Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources: A Reference Handbook PDF
Preview Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources: A Reference Handbook
01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page i RENEWABLE AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESOURCES www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page ii Selected Titles in ABC-CLIO’s CONTEMPORARY WORLD ISSUES Series Adoption, Barbara A. Moe Campaign and Election Reform, Glenn H. Utter and Ruth Ann Strickland 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 U.S. Military Service,Cynthia A. Watson U.S. National Security,Cynthia A. Watson U.S. Social Security, Steven G. Livingston Waste Management,Jacqueline Vaughn For a complete list of titles in thisseries, please visit www.abc-clio.com. www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page iii Books in the Contemporary World Issues series address vital is- sues in today’s society, such as genetic engineering, pollution, and biodiversity. Written by professional writers, scholars, and nonacademic experts, these books are authoritative, clearly writ- ten, up-to-date, and objective. They provide a good starting point for research by high school and college students, scholars, and general readers as well as by legislators, businesspeople, ac- tivists, and others. Each book, carefully organized and easy to use, contains an overview of the subject, a detailed chronology, biographical sketches, facts and data and/or documents and other primary- source material, a directory of organizations and agencies, anno- tated lists of print and nonprint resources, and an index. Readers of books in the Contemporary World Issues series will find the information they need to have a better understanding of the social, political, environmental, and economic issues facing the world today. www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page iv www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page v 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 www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page vi 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 www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page vii 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. www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page viii www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page ix 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 www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868 01_realen1c_fm:01_ussose1c_fm 6/24/08 9:31 AM Page x 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 www.abc-clio.com ABC-CLIO 1-800-368-6868
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