Reflecting its reliance on fossil fuels, the electric power industry produces the majority of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. The need for a revolution in the industry becomes further apparent given that 'decarbonization' means an increasing electrification of other sectors of the economy'in particular, through a switch from gasoline to electric vehicles. Of the options for producing electric power without significant greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy is most attractive to policymakers, as it promises increased national self-reliance on energy supplies and the creation of new industries and jobs, without the safety and political concerns of nuclear power or the unproven technology of carbon capture and storage. Drawing on both economic theory and the experiences of the United States and EU member states, Harnessing Renewable Energy addresses the key questions surrounding renewable energy policies. How appropriate is the focus on renewable power as a primary tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions? If renewable energy is given specific support, what form should that support take? What are the implications for power markets if renewable generation is widely adopted? Thorough and well-evidenced, this book will be of interest to a broad range of policymakers, the electric power industry, and economists who study energy and environmental issues.

An up to date account of renewable sources of electricity generation and their integration into power systems With the growth in installed capacity of renewable energy (RE) generation, many countries such as the UK are relying on higher levels of RE generation to meet targets for reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In the face of this, the integration issue is now of increasing concern, in particular to system operators. This updated text describes the individual renewable technologies and their power generation characteristics alongside an expanded introduction to power systems and the challenges posed by high levels of penetrations from such technologies, together with an account of technologies and changes to system operation that can ease RE integration. Features of this edition: Covers power conditioning, the characteristics of RE generators, with emphasis on their time varying nature, and the use of power electronics in interfacing RE sources to grids Outlines up to date RE integration issues such as power flow in networks supplied from a combination of conventional and renewable energy sources Updated coverage of the economics of power generation and the role of markets in delivering investment in sustainable solutions Considers the challenge of maintaining power balance in a system with increasing RE input, including recent moves toward power system frequency support from RE sources Offers an insightful perspective on the shape of future power systems including offshore networks and demand side management Includes worked examples that enhance this edition’s suitability as a textbook for introductory courses in RE systems technology Firmly established as an essential reference, the Second Edition of Renewable Energy in Power Systems will prove a real asset to engineers and others involved in both the traditional power and fast growing renewables sector. This text should also be of particular benefit to students of electrical power engineering and will additionally appeal to non-specialists through the inclusion of background material covering the basics of electricity generation.

This book offers an analytical overview of established electric generation processes, along with the present status & improvements for meeting the strains of reconstruction. These old methods are hydro-electric, thermal & nuclear power production. The book covers climatic constraints; their affects and how they are shaping thermal production. The book also covers the main renewable energy sources, wind and PV cells and the hybrids arising out of these. It covers distributed generation which already has a large presence is now being joined by wind & PV energies. It covers their accommodation in the present system. It introduces energy stores for electricity; when they burst upon the scene in full strength are expected to revolutionize electricity production. In all the subjects covered, there are references to power marketing & how it is shaping production. There will also be a reference chapter on how the power market works.

This book, consisting a series of papers written by experts in their respective fields of specialization, will provide a comprehensive coverage of renewable energy technologies, such as wind, wave and solar thermal energy. Other industrial terms like photovoltaic systems, biomass, distributed generations and small hydro power systems are also discussed and further elaborated upon. The Handbook of Renewable Energy Technology will be of great practical benefit to professionals, scientists and researchers in the relevant industries, and will be of interest to those of the general public wanting to know more about renewable energy technologies.

The liberalization of U.S. and European electric power markets presents a critical challenge for renewable sources of energy. Edinger and Kaul survey the technological state-of-the-art and economic aspects of renewable electricity generation, and outline the role of other renewable sources, such as solar, wind, and micro-hydroelectric technologies. Offering an empirical and theoretical assessment of these technologies and their assets and liabilities, the book shows how it is possible to restructure our electric power systems and reorient them toward sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives. International climate conferences such as those in Rio de Janeiro and Kyoto have proclaimed the need for environmentally hospitable technologies. A new electricity system, based on renewable resources and small-scale power technologies, is needed badly; their economics and other efficiencies over conventional central power generation with fossil fuels is clear. Edinger and Kaul assess the rewards and risks associated with renewable technologies and outline a feasible path toward a more environmentally friendly, and reasonable, use of limited natural resources and the global ecosystem. One promising approach for industrialized countries is the decentralization of our current public grid systems. This offers an opportunity for developing countries to leapfrog the stage of fossil fuel, held responsible now for environmental pollution, resource depletion and possibly global climate change. The authors present theoretical analyses and empirical evidence to buttress their contentions, mainly, that electric power systems founded on renewable resources are vital prerequisites if we are to achieve the United Nations' target of globally sustained development.

Photovoltaic power systems are becoming a significant source of energy in our energy resource mix today. It is essential these systems are reliable, safe and secure. Precise engineering design is required to insure these new power systems meet these requirements. In particular, interconnected systems with existing utility power systems must operate in synchronism and improve overall quality of the electrical power grid. This book is intended to identify and explain engineering procedures for the design and operation of photovoltaic systems. It includes a review of conventional electrical power systems as implemented in the United States and common to all electrical systems throughout the world and introduces other types of renewable energy systems. The heart of the book is focused on the design of interconnected and stand-alone PV systems-battery storage is becoming an integral part of PV systems, and a significant portion of the text is dedicated to energy storage for stand-alone and back-up power systems. The author also highlights how economics and structural considerations are an essential part of the engineering design process.

This book outlines the challenges that increasing amounts of renewable and distributed energy represent when integrated into established electricity grid infrastructures, offering a range of potential solutions that will support engineers, grid operators, system planners, utilities, and policymakers alike in their efforts to realize the vision of moving toward greener, more secure energy portfolios. Covering all major renewable sources, from wind and solar, to waste energy and hydropower, the authors highlight case studies of successful integration scenarios to demonstrate pathways toward overcoming the complexities created by variable and distributed generation.

This book aims to describe the mechanisms of the internal wholesale electricity market in terms of the legal tools and practices used by electricity producers, the most important market participants. In this regard, the focus is on Northwestern Europe. Because of the book’s functional perspective, it is not limited to the external regulation of electricity markets at the EU level and also describes the business models and practices employed by electricity producers. Both the physical and financial marketplaces are examined and topics including electricity supply, balancing, transmission and derivatives are covered. The target for the completion of the EU’s internal electricity market was 2014. The internal wholesale electricity market is very important not only for electricity producers, suppliers and major end consumers but also for network operators, marketplace operators, electricity technology firms, investment firms and market regulators.