Michael Frank Hordeski

Alternative Fuels addresses many of the factors affecting current and emerging energy use choices, including the availability and desirability of various fuels, particularly hydrogen. Topics include energy policy, fuel supply trends, statistics and projections, oil reserves, alternative scenarios, energy utilization, sustainable energy, cost analysis, fuel escalation, energy and development, regulatory issues, barriers to implementation, conversion systems, storage systems, thermodynamic efficiency, fuel chain efficiency, life-cycle efficiency, technology issues, extracting, refining, air emission issues, safety, natural gas, hydrogen gas, methanol, ethanol, steam reforming, and fuel cells.

Newly revised, the second edition of this pioneering work addresses emerging factors affecting energy production and use, including the availability and desirability of various fuels. The text provides extensive discussion on hydrogen sources, both solar and nuclear, and fuel cell technology, as well as other alternative fuels such as biomass, and wind power. It delves into cost analysis, regulatory issues, barriers to implementation, conversion and storage systems, thermodynamic efficiency, fuel chain efficiency, air emission issues, and well as safety. The book also covers natural gas hydrogen gas, methanol, ethanol, and steam reforming.

This book presents information on emergency and backup power sources--invaluable as we experience an aging power distribution system. The author provides details on the various types of systems that can take over during power interruptions, such as standby power systems that employ batteries, kinetic energy storage, fuel cells, reciprocating engines, and turbines. Other topics include power disturbances and interruptions, spikes and noise, sags and surges, blackouts and brownouts, surge suppression, voltage regulation, load management, power quality, reliability and maintainability, operating costs, environmental issues, blackout planning, and emergency procedures.