A complete overview of solar technologies relevant to the built environment, including solar thermal energy for heating and cooling, passive solar energy for daylighting and heating supply, and photovoltaics for electricity production Provides practical examples and calculations to enable component and system simulation e.g. Calculation of U-values, I-V curve parameters and radiance distribution modelling Discusses the new trends in thermal energy use, including the architectural integration of collector systems, integrated ventilation photovoltaics facades and solar powered absorption cooling systems Coverage of cutting-edge applications such as active and passive cooling techniques and results from ongoing research projects

Solar thermal is now a proven technology in terms of reliability, cost-benefit, and low environmental impact. The integration of solar thermal systems and installations into the design of buildings can provide a clean, efficient and sustainable low-energy solution for heating and cooling, whilst, taken in a wider context, contributing to climate protection. This book covers the state of the art in the application of solar thermal technologies for buildings. This is the first book in the BEST (Buildings, Energy and Solar Technology) Series. This series presents high-quality theoretical and application-oriented material on solar energy and energy-efficient technologies. Leading international experts cover the strategies and technologies that form the basis of high-performance, sustainable buildings, crucial to enhancing our built and urban environment.

After decades of research and development, concentrating solar thermal (CST) power plants (also known as concentrating solar power (CSP) and as Solar Thermal Electricity or STE systems) are now starting to be widely commercialized. Indeed, the IEA predicts that by 2050, with sufficient support over ten percent of global electricity could be produced by concentrating solar thermal power plants. However, CSP plants are just but one of the many possible applications of CST systems. Advances in Concentrating Solar Thermal Research and Technology provides detailed information on the latest advances in CST systems research and technology. It promotes a deep understanding of the challenges the different CST technologies are confronted with, of the research that is taking place worldwide to address those challenges, and of the impact that the innovation that this research is fostering could have on the emergence of new CST components and concepts. It is anticipated that these developments will substantially increase the cost-competiveness of commercial CST solutions and reshape the technological landscape of both CST technologies and the CST industry. After an introductory chapter, the next three parts of the book focus on key CST plant components, from mirrors and receivers to thermal storage. The final two parts of the book address operation and control and innovative CST system concepts. - Contains authoritative reviews of CST research taking place around the world - Discusses the impact this research is fostering on the emergence of new CST components and concepts that will substantially increase the cost-competitiveness of CST power - Covers both major CST plant components and system-wide issues

This book, based on the research experience and outcomes of a group of international contributors, addresses a range of advanced energy efficiency technologies and their applications in solar heating, cooling and power generation, while also providing solutions for tackling recurring low efficiency problems in today's systems. It highlights the latest technologies and methods, which can significantly improve the performance of solar systems, enabling readers to design, construct and apply high-performance solar systems in or for their own projects. The contributors provide a systematic introduction to state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies that demonstrates how to implement innovative solar systems. These technologies include: " heat pipes and loop heat pipes; " phase change materials (PCMs) and PCM slurries; " micro-channel panels; " desiccant/adsorption cycling; " ejector cooling and heat pumps; and " solar concentration and thermoelectric units. The book shows how innovative solar systems applicable to rural and urban buildings can be analysed and demonstrates the successful implementation of these advanced technologies. It delivers the design principles and associated energy performance assessment methods for a range of selected solar heating, cooling and power generation projects. This book offers a valuable source of information for final-year undergraduate students, as well as graduate students and academic lecturers, as it promotes the widespread deployment of advanced solar heating, cooling and power generation technologies applicable for buildings across the globe. The book is also a good point of reference for design engineers and energy consultants who wish to extend their knowledge of advanced technologies used to achieve energy efficiency.

The three-volume handbook showcases the state of the art in the use of concentrated sunlight to produce electricity, industrial process heat, renewable fuels, including hydrogen and low-carbon synthesis gas, and valuable chemical commodities. The handbook illustrates the value and diversity of applications for concentrating solar power to contribute to the expanding decarbonization of multiple cross-cutting energy sectors.Volume 1: Concentrating Solar Thermal Power, provides an overview of key technologies, principles, and challenges of concentrating solar power (CSP) as well as the use of concentrating solar thermal for process heating and district markets. The ten chapters of this volume provide the reader with the technical background on the solar resource for concentrating solar thermal, the principles and design of concentrating optics, and descriptions of state-of-the-art and emerging solar collector and receiver technologies, thermal storage and thermal-to-electric conversion and power cycles for CSP. It also contains a comprehensive summary of operations and maintenance requirements for CSP plants, and commercial CSP plants and markets around the world.Volume 2, Solar Thermochemical Processes and Products, covers the use of concentrated solar radiation as the heat source to drive endothermic chemical reactions to produce renewable fuels and valuable chemical commodities, equivalently storing solar energy in chemical bonds. The thermodynamic underpinnings of a number of approaches to produce fuel and results of demonstrations of solar thermochemical reactors for these processes at prototype scale are presented. Processes presented include thermochemical metal oxide reduction/oxidation cycles to split water and carbon dioxide solar chemical looping reformation of methane to produce synthesis gas, high temperature electrochemistry, and gasification of biomass. Research on the thermochemical storage for CSP and high temperature production of cement and ammonia to illustrate the use concentrated solar energy to produce valuable chemical products are also included.Volume 3 contains reprinted archival papers to support and supplement the material in Volumes 1 and 2. These papers provide background information on the economics and alternative use cases of CSP not covered in Volume 1, and expand on the material related to the chapter topics presented in Volume 2. Potential commercialization, such as prototype and demonstration projects, are highlighted. The papers are intended as a starting point for a more in-depth study of the topics.

The NREL Institutional Plan details the mission and vision of the Laboratory, its capabilities, the R&D it performs, and the programs it manages for the Department of Energy--in particular, for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and for the Office of Science. It also describes recent accomplishments in each program, and the direction planned for each program for the next fiveyears. The document also details special RD&D initiatives being pursued by the Laboratory. And it describes the Laboratory's physical plant and how NREL manages its operations to provide America with a world-class institute for R&D in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sciences and technologies.

This book covers all important, new, and conventional aspects of building electrical systems, power distribution, lighting, transformers and rotating electric machines, wiring, and building installations. Solved examples, end-of-chapter questions and problems, case studies, and design considerations are included in each chapter, highlighting the concepts, and diverse and critical features of building and industrial electrical systems, such as electric or thermal load calculations; wiring and wiring devices; conduits and raceways; lighting analysis, calculation, selection, and design; lighting equipment and luminaires; power quality; building monitoring; noise control; building energy envelope; air-conditioning and ventilation; and safety. Two chapters are dedicated to distributed energy generation, building integrated renewable energy systems, microgrids, DC nanogrids, power electronics, energy management, and energy audit methods, topics which are not often included in building energy textbooks. Support materials are included for interested instructors. Readers are encouraged to write their own solutions while solving the problems, and then refer to the solved examples for more complete understanding of the solutions, concepts, and theory.

Hybrid Energy Systems: Strategy for Industrial Decarbonization demonstrates how hybrid energy and processes can decarbonize energy industry needs for power and heating and cooling. It describes the role of hybrid energy and processes in nine major industry sectors and discusses how hybrid energy can offer sustainable solutions in each. Introduces the basics and examples of hybrid energy systems Examines hybrid energy and processes in coal, oil and gas, nuclear, building, vehicle, manufacturing and industrial processes, computing and portable electronic, district heating and cooling, and water sectors Shows that hybrid processes can improve efficiency and that hybrid energy can effectively insert renewable fuels in the energy industry Serves as a companion text to the author’s book Hybrid Power: Generation, Storage, and Grids Written for advanced students, researchers, and industry professionals involved in energy-related processes and plants, this book offers latest research and practical strategies for application of the innovative field of hybrid energy.

The combination of heat pumps and solar components is a recent development and has great potential for improving the energy efficiency of house and hot water heating systems. As a consequence, it can enhance the energy footprint of a building substantially. This work compares different systems, analyses their performance and illustrates monitoring techniques. It helps the reader to design, simulate and assess solar and heat pump systems. Good examples of built systems are discussed in detail and advice is given on how to design the most efficient system. This book is the first one about this combination of components and presents the state of the art of this technology. It is based on a joint research project of two programmes of the International Energy Agency: the Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC) and the Heat Pump Programme. More than 50 experts from 13 countries have participated in this research.