Energy in Australia [electronic resource] : peak oil, solar power, and Asia's economic growth / Graham Palmer.
2014
HD9681.A82 P35 2014
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Title
Energy in Australia [electronic resource] : peak oil, solar power, and Asia's economic growth / Graham Palmer.
Author
Palmer, Graham.
ISBN
9783319029405 electronic book
3319029401 electronic book
9783319029399
3319029401 electronic book
9783319029399
Imprint
Cham ; New York : Springer, c2014.
Language
English
Description
1 online resource (xiii, 91 p.) : many col. fig., tab
Other Standard Identifiers
YBP11355506
Call Number
HD9681.A82 P35 2014
Dewey Decimal Classification
333.792/30994
Summary
With rapidly declining costs and seemingly unlimited sunshine, the choice of solar in Australia seems obvious. Yet despite its many advantages, homes with solar remain completely dependent on the electricity grid for reliable supply, which in Australia implies mostly coal-fired generation. Indeed, even countries that have invested heavily in solar, such as Spain and Germany, have been unable to deflect the trajectory of fossil fuel dependence. The reasons for this apparent paradox are varied, and this book provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the practical applications of photovoltaics (PV) in modern electricity systems. While the conventional life-cycle assessment (LCA) boundaries as prescribed by the IEA-PVPS provide a consistent methodology for comparing evolving PV technologies, the narrow boundaries exclude many critical downstream energy costs. Similarly, simple cost comparisons of PV versus conventional power sources overlook the significant economic and energy costs of intermittency and grid integration. Yet distributed storage, which could provide potentially valuable network support, is frequently given a low priority by advocates of solar. Treating PV as an extension of, rather than as a substitute for, the fossil fuel enterprise enables a more productive discussion of PV's potential role in electricity generation. The sunburnt country of Australia, which has a modern electricity system, is an ideal case study for exploring the potential of solar PV. With a focus on rooftop solar, energy storage, grid integration, and electricity system issues, Energy in Australia offers valuable insights into the practical challenges of solar power. Although many national economies are already confronting a downward trend in energy return on investment (EROI) of oil and gas from both conventional and unconventional sources, the large-scale deployment of low-emission energy sources that lie below a critical minimum EROI threshold may ultimately prove counter-productive.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Access Note
Access limited to authorized users.
Source of Description
Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on Dec. 11, 2013)
Series
SpringerBriefs in energy. Energy analysis.
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Online Access
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Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction
One million solar systems
Chapter 2: Quarry Australia
building Australia on coal
Chapter 3: Towards optimized complexity
integrating intermittency
Chapter 4: Electricity networks
managing peak demand
Chapter 5: EROI of Solar PV
Chapter 6: Driving down emissions: the role of carbon pricing
Conclusion
References
Index.
Chapter 1: Introduction
One million solar systems
Chapter 2: Quarry Australia
building Australia on coal
Chapter 3: Towards optimized complexity
integrating intermittency
Chapter 4: Electricity networks
managing peak demand
Chapter 5: EROI of Solar PV
Chapter 6: Driving down emissions: the role of carbon pricing
Conclusion
References
Index.