This book is a collection and compilation of various principles of renewable energy technologies and explores how we can use the sun, wind, biomass, geothermal, tidal and water resources to generate energy in a more sustainable form. Each chapter begins with the fundamental theory behind each technology illustrated with clear figures to understand the principle and applications. It also explains the fundamentals of energy, including the transfer of energy, as well as the limitations of natural resources. Starting with solar and wind energy, the text illustrates how energy from the sun, wind and water is transferred and converted into electricity. Other chapters cover methods of energy conversion, biomass energy, biofuel production and other new and renewable sources of energy such as geothermal, hydro, tidal, and ocean energy.
S.Pugalendhi is currently serving as the Emeritus Professor in the Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He has teaching experience of about 30 years and published more than 28 articles in National and International Journals. He has edited 9 books so far in the field of Agriculture Engineering both in English and Tamil languages. He is specialized in the area of converting organic wastes into biogas and developed different types of biogas plants, biogas cook stoves and biogas lamp at low costs. From 1994 to till now, he has conducted more than thousands of biogas training programs covering most of the villages in Tamil Nadu and constructed nearly 1000 Deenabandhu biogas plants in the successful way through government schemes.
J.Gitanjali is currently working as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Farm machinery and Power Engineering, Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. She was awarded for Best M.Tech Student and Best Ph.D Student during the year 2012 and 2016 respectively from TNAU. She has published 12 research papers in National and International Journals. She is specialized in the area of thermochemical conversion technologies especially combustion and plasma gasification.
R.Shalini is currently working as a Scientist cum Research Co-ordinator (India), Capture Bank AS. During 2013, she got National Award for Best M.Tech Thesis in the field of Agricultural Engineering by Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), New Delhi. Doctoral thesis investigated on designing a low cost, lab-scale hydrothermal carbonization reactor (1000 ml) for converting wet/dry agricultural renewable biomass residues into novel carbon-rich solid product called hydrochars. She has published 4 research paper in reputed journal,4 popular articles and edited 2 books in Tamil. She is specialized in field of thermochemical conversion of biomass, especially biochar production through pyrolysis process.
P. Subramanian is currently working as the Professor and Head in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai. He has teaching experience of about 25 years. He has published 10 research papers in International Journals and 16 research papers in National Journals in addition to 2 International and 25 National seminar papers. He is specialized in the area of biomass gasification, biofuel production technologies and energy auditing and management.
