Renewable Energy: A User's Guide

Every day there are news reports that highlight spiralling energy costs, accelerating energy consumption, serious concerns over fuel security and fears that oil production may soon decline. All such reports are set against a background of the most serious threat to the world today - global warming and the devastating impact of climate change.This informative and wide-ranging book, written by an acknowledged expert, demonstrates how renewable energy technologies can help meet CO2 reduction targets. The author emphasizes that we need to use these technologies on a much wider scale to produce heat and electricity, and argues that if action is taken immediately it could make an enormous difference. He demonstrates how by installing a renewable energy technology in your home, you will be taking a step towards reducing your carbon footprint and ultimately you will be helping to save the planet. Now in a fully updated edition, this invaluable and well-illustrated book reviews the range of currently available renewable technologies that can provide energy as heat and electricity for our homes, businesses and industry, and also save harmful emissions, energy and money.The technologies are: Solar energy using solar panels for hot water and electricity; Heat pumps, which take heat from the ground for homes and buildings; Biomass fuels such as wood and waste, and even specially grown crops; Wind power, which can provide us with significant amounts of electricity in the decades ahead; Hydroelectricity where suitable rivers and streams are available; The potential of emerging technologies such as geothermal, wave and tidal power. An invaluable and informative book that demonstrates how renewable energy technologies can help meet CO2 reduction targets. Installing a renewable energy technology in your home will be a step towards reducing your carbon footprint. Reviews the currently available renewable technologies tht can provide energy for home, businesses and industry. Superbly illustrated with 78 colour photographs and 20 diagrams. Andy McCrea is a Chartered Engineer and was awarded an MBE for services to the electricity industry in 2004.