Renewable Energy

In the years since the publication of the first edition of this book, the world has undergone drastic changes in terms of energy sources. This is reflected in the expansion of this second edition from 20 to 26 chapters. The most dramatic occurrence was the Tsunami which struck Japan in March of 2011 and set off a reactor catastrophe at the nuclear power plants in Fukushima. On the other hand fossil fuel technology drives the climate change to a threatening level. So, renewable energy sources are essential for the 21st century. The increasing number of wind power plants, solar collectors and photovoltaic installations demonstrates perceptibly that many innovations for tapping renewable energy sources have matured: very few other technologies have developed so dynamically in the past years.Nearly all the chapters were written by professionals in the respective fields. That makes this book an especially valuable and reliable source of information. The second edition is extended by several new chapters such as tidal power stations, the Desertec project, thermography of buildings and more. Furthermore, the critical debate about current first generation bio-fuels is carefully reflected, and the book presents promising solutions that do not trade in food for fuel. The editors are experienced journalists and illustrate the text with simple diagrams and information boxes, printed in full-color throughout. A valuable resource for applied physicists, engineers in power technology, engineers, and anyone interested in natural sciences.

Im Zentrum vieler Debatten zum Klimawandel steht die Diskrepanz zwischen dem weltweit wachsenden Energieverbrauch auf der einen und der Begrenztheit fossiler Ressourcen auf der anderen Seite. Erneuerbare Energien werden immer wieder als Schlüssel zur Lösung dieses Problems benannt. Doch beurteilen, ob und in welchem Umfang sie dies wirklich sind, kann man nur auf der Grundlage fundierter Informationen. Genau diese bietet der vorliegende Band. Die Autoren, führende Experten ihres Fachs, erklären verständlich, wie sich aus Wind und Sonne Energie gewinnen lässt, wie geothermische Energie nutzbar gemacht werden kann oder wie Wellenkraftwerke funktionieren. Die Herausgeber, beide Autoren der Zeitschrift "Physik in unserer Zeit", möchten mit diesem Buch das Fundament für einen kompetenten und ideologiefreien Austausch zu diesem so wichtigen Thema legen. Für die englischsprachige Ausgabe wurden dem Original einige Beiträge hinzugefügt, die solche mit einem Fokus auf Deutschland und Europa ersetzen.

Preface - Eicke WeberForeword - Roland Wengenmayr, Thomas BührkeRenewable Energy Sources on the Rise - Harald KohlA Tailwind for Sustainable Technology - Martin KühnFlowing Energy - Roland WengenmayrHow the Sun gets into the Power Plant - Robert Pitz- PaalSolar Cells - an Overview - Roland WengenmayrSolar Cells from Ribbon Silicon - Giso HahnPhotovoltaic Cells on Glass - Nikolaus MeyerCdTe-thin film solar cells - Michael HarrEnergy from the Depths of the Earth - Ernst HuengesDoes the Future belong to Biogas - Roland WengenmayrConfusion about "bio" fuels - KreysaFuel from seaweed - GriehlSynthetic Fuels from the Biomass - Nicolaus DahmenEletric Power from Hot Air - Jörg Schlaich, Gerhard WeinrebeTidal current power stations - RuprechtEnergy Reserves from the Oceans - Kai-Uwe GrawOsmosis power station - PeinemannIs the Hydrogen Economy Around the Corner? - Gerd EisenbeißDESERTEC- TriebHydrogen, an alternative to fossil energy carriers? - StoltenHeat on Call - Silke Köhler, Frank Kabus, Ernst HuengesTaming the Flame - Joachim HoffmannElectric vehicles - Andrea VezziniCooling with the Heat of the Sun - Roland WengenmayrA Super Climate in the Greenhouse - Roland WengenmayrAn Exceptional Sustainabliliy Concept - Christian Matt, Matthias SchulerBuilding thermography - Michael VollmerHow Political Will Changes a Country - Thomas Bührke