Adequate food supplies and a reasonable quality of life require energy - both in commercial and non-commercial forms. This handbook is intended as a reference for individuals who want a comprehensive overview of energy for agriculture, many of whom are located in remote areas with limited library resources. The purpose is to put energy for agriculture in perspective by presenting numerous national and regional examples of energy usage.Since the early 1970s, world petroleum prices have fluctuated from US$3/barrel to more than US$40/barrel in 1981, and then back to one-third of the peak price today. Consequently, the rural sector depends heavily on non-commercial energy sources. Availability of such energy is highly site-specific. This handbook deals extensively with non-commercial energy - its sources, the technologies for converting energy to more useful gaseous and liquid forms, and its ultimate end-uses.Photographs, tables, line drawings and graphs are used extensively. Over 600 references are listed along with agency names and addresses for obtaining further information.

This completely revised second edition includes new information on biomass in relation to climate change, new coverage of vital issues including the "food versus fuel" debate, and essential new information on "second generation" fuels and advances in conversion techniques. The book begins with a guide to biomass accumulation, harvesting, transportation and storage, as well as conversion technologies for biofuels. This is followed by an examination of the environmental impact and economic and social dimensions, including prospects for renewable energy. The book then goes on to cover all the main potential energy crops.

To maintain a healthy ecosystem for contemporary society and for future generations, policies must be implemented to protect the environment. This can be achieved by consistent evaluation of new initiatives and strategies. The Handbook of Research on Renewable Energy and Electric Resources for Sustainable Rural Development is a critical scholarly resource that examines efficient use of electric resources and renewable energy sources which have a positive impact on sustainable development. Featuring coverage on cogeneration thermal modules, photovoltaic (pv) solar, and renewable energy systems (RES) application practices, this publication is geared towards academics, practitioners, professionals, and upper-level students interested in the latest research on renewable energy and electric resources for sustainable rural development.

Handbook of Energy and Environmental Security educates the reader about the wider dimensions of the distinctive yet intertwined subjects of 'energy security and 'environmental security'. The book uniquely addresses these two increasingly important topics in a comprehensive and composite manner, describing the concepts and wider dimensions of energy- and environmental security in technological, economic, social and geopolitical perspectives. Divided into three main parts, the book deals with the subject of energy security in terms of its concepts, broader dimensions and allied issues, focuses on environmental security, and covers subjects in a cohesive manner, discussing their important interfaces and commonalities. Providing valuable scholarship for academics, researchers and analysts in the fields of energy and the environment, and using case studies to illustrate national and international levels, this is a valuable resource for energy- and environmental security challenges, especially in the areas of sustainable development and climate change. - Discusses the critical subjects of 'energy security' and 'environmental security' in a composite manner - Incorporates up-to-date data, case studies and comparative assessments - Energy and environmental policy frameworks are covered from the perspective of both developed and developing countries

Adequate food supplies and a reasonable quality of life require energy~both noncommercial and commercial forms. This book is intended to be a reference for individuals who want a comprehensive overview of energy for agriculture, many of whom are located in remote areas with limited library resources. The purpose is to put energy for agriculture in perspective by presenting numerous national and regional examples of energy usage. Since the early 1970s, world petroleum prices have fluctuated from $3/barrel to more than $40/barrel in 1981 and then back to less than a half of the peak price today. Commercial energy is expensive at any price for rural villagers in developing countries, and energy prices in these countries do not necessarily correspond with world prices. For example, diesel fuel prices in some developing countries have increased, while world oil prices have decreased. The rural sector of developing countries depends heavily on noncommercial energy sources. Availability of noncommercial energy is highly site-specific. This book deals extensively with noncommercial energy~its sources, the technologies for converting energy to more useful gaseous and liquid forms, and its ultimate end uses. Chapter I is an introduction and overview. It emphasizes the essential nature of energy to supplement the limited work output of human beings. Chapter II describes energy use in world agriculture with particular emphasis on fertilizer, machinery, and irrigation. It tabulates cereal grain yields as related to commercial energy input for various regions. Chapter III presents numerous national and regional illustrations of energy use.

In 2021, the United Nations Secretary-General will convene the Food Systems Summit to advance dialogue and action towards transforming the way the world produces, consumes and thinks about food guided by the overarching vision of a fairer, more sustainable world. The Secretary-General will also convene the High-Level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE) to promote the implementation of the energy-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Given the inextricable linkages between the energy and agriculture sectors, integrating the nexus perspective within the FSS and the HLDE is crucial to formulate a joint vision of actions to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. In this context, IRENA and FAO have decided to jointly develop a report on the role of renewable energy used in food chain to advance energy and food security as well as climate action towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. While energy has a key enabling role in food system transformation and innovation in agriculture, its current use is unsustainable because of the high dependence on fossil fuels and frequent access to energy in developing countries. The challenge is to disconnect fossil fuel use from food system transformation without hampering food security. The use of renewable energy in food systems offers vast opportunities to address this challenge and help food systems meet their energy needs while advancing rural development while contributing to rural development and climate action.

By 2050, we will have ten billion mouths to feed in a world profoundly altered by environmental change. How will we meet this challenge? In How to Feed the World, a diverse group of experts from Purdue University break down this crucial question by tackling big issues one-by-one. Covering population, water, land, climate change, technology, food systems, trade, food waste and loss, health, social buy-in, communication, and equal access to food, the book reveals a complex web of challenges. Contributors unite from different perspectives and disciplines, ranging from agronomy and hydrology to economics. The resulting collection is an accessible but wide-ranging look at the modern food system.

Experts and key personnel straddling academia and related agencies and industries provide critical data for further exploration and research.

This handbook provides a holistic overview of different aspects of energy management in agriculture with an orientation to address the sustainable development goals. It covers possible applications not only from a technical point of view, but also from economic, financial, social, regulatory, and political viewpoints. Agriculture is one of the most imperative sectors that contribute to the economy across different agro-ecologies of the universe with energy inputs in each stage of production, from making and applying chemicals to fueling tractors that lay seeds and harvest crops to electricity for animal housing facilities. The majority of agricultural research has focused on the use of input, production, and productivity, whereas rational energy budgeting and use remain an overlooked and likely underestimated segment, ignored so far while formulating agro-ecosystem framework. Energy management study is a new frontier of agriculture and is challenging duе to complex enterprises, spatial-temporal variability, exposure to pollution, and the predominant effect of the anthropogenic factor on ecology and environment. But it is worth taking the challenge considering the important prerequisite role of energy for sustainable development which has been evidenced from increasing research in recent times. Of recent origin, there are critical, in-depth studies around the globe assessing the capture and flow of energy in the ecosystem, which will help to develop a conceptual framework to incorporate this vital resource in the agriculture management template. This book is a state-of-the-art resource for a broad group of readers including a diversity of stakeholders and professionals in universities, public energy institutions, farmers and farming industry, public health and other relevant institutions, and the broader public as well.

Handbook of Generation IV Nuclear Reactors, Second Edition is a fully revised and updated comprehensive resource on the latest research and advances in generation IV nuclear reactor concepts. Editor Igor Pioro and his team of expert contributors have updated every chapter to reflect advances in the field since the first edition published in 2016. The book teaches the reader about available technologies, future prospects and the feasibility of each concept presented, equipping them users with a strong skillset which they can apply to their own work and research. - Provides a fully updated, revised and comprehensive handbook dedicated entirely to generation IV nuclear reactors - Includes new trends and developments since the first publication, as well as brand new case studies and appendices - Covers the latest research, developments and design information surrounding generation IV nuclear reactors