books on renewable energy

The books in this section address general energy and conservation topics. To find books on specific types of energy such as Solar Energy or Wind Energy click on the 'Book' menu item in those sections. To find out more about a book or to purchase it at Amazon.com just click on the link.

This book systematically approaches various alternative sources of energy, discussing in layperson's terms the current state of public policy, energy technology and the political, economic, and social feasibility of the alternative energy paradigm. The goal is to help the less technically-minded become active participants in choosing the energy future for their community.

To free the U.S. of fossil fuel dependency while boosting the economy, we need the kind of visionary leadership that led to the Apollo moon landings in 1969, according to Inslee and Hendricks in this energetic articulation of a clean-energy future. That vision is sadly lacking under the current administration, reports Washington State Congressman Inslee in several caustic sidebars about his contentious energy discussions with President Bush and Vice-President Cheney. His first-person anecdotes lighten this otherwise earnest book, based on initiatives of the Apollo Alliance, an advocacy group and think tank uniting unions, environmental groups and business organizations committed to fostering a green economy. Redesigning the car, investing in solar power, mining wind for power, exploring the nascent technology of wave energy, using energy more efficiently and working clean coal and safe nuclear power into the equation are among the authors' prescriptions.

After a generation out of the spotlight, coal has reasserted its centrality: the United States "burns more than a billion tons" per year, and since 9/11 and the Iraq war, independence from foreign oil has become positively patriotic. Our reliance on coal—the unspoken foundation of our "information" economy—has, Goodell says, led to an "empire of denial" that blocks us from the investments necessary to find alternative energy sources that could eventually save us from fossil fuel. Goodell's description of the mining-related deaths, the widespread health consequences of burning coal and the impact on our planet's increasingly fragile ecosystem make for compelling reading, but such commonplace facts are not what lift this book out of the ordinary. That distinction belongs to Goodell's fieldwork, which takes him to Atlanta, West Virginia, Wyoming, China and beyond—though he also has a fine grasp of the less tangible niceties of the industry. Goodell has a talent for pithy argument—and the book fairly crackles with informed conviction. ...from Publishers Weekly

Whether you're building a new house or have an existing one, "Basics of Energy Efficient Living" shares the principles behind energy efficient living. Have you ever wondered: What is R-value? How much energy could I get from my creek? Can I use alternative energy in the city? How much heat will it take to keep my house warm? How much heat will I lose if I put in a bigger window? Learn what it takes to save energy, then take the next step and collect your own. Find out how much energy you can get from water, sun, wind, and wood. Discover how much energy you need by making an energy budget specific for your house. Learn energy principles as you design a house step-by-step.

This absolutely groundbreaking manual doesn't just talk about eco-friendly building techniques, but actually shows every step! More than 1,200 close-up photographs, along with in-depth descriptions, follow the real construction of an alternative house from site selection to the addition of final-touch interior details. Co-authors Clarke Snell and Timothy Callahan (a professional builder and contractor) provide thorough discussions of the fundamental concepts of construction, substitutes for conventional approaches, and planning a home that's not only comfortable and beautiful, but environmentally responsible. Then, they roll up their sleeves and get to work assembling a guest house that incorporates four different alternative building methods: straw bale, cob, cordwood, and modified stick frame. This manual conveys real-world challenges and processes, and offers dozens of sidebars with invaluable advice. It's head and shoulders above all others in the field.

Most people are unaware that environmental problems such as climate change can be easily avoided, at a profit, through the intelligent application of appropriate technology. The Carbon Buster's Home Energy Handbook describes how to achieve this goal in the residential field. The first book in North America to provide a detailed carbon accounting of a family's carbon emissions and how to reduce them, it systematically analyzes energy costs and evaluates which measures yield the highest returns for the environment and the pocketbook. The book allows individuals to quickly and accurately assess which products are a good deal and which aren't. It systematically analyzes residential carbon emissions and energy costs and prioritizes solutions based on highest carbon reductions and monetary returns, yielding results that are often surprising. 

Rather than being a pie in the sky, the book shows what communities around the world are already doing to produce energy locally, rather than just getting it from the big utilities. Rather than coal, nuclear or other environmentally damaging methods, the books covers the how, whys, problems and opportunities of communities producing their own power. With global warming and peak oil looming, this book could not have been published at a better time.

It seems every set of problems comes with its own set of financial opportunities Such is the case with this new book which explores the opportunities presented by the Green Revolution and global warming are thoughtfully explored. Although Pernick and Wilder state that they are not financial advisors, they profile the leading companies involved in the most promising of these alternative energies, which gives the reader a place to begin doing further research into investment opportunities. The book is an excellent update on the current state of the industry and a who's who of the companies poised to profit from this exciting array of technologies.

This is one of our favorite books on reducing home energy costs.  Consumer Reports has long been an excellent source of valuable consumer information and this book is no exception.  The book covers just about every major aspect of home energy usage and is replete with very clear illustrations showing you how you can do energy saving projects yourself. We found the section on weatherstripping and insulation to be among the best we have seen. In addition the book reflects the long time research that the Consumers Union has done to determine which approaches are most cost effective.

How efficient are front-loading washing machines? When is it time to replace your old refrigerator? These questions and many more are answered in The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings 9th Edition, a one-stop resource for consumers who want to improve their home's energy performance and reduce costs. Zeroing in on the most useful response can be a challenge; this ninth edition cuts through the confusion. Well-organized and highly readable, The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings begins with an overview of the interrelationships between energy use, economics, and the environment. Chapters focus on specific areas in the home, such as electronics, lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, kitchen, and laundry, and provide helpful explanations for each. Included are tips on improving existing equipment and guidance for when and why consumers should purchase new energy-efficient equipment, as well as a reminder to check local government and utility incentives for purchase or retrofit grants. This guide will be an invaluable resource to all consumers concerned about reducing both their energy bills and their environmental impact.

The new book from the internationally renowned author of The Solar Economy and A Solar Manifesto, and named one of Time Magazine’s "Heroes of the Green Century." For 200 years industrial civilization has relied on the combustion of abundant and cheap carbon fuels. But continued reliance has lead to perilous consequences. On the one hand, the insecurity of relying on the world’s most unstable region--the Middle East--compounded by the imminence of Peak Oil, growing scarcity, and mounting prices. Yet there is an answer: to make the transition to renewable sources of energy and to distributed, decentralized energy generation. It is a model that has been proven, technologically, commercially and politically, as Scheer comprehensively demonstrates.

A White House veteran, Sandalow explores what would happen if the next President made breaking the United States' addiction to oil a top priority. In crisp and clear prose, Sandalow explains the size of the challenge and then offers a powerful message of hope. Plug-in cars, biofuels and measures to improve traffic are all part of the solution. Throughout the book, profiles of fascinating individuals help bring serious policy dialogue to life. From the commander of U.S. forces in western Iraq to a grandmother in northern Alaska to an electric car entrepreneur to the winner of the Indianapolis 500, Freedom from Oil is filled with stories of people whose lives have been touched by oil dependence-and are working to find solutions. Drawing on both his government experience and energy expertise, Sandalow depicts the President's top advisers as they explore options, shape solutions and create national policy, culminating in an inspiring speech by the President to the nation.

Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes contains the technical detail necessary to understand the engineering principles that govern renewable energy application at many different levels. Focused on the fundamental mechanisms and processes that underpin energy management, it provides students with the foundation for all energy process courses. This text is organized according to the main forms of energy - heat engines, hydrogen energy, energy from the sun, and wind and water energy - with an introductory chapter of basic energy terms. From fuel cells, electrolyzers and processes for hydrogen production to biomass and windmills the author provides the most thorough examination of all aspects of renewable energy processes.

Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction

One of the best new books we have seen on sustainable building techniques. A thorough, informative, and up-to-date reference on green, sustainable and energy-efficient home construction that clarifies definitions of green and sustainable and guides builders and architects through the process of new or remodel green construction, including issues of site, landscaping, durability, and energy-efficiency. It starts with clear explanations of the concepts and fundamentals of green, healthy and energy-efficient construction and walks the reader through the entire construction process, injecting expert advice at every decision point. Construction techniques, materials, and products are thoroughly explained, making the often vaguely understood concepts cleanly understandable. Homeowners can use the book to understand the concepts, process, and options, whether they're doing it themselves or working with a professional.

As the price of gas, oil and electricity rises, homeowners will scramble to cut their fuel bills. Two options for meeting the upcoming challenge are dramatic improvements in home energy efficiency and efforts to tap into clean, affordable, renewable energy resources to heat and cool homes, to provide hot water and electricity, and even to cook. These measures can result in huge savings and a level of energy independence. The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy tells you how. It starts by outlining the likely impacts of fossil fuel shortages and some basic facts about energy. It then discusses energy conservation to slash energy bills and prepare for renewable energy options. Focusing carefully on specific strategies needed to replace specific fuels, the book then examines each practical energy option available to homeowners including solar energy.

This is it.  The compelling book by Al Gore that states dramatically the case for coming to terms with global warming.  This book is long and visual and short on text, which is not surprising since Gore fully admits it grew out of a series of Powerpoint seminars. That being said the visuals are exceedingly well done and informative.  The narrative is also excellent and surprisingly personal in nature.  The last chapter has some great tips on saving energy and living with less. One cannot come away from reading this book without seeing that the issue of global warming is a deeply heartfelt issue for Al Gore.  Hopefully it will be for the rest of us as well.

Most people don't realize that skyrocketing global energy demand and economic growth severely affect the supply of electricity. Between production (power plants) and delivery is an antiquated, "third-world" transmission grid that is in desperate need of hardening against breakdowns, terrorist attacks, inadequate carrying capacity, and operational obsolescence. And while electricity doesn't hold the headlines or dramatic power of oil, the ability to ensure its uninterrupted supply at a reasonable price is even more essential to global survival and prosperity. Lights Out is today's most detailed, in-depth examination of this largely unreported looming energy crisis. Written by one of the world's top electricity industry experts, this powerful book covers numerous hot button economic and political issues-free markets versus regulation; energy independence versus foreign imports; nuclear power, global warming, and other environmental issues; and much more.

Powering Our Future is an educational tool that opens the door to a future fueled by sustainable, renewable energy. Consumers will learn how our world has become dependent on four nonrenewable resources and how each resource impacts us politically, economically, and environmentally. It includes a discussion of renewable resources such as hydrogen, fuel cells, wind power, solar energy, hydropower, and more are waiting in the wings. Powering Our Future is a solution-oriented guide that can help you to make more informed choices as a voter, a contributor to a global economy, and a citizen of the earth.

The prospect of producing clean, sustainable power in substantial quantities from renewable energy sources is now arousing interest world-wide, stimulated by recent technological developments that have improved the cost-effectiveness of many of the 'renewables' and by increasing concern over the environmental impact and sustainability of conventional fossil and nuclear fuel use. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the principal renewable energy sources including: Solar thermal, Photovoltaics, Bioenergy, Hydro, Tidal, Wind, Wave, and Geothermal. With the aid of over 350 detailed illustrations, more than 50 tables of data and a wide range of case studies it explains, for each source, the underlying physical and technological principles, and examines its environmental impact and future prospects. The overall approach is interdisciplinary, covering the economic, social, environmental and policy issues raised by renewable energy as well as the physical and engineering aspects.

As oil prices continue to rise, many people are starting to think about how to unhook from the power grid. The Renewable Energy Handbook focuses completely on off-grid, sustainable living and energy independence in a rural setting. Author William Kemp and his wife designed their own high-efficiency off-grid home in 1991. They worked methodically to produce a home which has all of the standard "middle-class" creature comforts while using six times less heating, cooling, and electrical energy than the average Ontario home. Soon they were inundated with inquiries and decided to put their experience into book form in 2003. This updated edition focuses specifically on off-grid concerns and contains chapters on: Energy conservation Heating and cooling Photovoltaic, wind and microhydro energy generation Battery selection, voltage regulation and inverters Backup power Twice the page count of the first edition, it also includes enhanced chapters on home and domestic water heating, wireless communications and biofuels. A "Showcase of Homes" chapter provides a tour of various off-grid cottages and homes, and details the type of lifestyle that can be achieved for a given capital cost. The book is augmented with appendices and hundreds of illustrations, line drawings and photographs.

The idea that we must choose between a healthy environment and a healthy economy is a myth, says David Goldstein. Not only do well-conceived environmental regulations create more jobs, in the long run they contribute to more efficient designs and less expensive products. Standing between us and a cleaner, more prosperous society is the resistance of economic incumbents and a misplaced ideological opposition to any kind of regulation, even though it might prove beneficial.

The world is about to run out of cheap oil and change dramatically. We are entering a new era, as different from the industrial era as the latter was from medieval times. In The Party's Over, Richard Heinberg places this momentous transition in historical context, showing how industrialism arose from the harnessing of fossil fuels, how competition to control access to oil shaped the geopolitics of the 20th century, and how contention for dwindling energy resources in the 21st century will lead to resource wars in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. He describes the likely impacts of oil depletion, and all of the energy alternatives. More readable than other accounts of this issue, with fuller discussion of the context, social implications, and recommendations for personal, community, national, and global action, Heinberg's updated book is a riveting wake-up call for humankind as the oil era winds down, and a critical tool for understanding and influencing current U.S. foreign policy

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