Publisher's Synopsis
The world's economy is fuelled by energy. Depletion of resources and severe environmental effects resulting from the continuous use of fossil fuels has motivated an increasing amount of interest in renewable energy resources and the search for energy policies leading to a sustainable future. The changes required to progress from an economy mainly relying on hydrocarbons to one taking advantage of sustainable renewable energy resources require considerable scientific research, as well as the development of new technology and design of energy systems. Energy policies and management are of primary importance to achieve sustainability and need to be compatible with recent advances in energy production and distribution. I