Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources: A Reference Handbook

339 Pages·2008·7.73 MB·English

by  Zachary A. Smith

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RENEWABLE AND
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
RESOURCES

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Selected Titles in ABC-CLIO’s
CONTEMPORARY
WORLD ISSUES
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Adoption, Barbara A. Moe
Campaign and Election Reform, Glenn H. Utter and
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Chemical and Biological Warfare,Al Mauroni
Childhood Sexual Abuse, Karen L. Kinnear
Corporate Crime, Richard D. Hartley
Domestic Violence, Margi Laird McCue
Emergency Management,Jeffrey B. Bumgarner
Energy Use Worldwide, Jaina L. Moan and Zachary A. Smith
Food Safety, Nina E. Redman
Gangs, Karen L. Kinnear
Globalization, Justin Ervin and Zachary A. Smith
Illegal Immigration, Michael C. LeMay
Intellectual Property, Aaron Schwabach
Internet and Society,Bernadette H. Schell
Mainline Christians and U.S. Public Policy, Glenn H. Utter
Mental Health in America, Donna R. Kemp
Nuclear Weapons and Nonproliferation, Sarah J. Diehl and
James Clay Moltz
Policing in America, Leonard A. Steverson
Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources, Zachary A. Smith and
Katrina D. Taylor
Rich and Poor in America, Geoffrey Gilbert
Sentencing, Dean John Champion
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RENEWABLE AND
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
RESOURCES
A Reference Handbook
Zachary A. Smith and Katrina D. Taylor

CONTEMPORARY
WORLD ISSUES
Santa Barbara, California
Denver, Colorado
Oxford, England
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Copyright © 2008 by ABC-CLIO, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior
permission in writing from the publishers.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Smith, Zachary A. (Zachary Alden), 1953–
Renewable and alternative energy resources : a reference handbook /
Zachary A. Smith and Katrina D. Taylor.
p. cm. — (ABC-CLIO‘s contemporary world issues series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-59884-089-6 (hard copy : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-59884-090-2 (ebook)
1. Renewable energy sources—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Taylor,
Katrina D. II. Title.

TJ808.3.S65 2008
333.79‘4—dc22
2008016625
12 11 10 09 08 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ABC-CLIO, Inc.
130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911
Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911
This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an eBook.
Visit abc-clio.com for details.
This book is printed on acid-free paper I
Manufactured in the United States of America
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This book is dedicated
to the many family members
and friends who provide me
with continuing support,
encouragement,
and hope for the future.
You know who you are.
—K. D. T.
For posterity.
Who hasn’t done a thing for me.
—Z. A. S.

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Contents
Preface,xiii
1 Background and History, 1
Introduction, 1
Definitions and Distinctions of Energy Sources, 2
Energy Conversions, 2
Roles and Transitions of Energy Sources, 3
History of Renewable Energy Policy in the United
States, 5
Current Energy Sources, 8
Projected Outlook for Worldwide Energy Demand and
Consumption, 9
Renewable and Alternative Energy Technologies, 11

Solar, 12
Wind, 15
Biomass, 16
Geothermal, 20
Hydro, 22
Ocean Energy: Wave, Tidal, and Ocean Thermal
Energy Conversion, 23
Alternative Energy, 26
Nuclear Fission, 26
Fusion, 28
Energy Conservation, 30
Hydrogen, 31
Conclusion, 31
References, 32
ix
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x Contents
2 Problems, Controversies, and Solutions, 37
Introduction, 37
Problems, 37
The Energy Debate, 38
Controversies, 47
Controversy: Viability of Renewable and Alternative
Energy Technologies, 47
Controversy: Nuclear Power, 54
Controversy: Energy Conservation, 57
Controversy: Oil Topping Point, 58
Controversy: Global Warming, 59
Controversy: Economic and Political Problems, 60
Solutions, 61
Broad Advantages of Renewable and Alternative
Energy, 61
Technical Solutions, 63
Policy Solutions, 64
Global Perspectives, 75
Conclusion, 77
References, 78
3 Worldwide Perspective, 83
Introduction, 83
Europe, 84
EU Renewable and Alternative Energy Policies, 85
Germany, 86
France, 88
United Kingd om, 89
Other Notable Policies of EU Member States, 90
Asia and Oceania, 92
China, 93
India, 96
Japan, 99
Australia, 102
Other Notable Issues in Asia, 104
Africa and the Middle East, 106
South Africa, 108
Middle East, 108
North America, 109
Canada, 110
Mexico, 112
Central America, 113
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