Catalina Spataru - Böcker

In recent years the concept of the resource "nexus" has been both hotly debated and widely adopted in research and policy circles. It is a powerful new way to understand and better govern the myriad complex relationships between multiple resources, actors and their security concerns. Particular attention has been paid to water, energy and food interactions, but land and materials emerge as critical too. This comprehensive handbook presents a detailed review of current knowledge about resource nexus-related frameworks, methods and governance, including a broad set of inter-disciplinary perspectives. Written by an international group of scholars and practitioners, the volume focuses on rigorous research, including tools, methods and modelling approaches to analyse resource use patterns across societies and scales from a "nexus perspective". It also provides numerous examples from political economy to demonstrate how resource nexus frameworks can illuminate issues such as land grabs, mining, renewable energy and the growing importance of economies such as China, as well as to propose lessons and outlooks for sound governance. The volume seeks to serve as an essential reference text, source book and state-of-the-art, science-based assessment of this increasingly important topic – the resource nexus – and its utility in efforts to enhance sustainability of many kinds and implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in an era of environmental and geopolitical change.

Floating Energy Systems: Shifting Tides in the Blue-Green Economy offers a detailed exploration and analysis of the latest technologies in floating energy systems - technologies and structures designed to generate power from renewable resources while floating on water bodies. These systems are part of the broader category of renewable energy technologies and have gained attention due to their potential to harness the untapped energy resources available on the surface of oceans, seas, lakes, and reservoirs. Key types of floating energy systems that are considered here include wind turbines, solar panels, wave energy converters, systems that utilize algae and other aquatic plants to produce bioenergy, ocean thermal energy conversion systems, and hybrid systems, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of their capabilities and potential impact. Despite the many benefits floating energy systems offer, there are many challenges relating to weather and climate, reliability, performance, cost, and regulations, and the book provides in-depth coverage of transmission technologies, business models and finance, vulnerability and resilience of green energy assets, regulatory frameworks, legal challenges, and environmental impact assessments, as well as exploring future innovations, opportunities, and directions. This is a valuable resource for readers looking to understand floating energy systems and seeking to stay abreast of the latest innovations in sustainable energy, including researchers, advanced students, faculty, engineers, R&D, scientists, practitioners in the energy sector, policy makers, and other professionals involved in sustainable energy policy, economics, investment, consultancy, or advocacy.Presents and compares the various types of floating energy systems, including solar panels, wind turbines, wave energy converters, and moreAnalyses vulnerability and resilience of green energy assets and addresses challenges related to floating energy development and performanceIncludes cutting-edge areas such as floating energy islands, transmission technologies, and conversion of ships into power systemsExamines financial models, investment considerations, and case studies that guide the reader in evaluating economic viabilityDiscusses regulatory frameworks, environmental impact assessment, legal challenges, and policy recommendations

This Companion provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary review of the future of energy, sustainability and societal well-being. It explores energy’s connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using a variety of perspectives from business sustainability, disruptive technologies, law, health and finance.Illustrating a worldwide perspective on energy challenges and sustainability dynamics, this Companion incorporates diversity, recognizes the complex interaction of factors in energy systems and advocates for a holistic understanding to inform sustainable development. Global experts and practitioners investigate key issues including business practices, disruptive technologies, legal considerations, health impacts and sustainable finance. The Companion further emphasizes the collective responsibility for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future, and aligns with the ‘leave no one behind’ commitment in shaping a cleaner, fairer society. The Elgar Companion to Energy and Sustainability is an excellent resource for those working and studying in the energy field and in the interdisciplinary aspects of energy and business sustainability, energy and disruptive technologies, energy and health, energy and law, and energy and finance, as they will find the range of perspectives on policies and regulations to be thought-provoking. Researchers, policymakers of the SDGs and those looking to incorporate sustainable practices within organizations will also find this Companion to be a useful guide.

In recent years the concept of the resource "nexus" has been both hotly debated and widely adopted in research and policy circles. It is a powerful new way to understand and better govern the myriad complex relationships between multiple resources, actors and their security concerns. Particular attention has been paid to water, energy and food interactions, but land and materials emerge as critical too. This comprehensive handbook presents a detailed review of current knowledge about resource nexus-related frameworks, methods and governance, including a broad set of inter-disciplinary perspectives. Written by an international group of scholars and practitioners, the volume focuses on rigorous research, including tools, methods and modelling approaches to analyse resource use patterns across societies and scales from a "nexus perspective". It also provides numerous examples from political economy to demonstrate how resource nexus frameworks can illuminate issues such as land grabs, mining, renewable energy and the growing importance of economies such as China, as well as to propose lessons and outlooks for sound governance. The volume seeks to serve as an essential reference text, source book and state-of-the-art, science-based assessment of this increasingly important topic – the resource nexus – and its utility in efforts to enhance sustainability of many kinds and implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in an era of environmental and geopolitical change.

In order to address the twenty-first-century challenges of decarbonisation, energy security and cost-effectiveness it is essential to understand whole energy systems and the interconnection and interaction between different components. An integrated language is therefore needed to assist energy policymakers and to help industrial stakeholders assess future energy systems and infrastructure and make realistic technical and economic decisions. Whole Energy System Dynamics provides an interdisciplinary approach to whole energy systems; providing insights and understanding of it in the context of challenges, opportunities and solutions at different levels and time steps. It discusses approaches across disciplinary boundaries as well as existing issues within three main themes: theory, modelling and policy, and their interlinkage with geopolitics, markets and practice. Spataru argues that there is an urgent need for a whole energy system integration. This is necessary for effective analysis, design and control of the interactions and interdependencies involved in the technical, economic, regulatory and social dimensions of the energy system. This book is essential reading for students interested in the area of energy systems, policy and modelling. It is also a valuable read for policymakers, professionals, researchers, academics, engineers and industrial stakeholders.

In order to address the twenty-first-century challenges of decarbonisation, energy security and cost-effectiveness it is essential to understand whole energy systems and the interconnection and interaction between different components. An integrated language is therefore needed to assist energy policymakers and to help industrial stakeholders assess future energy systems and infrastructure and make realistic technical and economic decisions. Whole Energy System Dynamics provides an interdisciplinary approach to whole energy systems; providing insights and understanding of it in the context of challenges, opportunities and solutions at different levels and time steps. It discusses approaches across disciplinary boundaries as well as existing issues within three main themes: theory, modelling and policy, and their interlinkage with geopolitics, markets and practice. Spataru argues that there is an urgent need for a whole energy system integration. This is necessary for effective analysis, design and control of the interactions and interdependencies involved in the technical, economic, regulatory and social dimensions of the energy system. This book is essential reading for students interested in the area of energy systems, policy and modelling. It is also a valuable read for policymakers, professionals, researchers, academics, engineers and industrial stakeholders.

There is widespread interest in the way that smart energy control systems, such as assessment and monitoring techniques for low carbon, nearly-zero energy and net positive buildings can contribute to a Sustainable future, for current and future generations.  There is a turning point on the horizon for the supply of energy from finite resources such as natural gas and oil become less reliable in economic terms and extraction become more challenging, and more unacceptable socially, such as adverse public reaction to ‘fracking’. Thus, in 2016 these challenges are having a major influence on the design, optimisation, performance measurements, operation and preservation of: buildings, neighbourhoods, cities, regions, countries and continents. The source and nature of energy, the security of supply and the equity of distribution, the environmental impact of its supply and utilization, are all crucial matters to be addressed by suppliers, consumers, governments, industry, academia, and financial institutions. This book entitled ‘Smart Energy Control Systems for Sustainable Buildings’ contains eleven chapters written by international experts based on enhanced conference papers presented at the Sustainability and Energy in Buildings International conference series. This book will be of interest to University staff and students; and also industry practioners.