Solar Energy
Application, Economics, and Public Perception

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters.

Due to climate change, the rise in energy demand, and issues of energy security, more countries are being forced to reexamine their energy policies and consider more renewable sources of energy. Solar power is expected to play a significant role in the changing face of energy economies, due in a large part to the recent technological advances in the field and the significant decrease in cost.

This book describes these advances and examines the current state of solar power from a variety of angles. The various sections of the book cover the following topics: an overview of hybrid solar energy systems, solar energy and conservation, current solar energy technologies, the economics of solar power, and public perceptions of solar energy.

This easily accessible reference offers a comprehensive guide to this rapidly expanding field. Edited by Muyiwa Adaramola, a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology whose research focuses both on wind and solar energy, Solar Energy: Application, Economics, and Public Perceptionis an authoritative and easy-to-use reference, ideal for both researchers in the field and students who wish to gain an overview of this important and wide-ranging topic.

Introduction. Part I: Overview. Hybrid Solar: A Review on Photovoltaic and Thermal Power Integration. Part II: Solar Energy and Conservation. An Approach to Enhance the Conservation-Compatibility of Solar Energy Development. Part III: Solar Technology. Carbon Nanotube Solar Cells. Enabling Greater Penetration of Solar Power via the Use of CSP with Thermal Energy Storage. Viability of Grid-Connected Solar PV Energy System in Jos, Nigeria. Passive Cooling Technology for Photovoltaic Panels for Domestic Houses. Part IV: Solar Energy Economics. A Review of Solar Energy Markets, Economics and Policies. Economical Evaluation of Large-Scale Photovoltaic Systems Using Universal Generating Function Techniques. Simulating the Value of Concentrating Solar Power with Thermal Energy Storage in a Production Cost Model. The Place of Solar Power: An Economic Analysis of Concentrated and Distributed Solar Power. Part V: Public Perceptions of Solar Energy. Excerpt from: Community Response to Concentrating Solar Power in the San Luis Valley. The Promotion of Domestic Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Electricity Production Through Social Learning. Index.

Dr. Muyiwa S. Adaramola earned his BSc and MSc in mechanical engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, respectively. He received his PhD in environmental engineering at the University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Canada. He has worked as a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, focusing on wind energy, wind turbine performance, and wind turbine wake. Currently, Dr. Adaramola is an associate professor in renewable energy at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.