Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems

Comprehensive resource covering the fundamentals of the electricity system, including power plants, transmission, and distribution

Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems presents the fundamentals of electric systems, economics and markets, and an analysis of different renewable technologies applied to both centralized (grid-connected) and distributed systems. The two highly qualified authors discuss the science and engineering that underlies key renewable energy technologies, including solar and wind. The authors also cover important strategies for energy efficiency in buildings, campuses, and districts, and highlight key lessons for students and practitioners looking to incorporate these concepts into careers in project design, research, and other practical applications.

This new edition builds on the strong foundation of the earlier two editions, and expands upon them to link energy, carbon emissions, and sustainability calculations, showcasing an updated set of energy technologies and considers their integration with new digital technologies, linking energy systems to climate change and carbon emission impacts, and exploring issues of scaling systems in the real world. Sections discussing changing demand patterns from residential, commercial, and institutional buildings have also been expanded.

In Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems, readers can expect to find information on:

• Definitions of key electrical quantities, idealized voltage and current sources, electrical resistance, capacitance, magnetic circuits, and inductance
• Effective values of voltage and current, idealized components subjected to sinusoidal voltages, and the power triangle and power factor correction
• Polyphase synchronous generators, Carnot efficiency for heat engines, steam-cycle power plants, and combustion gas turbines
• Types of wind turbines, impact of tower height, maximum rotor efficiency, wind turbine generators, and speed control for maximum power

Gilbert M. Masters received his PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University and has taught courses there for over three decades on energy and the environment, with an emphasis on efficiency and renewables. Kevin F. Hsu is the Senior Assistant Director and Head of Resilient & Sustainable Cities Cluster at the Centre for Liveable Cities, where he works with Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) collaborators to study international examples of heritage conservation and re-imagination