes HughA's updated thoughts about wind turbine construction, thirty new illustrations (on top of the seventy that appeared in the previous edition) and an expanded and vastly superior layout. The book shows you how to construct aerodynamic efficient wind turbine blades using wood, match and connect the blades to a generator, build mechanical controls to direct and ensure the safety and efficiency of the blades and erect the turbine safely using a guyed tower. Wind Power Workshop helps you understand wind turbine technology without assuming prior knowledge but does assume you have a technical background - either in engineering or electronics.
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2011 Ultimate Guide to Wind Power and Wind Energy - Turbines, Small Wind Systems, Low Wind Speed, Offshore Wind Farms, Grid Integration, Resource Maps, Market Reports (Ringbound Book and DVD-ROM) by the US Deptarment of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Lab, 2010.
This ringbound book and DVD-ROM set provides an unprecedented encyclopedic collection of authoritative official documents, reference books, guides, handbooks, and technical reports about every conceivable aspect of wind power - with over 88,000 pages of invaluable material presented in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. The ringbound book reproduces an important overview of the wind energy situation, Twenty Percent Wind Energy by 2030, Increasing Wind Energy's Contribution to U.S. Electricity Supply.
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Wind Power Basics: A Green Energy Guide by Dan Chiras, 2010. Wind energy is the fastest growing source of energy in the world, and by the year 2020 it is projected to supply at least 12 percent of global electrical demand. Wind Power Basics provides a clear understanding of wind and wind energy systems, including turbines, towers, inverters and batteries, site assessment, installation, and maintenance requirements. Whether you're considering your own small-scale wind energy system or just want a straightforward, detailed introduction to the benefits and challenges of this rapidly emerging technology, Wind Power Basics is the guide you need.
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A Wind Turbine Recipe Book [Kindle Edition] by Hugh Piggott, 2010. A very practical, hands-on guide to building your own wind turbine, complete with drawings and detailed specifications of all the materials and processes. Six different sizes of turbines are covered, and also three different battery voltages for each and some guidance for those who wish to connected directly the mains grid. This publication is the fruit of ten years spent teaching practical courses during which wind turbines are built and tested. Hugh Piggott has spent thirty years off grid an uses wind energy for his own power. He has designed several turbines for manufacture in developing world situations and written a very popular book 'Windpower Workshop' about the theory of wind turbine design and installation. Numerous groups worldwide have started to build wind turbines according to Hugh's recipes and to teach similar courses so as to help others to build their own turbines.
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Power From the Wind: Achieving Energy Independence by Dan Chiras, Mick Sagrillo, Ian Woofenden, 2009. Faced with frequent power outages, skyrocketing energy costs, and constant reminders of the impacts of conventional energy sources, homeowners and businesses are beginning to explore ways to use energy more efficiently and to generate their own electricity to reduce fuel bills and their carbon footprint and to achieve greater independence. Power From the Wind is an easy-to-understand guide for individuals and businesses interested in installing small wind energy systems and includes information on the following: Ways to assess wind resources at your site; Wind turbines, towers, inverters, and batteries; Installation, maintenance, and costs. This book is designed to help readers make the smartest, most economical choices. Readers will gain the knowledge they need to make wise decisions during the design, purchase, and installation of small wind energy systems and to communicate effectively with wind system installers.
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Wind Energy Basics, Second Edition: A Guide to Home- and Community-Scale Wind-Energy Systems by Paul Gipe, 2009.
Wind power can realistically not only replace the lion's share of oil-, coal-, and naturalgas- fired electrical plants in the U.S., but also can add enough extra power capacity to allow for most of the cars in the nation to run on electricity. Gipe explains why such a startlingly straightforward solution is eminently doable and can be accomplished much sooner than previously thought-and will have the capacity to resuscitate small and regional economies. Wind Energy Basics offers a how-to for home-based wind applications, with advice on which wind turbines to choose and which to avoid. He guides wind-energy installers through considerations such as renewable investment strategies and gives cautionary tales of wind applications gone wrong. And for the activist, he suggests methods of prodding federal, state, and provincial governments to promote energy independence.
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Wind Power For Dummies by Ian Woofenden, 2009. The consumer guide to small-scale wind electricity production! This authoritative, plain-English guide walks you through every step of the process, from assessing your site and available wind sources to deciding whether wind power is the solution for you, from understanding the mechanics of wind power and locating a contractor to install your system to producing your own affordable and sustainable electricity. This book demystifies system configurations, terminology, and wind energy principles to help you speak the language of the pros, helps assess and reduce your energy needs and decide whether wind power is right for you, explains the mechanics of home-based wind power, shows you how to tie into the grid and sell energy back to the power company, offers advice on evaluating all of the costs of and financing for your project, and provides tips on working with contractors and complying with local zoning laws.
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Homebrew Wind Power by Dan Bartmann and Dan Fink, 2008.
Have you ever wondered how wind turbines work and why they look like they do? Are you interested in adding wind power to your off-grid electric system, but have been put off by the high cost of equipment and installation? Well, now you can build and install your own wind turbine! Harnessing the wind can be a tricky business, but in this groundbreaking book the authors provide step-by-step, illustrated instructions for building a wind generator in a home workshop. Even if you don't plan on building your own turbine, this book is packed with valuable information for anyone considering wind energy. It covers the basic physics of how the energy in moving air is turned into electricity, and most importantly, will give you a realistic idea of what wind energy can do for you--and what it can't
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HYDRO POWER
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Designing and Building Mini and Micro Hydro Power Schemes: A Practical Guide by Luis Rodriguez and Teodoro Sanchez, 2011. Small hydro power installations have the potential to provide a renewable supply of energy to people in remote, hilly communities, far from the national grid. This book is based on the authors’ considerable experience of installing hydroelectric schemes that produce up to 500 kW for powering small communities. This book describes not only the electro-mechanical equipment and how it is installed, but also the correct siting of the installation and how to design and build the channels leading up to the turbine so as to optimize performance. These civil works can be carried out by local manpower, using materials that are usually available locally. Chapters cover the main components of small hydroelectric plants from the intake and the headrace channel, via the conveyance channel, to the forebay tank, penstock, turbine, and generator.
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Microhydro : Clean Power from Water
by Scott Davis, 2003
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HOME HEATING
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Masonry Heaters: Designing, Building, and Living with a Piece of the Sun by Ken Matsz, 2010. Masonry Heaters is a complete guide to designing and living with one of the oldest, and yet one of the newest, heating devices. A masonry heater's design, placement in the home, and luxurious radiant heat redefine the hearth for the modern era, turning it into a piece of the sun right inside the home. Like the feeling one gets from the sun on a spring day, the environment around a masonry heater feels fresh. The radiant heat feels better on the skin. It warms the home both gently and efficiently. In fact, the value of a masonry heater lies in its durability, quality, serviceability, dependability, and health-supporting features. And it is an investment in self-sufficiency and freedom from fossil fuels. For a complete review by Kelly Hart click here.
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Rocket Mass Heaters: Superefficient Woodstoves YOU Can Build by Ianto Evans and Leslie Jackson, 2006. Here is a superefficient wood fired heater you can build for yourself in a weekend for less than a hundred dollars. This book explains in detail exactly how to build one, then how to use it in a range of applications. They discuss materials: where to find them, what to pay and how to make use of found and recycled parts. The section on fire and fuels is thorough but simple; they tried to keep away from numbers wherever possible. There are success stories, case studies, references and where to find further information, all heavily illustrated. Home heating can be expensive both in capital equipment and in running costs. If we heat by gas, oil or electricity we are supporting a big corporation and impoverishing ourselves. By building an extra efficient heating system you will be one more big step off the treadmill and your move to self-sufficiency and true wealth. Good luck with your stove!
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The Log Book: Getting the best from your wood-burning stove by Will Rolls, 2012.
Using a wood-burning stove effectively is both an art and a science. In this friendly, comprehensive guide, chartered forester and woodfuel expert Will Rolls talks the reader though the theory and practice of getting the best results from their stove. From finding the fuel and seasoning it to lighting the stove and operating it cleanly, this book describes the best techniques for looking after your log stove. Will clearly explains how to ensure you get a good fire every time with a minimum of smoke, soot and ash.
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The Book of Masrony Stoves: Rediscovering an Old Way of Warming by David Lyle, 1998. This book has many illustrations and covers the history of masonry heating systems. It is both extensive and well-written. It will provide new ideas about masonry heating.
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Build Your Own Barrel Oven: A Guide for Making a Versatile, Efficient, and Easy to Use Wood-Fired Oven by Eva Edleson and Max Edleson, 2012.
Max and Eva Edleson offer a comprehensive guide for planning and building a practical, efficient and affordable wood-fired oven. The Barrel Oven offers surprising convenience because it is hot and ready to bake in within 15-20 minutes and is easy to maintain at a constant temperature. It can be the seed for a small-scale baking enterprise or the heart of a community's wood-fired cuisine. All kinds of food can be baked in the Barrel Oven including bread, roasts, pizza, cookies cakes, pies, casseroles and stews. Follow this step-by-step guide to transform local, low-cost materials and the sun's energy into good food.
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ECONOMICS & POLITICS
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Distributed Renewable Energies for Off-Grid Communities: Strategies and Technologies toward Achieving Sustainability in Energy Generation and Supply by Nasir El Bassam, Preben Maegaard and Marcia Schlichting, 2012.
Energy is directly related to the most critical economic and social issues which affect sustainable development such as mobility, food production, environmental quality, regional and global security issues. Two-thirds of the new demand will come from developing nations, with China accounting for 30%. Without adequate attention to the critical importance of energy to all these aspects, the global, social, economic and environmental goals of sustainability cannot be achieved. Indeed the magnitude of change needed is immense, fundamental and directly related to the energy produced and consumed nationally and internationally. Today, it is estimated that more than two billion people worldwide lack access to modern energy resources. Distributed Renewable Energies for Off-Grid Communities provides various options and case studies related to the potential of renewable energies along with their environmental, economic and social dimensions. Case studies provide you with solutions to for future decentralized energy supply. Expanded coverage over previous work in the field to include coverage of rural and urban communities. Provides new solutions for future decentralized energy supply.
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The Manhattan Project of 2009: Renewable Energy NOW by Jeff Wilson, 2008.
In 2002, oil was $22 a barrel. Now it is well over $100 a barrel, with no end in sight. The average person is in shock at the price of a tank of gas. Is this shortage for real, or is it made up, just like the shortages in the 1970's? And either way, what can be done about it? "I wanted to know what the truth is, and what our options are," says author Jeff Wilson. "I found that if I dig deep enough, I can find the facts, do the math, and see just where we are at. Also, it became quite clear just how we should deal with this situation." Framed as a legislative agenda for the next president to take office in 2009, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the situation, an examination of the options, and develops the first truly comprehensive energy plan. In it, you will find facts, analyses, and perspectives that you won't find anywhere else.
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Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry by Travis Bradford, 2008.
Fund manager and former corporate buyout specialist Travis Bradford argues-on the basis of standard business and economic forecasting models-that over the next two decades solar energy will increasingly become the best and cheapest choice for most electricity and energy applications. Solar Revolution outlines the path by which the transition to solar technology and sustainable energy practices will occur. Solar energy will eventually be the cheapest source of energy in nearly all markets and locations because PV can bypass the aging and fragile electricity grid and deliver its power directly to the end user, fundamentally changing the underlying economics of energy. Ultimately, the shift from fossil fuels to solar energy will take place not because solar energy is better for the environment or energy security, or because of future government subsidies or as yet undeveloped technology. The shift to solar energy is inevitable and will be as transformative as the last century's revolutions in information and communication technologies.
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Rooftop Revolution: How Solar Power Can Save Our Economy-and Our Planet-from Dirty Energy by Danny Kennedy, 2012. Here is the truth that the powerful Dirty Energy public relations machine doesn’t want you to know: the ascent of solar energy is upon us. The production of solar-generated electricity has risen exponentially in the last few years, and employment in the solar industry has doubled since 2009. Meanwhile, electricity from coal has declined to pre–World War II levels as the fossil fuel industry continues to shed jobs. Danny Kennedy systematically refutes the lies spread by solar’s opponents—that it is expensive, inefficient, and unreliable; that it is kept alive only by subsidies; that it can’t be scaled; and many other untruths. He shows that we need a rooftop revolution to break the entrenched power of the coal, oil, nuclear, and gas industries. Solar energy can create more jobs, return our nation to prosperity, and ensure the sustainability and safety of our planet.
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Energy Systems and Sustainability: Power for a Sustainable Future edited by Bob Everett, Godfrey Boyle, Stephen Peake and Janet Ramage, 2012.
Interdisciplinary in its approach and global in its perspective, Energy Systems and Sustainability: Power for a Sustainable Future, Second Edition, provides a contemporary exploration of the economic, social, environmental, and policy issues raised by current systems of energy use. Emphasizing the important issue of sustainability, it analyzes the historical evolution of the world's energy systems, the principles underlying their use, and their present status and future prospects. Beginning with a survey of basic energy concepts, the book describes the magnitude and patterns of human energy needs at various levels. It moves on to an overview of the fossil and nuclear-fuelled energy that, together with hydroelectric power and traditional biofuels, supply most of the world's commercial energy needs. Sections on economics describe the basic methods through which the monetary costs of energy are calculated, also considering the "external" costs of energy production.
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Harvest the Wind: America's Journey to Jobs, Energy Independence, and Climate Stability by Philip Warburg, 2012. Winds sweeping through the Great Plains once robbed the Farm Belt of its future, stripping away overworked topsoil and creating the dreaded Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Today, those winds are bringing new hope to the declining rural communities of the central United States. Nowhere is wind’s promise more palpable than in Cloud County, Kansas, where the soaring turbines of the Meridian Way Wind Farm are boosting incomes and bringing green jobs to a community that has, for decades, watched its children drift away. In Harvest the Wind, Philip Warburg brings readers face-to-face with the people behind the green economy–powered resurgence in Cloud County and communities like it across the United States. This corner of Kansas is the first stop on an odyssey that introduces readers to farmers, factory workers, biologists, and high-tech entrepreneurs—all players in a transformative industry that is taking hold across America and around the globe.
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Before the Lights Go Out: Conquering the Energy Crisis Before It Conquers Us
by Maggie Koerth-Baker, 2012.
"Hi, I'm the United States and I'm an oil-oholic." We have an energy problem. And everybody knows it, even if we can't all agree on what, specifically, the problem is. Rising costs, changing climate, peaking oil, foreign oil, public safety—if the fears are this complicated, then the solutions are bound to be even more confusing. Maggie Koerth-Baker—science editor at the award-winning blog BoingBoing.net—finally makes some sense out of the madness. Over the next 20 years, we'll be forced to cut 20 quadrillion BTU worth of fossil fuels from our energy budget, by wasting less and investing in alternatives. To make it work, we'll need to radically change the energy systems that have shaped our lives for 100 years. And the result will be neither business-as-usual, nor a hippie utopia. Koerth-Baker explains what we can do, what we can't do, and why "The Solution" is really a lot of solutions working together. This isn't about planting a tree, buying a Prius, and proving that you're a good person. Economics and social incentives got us a country full of gas-guzzling cars, long commutes, inefficient houses, and coal-fired power plants out in the middle of nowhere, and economics and incentives will be the things that build our new world. Ultimately, change is inevitable.
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LINKS
DIRECTORIES
discoverperfectenergy.com offers a free matching service for renewable energy projects with qualified contractors and associations.
findsolar.com An online directory of solar energy professionals
solarenergy.net features a directory of solar professionals, solar power cost calculator, and interactive solar maps for researching the Solar Power potential of your home, checking out federal, state, and local rebates and incentives.
seia.org the Solar Energy Industries Association provides news and has a database of solar contractors.
solaraccess.com news, education, business listings and jobs related to renewable energy.
cirkits.com links to manufacturers, organizations, etc. related to alternative energy.
GENERAL
nrel.gov The Renewable Resource Data Center (RReDC) provides access to an extensive collection of renewable energy resource data, maps, and tools.
greenhouse.gov.au this very informative on-line manual provides an overview of energy use, including appliances, hot water, heating and cooling, lighting, and renewable electricity production, storage and delivery.
repp.org Renewable Energy Policy Project's comprehensive site features articles, discussion groups, events calendar, searchable database and employment oportunities.
the-mrea.org Midwest Renewable Energy Association site with information on PV, solar water heating, their annual fair, etc.
webconx.com extensive site devoted to renewable energy, transportation, shelter, etc.
knowlegehound.com links to hydro, PV, wind, etc.
sitiosolar.com a Spanish language site that focuses on renewable energy.
ecodirect.com links to several informative articles about renewable energy technology.
INCENTIVES & SUPPORT
dsireusa.org The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy.
greenmadesimple.com gives users access to energy efficiency incentives and rebates, searchable by zip code.
epa.gov The Green Power Partnership is a program that helps the procurement of green power by offering expert advice, technical support, tools and resources.
jointhesolution.com this company leases PV systems to residential customers for the same cost as normal monthly payments!
COMMUNITY RENEWABLE ENERGY
cleanenergycollective.com assists with establishing community owned renewable energy facilities.
solargardens.org describes the history of the Solar Garden concept for community owned renewable energy projects.
concertoplus.eu explains all of Concerto's initiatives for bringing renewable energy to cities throughout Europe.
solaramericacommunities.energy.gov this lengthy PDF explains many of the intricacies of providing renewavble"distributed generation" for comunities.
EDUCATION
naturalhomes.org lists workshops from around the world related to renewable energy.
solarenergy.org Solar Energy International on-line courses.
lowimpact.org the Low-Impact Linging Initiative in England provides information and courses related to renewable energy.
solarconnectionma.com has a number of informative pages answering questions about various modes solar energy use in the home.
MEDIA
renewableenergyaccess free weekly newletter of on-line information about renewable energy.
ases.org the American Solar Energy Society publishes "Solar Today" and posts articles on-line.
homepower.com website for Home Power Magazine.the best source of up-to-date information about alternative energy for the home!
seia.org the Solar Energy Industries Association provides news and has a database of solar contractors.
solaraccess.com news, education, business listings and jobs related to renewable energy.
awea.org American Wind Energy Association provides a wealth of information about generating energy from wind.
alt-e.blogspot.com A very interesting, well presented and researched blog about all aspects of alternative energy.
Sustainable Life a wealth of information about renewable energy, especially in Europe.
siliconsolar.com features a forum for learning and sharing information about solar energy.
housesittingjobs.com Here is a list of 30 blogs that focus on ways to save energy around your house.
SOLAR ELECTRICITY
freesunpower.com this site has assembled a detailed set of free tutorials and worksheets for calculating needs and system requirements for solar electricity.
aboutmyplanet.com has lots of articles about solar power.
solar.calfinder.com describes and links to three manufacturers of solar roof shingles.
sunup-solar-power.com has lots of information and adivise for installing home solar electric systems.
plugnsaveenergyproducts.com features a clever combination of window shutters with PV attached for producing home electricity.
SOLAR THERMAL
Seabird Island Project shows unique design for the solar heating of water and space through warm air collection and geothermal heat tubes.
alternativepowerdistribution.com describes evacuated tube solar water heating systems.
WOOD HEAT
chimneykeepers.com introduction to masonry stoves.
envisioneer.net has free plans, description and photos of how to build a small masonry stove with paving stones.
richsoil.com has a good description and lots of videos about Rocket Mass Stoves
rumford.com lots of information about Rumford fireplaces.
lowtechmagazine.com a very nice illustrated article about masonry heaters.
mountainviewoffgridliving.com this Kimberly Stove is extremely efficient, as well as light weight and beautiful.
HUMAN POWER
mayapedal.org an amazing collection of pedal-powered machines, including grain mill, water pump, blender, metal sharpener, washing machine, electrical generator, wood saw, etc.
windstreampower.com features a human-powered generator.
METHANE
arti-india.org a description of a simple biodigestor to make methane...from India.
HYDRO POWER
microhydropower.com describes how the "Steam Engine" works to produce electricity from running water.
GEOTHERMAL
geothermalheaters.com explains how geothermal heat pumps work.
cmrmechanical.com has some FAQ's about geothermal systems.
MISCELLANEOUS
starrynightlights.com is devoted to diminishing light pollution. |
