Energy Systems and Sustainability: Power for a Sustainable Future (2nd ed.)

The only text to provide a fresh, contemporary perspective on energy and sustainability for an undergraduate audience Includes extensive coverage of both fossil fuels and nuclear power, but in the context of an increasing use of renewable energy Boxes throughout the text present clear explanations of the technologies, underlying physics, and more advanced topics New to this edition International comparisons of key energy statistics now include India and China in addition to the UK, USA, France, and Denmark, giving a truly global perspective Increased coverage of the 'peak oil' debate and the environmental implications of China's increasing energy use Significantly revised and expanded exploration of the sustainability of fossil fuel use, with new material on carbon capture and storage, the social cost of carbon, hybrid electric cars, and prospects for a hydrogen economy Start-of-chapter overviews and end-of-chapter reviews aid navigation and consolidation of information Appendix of US units How can we provide clean, safe, sustainable energy supplies for the world despite rising population levels and increasing economic development? Today, energy and sustainability are of primary concern and form the focus of this book and its companion volume, Renewable Energy. Interdisciplinary in its approach and global in its perspective, this book provides a contemporary exploration of the economic, social, environmental, and policy issues raised by current systems of energy use, as well as describing their key physical and engineering features. The historical evolution of the world's energy systems, the principles underlying their use, and their present status and future prospects are analysed, while emphasizing the important issue of sustainability. Beginning with a survey of basic energy concepts, the book describes the magnitude and patterns of human energy needs at various levels. Focus then turns 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 describes the basic methods by which the monetary costs of energy are calculated, and discuss the issue of 'external' costs of energy production. The concluding chapters consider the sustainabliity problems associated with both fossil and nuclear fuel use, and ways in which they might be ameliorated by various technological and social developments. This is done in the context of a rising use of renewable energy. · Extensive coverage of the important concepts and issues underpinning modern energy production and its future prospects · Adopts an interdisciplinary approach making the text readable by engineer and policy maker alik