Since 2008, the Global Center of Excellence (COE) at Kyoto University, Japan, has been engaged in a program called “Energy Science in the Age of Global Warming—Toward a CO2 Zero-Emission Energy System.” Its aim is to establish an international education and research platform to foster educators, researchers, and policy makers who can develop technologies and propose policies for establishing a CO2 zero-emission society no longer dependent on fossil fuels. It is well known that the energy problem cannot simply be labeled a technological one, as it is also deeply involved with social and economic issues. The establishment of a “low-carbon energy science” as an interdisciplinary field integrating social sciences with natural sciences is necessary. The Global COE is setting out a zero-emission technology roadmap and is promoting socioeconomic studies of energy, studies of new technologies for renewable energies, and research for advanced nuclear energy. It has also established the Global COE Unit for Energy Science Education to support young researchers as they apply their skills and knowledge and a broad international perspective to respond to issues of energy and the environment in our societies. Comprising the proceedings of the Second International Symposium of the Global COE Program, this book follows on the earlier volume Zero-Carbon Energy Kyoto 2009, published in March 2010.

Emissions of CO2 have come to be regarded as the main factor in climate change in recent years, and how to control them has become a pressing issue. The problem cannot simply be labeled a technological one, however, because it is deeply involved with social and economic issues. Since 2008, the Global Center of Excellence (COE) program titled “Energy Science in the Age of Global Warming—Toward a CO2 Zero-Emission Energy System” has been held at Kyoto University, Japan. The program aims to establish an international education and research platform to foster educators, researchers, and policy makers who can develop technologies and propose policies toward a zero-emission society by the year 2100. Setting out a zero-emission technology roadmap, Global COE promotes socioeconomic studies of energy, the study of new technologies for renewable energies, and research in advanced nuclear energy. A compilation of the lectures and presentations from the first symposium of Global COE held at Kyoto University, this book is intended to provide the impetus for the establishment of low carbon energy science to bring about harmony between mankind and the environment.

Since 2008, the Global Center of Excellence (COE) at Kyoto University, Japan, has been engaged in a program called “Energy Science in the Age of Global Warming—Toward a CO2 Zero-Emission Energy System.” Its aim is to establish an international education and research platform to foster educators, researchers, and policy makers who can develop technologies and propose policies for establishing a CO2 zero-emission society no longer dependent on fossil fuels. It is well known that the energy problem cannot simply be labeled a technological one, as it is also deeply involved with social and economic issues. The establishment of a “low-carbon energy science” as an interdisciplinary field integrating social sciences with natural sciences is necessary. The Global COE is setting out a zero-emission technology roadmap and is promoting socioeconomic studies of energy, studies of new technologies for renewable energies, and research for advanced nuclear energy. It has also established the Global COE Unit for Energy Science Education to support young researchers as they apply their skills and knowledge and a broad international perspective to respond to issues of energy and the environment in our societies. Comprising the proceedings of the Second International Symposium of the Global COE Program, this book follows on the earlier volume Zero-Carbon Energy Kyoto 2009, published in March 2010.

Since 2008, the Global Center of Excellence (COE) at Kyoto University, Japan, has been engaged in a program called “Energy Science in the Age of Global Warming—Toward a CO2 Zero-Emission Energy System.” Its aim is to establish an international education and research platform to foster educators, researchers, and policy makers who can develop technologies and propose policies for establishing a CO2 zero-emission society no longer dependent on fossil fuels. It is well known that the energy problem cannot simply be labeled a technological one, as it is also deeply involved with social and economic issues. The establishment of a “low-carbon energy science” as an interdisciplinary field integrating social sciences with natural sciences is necessary. The Global COE is setting out a zero-emission technology roadmap and is promoting socioeconomic studies of energy, studies of new technologies for renewable energies, and research for advanced nuclear energy. It has also established the Global COE Unit for Energy Science Education to support young researchers as they apply their skills and knowledge and a broad international perspective to respond to issues of energy and the environment in our societies. Comprising the proceedings of the Third International Symposium of the Global COE Program, this book follows on the earlier volumes Zero-Carbon Energy Kyoto 2009 and 2010, published in March 2010 and February 2011, respectively.

The Global COE is setting out a zero-emission technology roadmap and is promoting socioeconomic studies of energy, studies of new technologies for renewable energies, and research for advanced nuclear energy. It has also established the Global COE Unit for Energy Science Education to support young researchers as they apply their skills and knowledge and a broad international perspective to respond to issues of energy and the environment in our societies. This book follows on the earlier volumes Zero-Carbon Energy Kyoto 2009, 2010, and 2011.

The accelerated pace of global consumption over the past decades has meant that governments across the world are now faced with significant challenges in dealing with the dramatically increased volume of waste. While research on waste management has previously focused on finding technological solutions to the problem, this book uniquely examines the social and cultural views of waste, shedding new light on the topic by emphasising the consumer perspective throughout. Drawing on a wide variety of disciplines including environmental, economic, social and cultural theories, the book presents philosophical reflections, practical examples and potential solutions to the problem of increasing waste. It analyses and compares case studies from countries such as Sweden, Japan, the USA, India, Nigeria and Qatar, bringing out valuable insights for the international community and generating a critical discussion on how we can move towards a more sustainable society. This book will be of great interest to post-graduate students and researchers in environmental policy, waste management, social marketing and consumer behaviour, as well as policymakers and practitioners in consumer issues and business.

Inequality is a defining global issue of our times. Southeast Asia stands out in some ways; the 2010s have seen most countries in the region reduce income gaps. Nonetheless, inequality levels remain high, especially in the middle-income to high-income countries, and popular disaffection and economic anxiety prevail, even while official statistics may paint more buoyant scenarios. The age-old problem of group-based exclusion in the development process manifests in new ways. This book provides up-to-date overviews of inequality levels and trends, primarily related to income, but also wealth and other socio-economic variables pertaining to education and health. The country chapters also examine salient themes of inequality, especially structural changes and public policies to redress inequality and exclusion, labour market developments, population groups, regional dynamics, and informal economies. We gain an appreciation for the unique conditions and diverse experiences of each country, and draw comparative insights across the region. “This is an impressive collection of papers written by scholars from Southeast Asia and addressing an important set of issues which deserve serious attention from policymakers. Inequality and social exclusion are problems which never seem to go away, even in the high-income countries, and this collection will be valuable for all those seeking to understand how serious the situation is in eight Southeast Asian states. The editors are to be congratulated on bringing together such a timely book.” Anne Booth, Emeritus Professor of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies “This compilation of recent research on Southeast Asian economic inequalities by Lee and Choong underscores the rapid progress being made. The authors from the region underscore the global shift in research and policy attention in this century. Reflecting data and methodological diversity, the book variedly captures some ‘intersectionality’ of inequalities beyond the old focus on interpersonal and household income distribution.” Jomo KS, Fellow, Academy of Science, Malaysia “In societies across the world, rising inequality has become a critical issue over the past generation. Besides basic issues of justice, inequality between people obstructs the collective decision-making needed for societies to progress. This book is the most comprehensive study of inequality in Southeast Asia. It stresses that each society is different, but the solutions are common—good data, proper understanding, multidimensional approaches, strong institutions and popular agency.” Pasuk Phongpaichit, Emeritus Professor, Chulalongkorn University

Energy risk has reappeared on the corporate and social agenda with a bang and the complexity of the issues has increased many-fold since the days of the last great wave of concern following the oil crises of the 1970s. Steven Fawkes’ Energy Efficiency is a comprehensive guide for managers and policy-makers to the fundamental questions underpinning energy-efficiency and our responses to it: ¢ what do we really mean by energy efficiency? ¢ what is the potential (in different dimensions)? ¢ why it is important? ¢ what management processes lead to optimisation of energy efficiency? ¢ what technologies are useful for improving energy efficiency? ¢ what policies can be used to promote energy efficiency? ¢ how can energy efficiency be financed? ¢ how can energy suppliers engage with energy efficiency? The result is the most comprehensive review to-date of the barriers and opportunities associated with improving energy efficiency. Clearly written and erudite, Steven Fawkes addresses every aspect of energy efficiency, including the huge and vitally important untapped potential offered by effective energy management and the application of existing technology. He also identifies barriers, such as the rebound effect and how they can be mitigated and he provides a comprehensive review of innovative energy efficiency financing options. This book is a ’must read’ for anyone with an interest in energy supply and demand reduction.

Examines four long-term cases of nations shifting to low-carbon energy sources from dependence on fossil fuels, in order to discuss better ways for a nation to make such a transition.

Hybrid energy systems integrate multiple sources of power generation, storage, and transport mechanisms and can facilitate increased usage of cleaner, renewable, and more efficient energy sources. Hybrid Power: Generation, Storage, and Grids discusses hybrid energy systems from fundamentals through applications and discusses generation, storage, and grids. Highlights fundamentals and applications of hybrid energy storage Discusses use in hybrid and electric vehicles and home energy needs Discusses issues related to hybrid renewable energy systems connected to the utility grid Describes the usefulness of hybrid microgrids and various forms of off-grid energy such as mini-grids, nanogrids, and stand-alone systems Covers the use of hybrid renewable energy systems for rural electrification around the world Discusses various forms and applications of hybrid energy systems, hybrid energy storage, hybrid microgrids, and hybrid off-grid energy systems Details simulation and optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems This book is aimed at advanced students and researchers in academia, government, and industry, seeking a comprehensive overview of the basics, technologies, and applications of hybrid energy systems.