Fuel 90 (2011) 2825

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Fuel

journal homepage: www.elsevier .com/locate / fuel

Book review

Harnessing Renewable Energy in Electric Power Systems: Theory,Practice, Policy. Boaz Moselle, Jorge Padilla and Richard Schma-lensee. Earthscan, London (2010). 368 pp., £ 80 (hardback), ISBN:978-1-93311-590-0.

This book sets out to answer three key questions. Firstly, whatis the significance of renewable energy in achieving CO2 emissionsreductions; secondly, what methods should be used to supportrenewable energy development; thirdly, what are the implicationsfor the operation of the power system. Despite the title, it dealsalmost entirely with policy and economic issues in relationto these questions. Future technology options are outlined, buttechnical issues are not covered in any depth.

In setting the scene several contributors imply that energy effi-ciency could be a more cost-effective means to tackle the three tar-gets of climate change, energy security and energy poverty. It is apity that this theme is not developed further, as other studies con-firm this important finding.

The main part of the book explains the various mechanismsused to support renewable energy within current and future elec-tricity markets. The authors explain critical issues such as how dis-tortions arise from incentive schemes that are not linked to marketrequirements and the way in which current market mechanismsdo not adequately reward investment in new transmissioninfrastructure.

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2011.04.015

With regard to the style of writing, long, multiple clause sen-tences (of which this is an illustrative exemplar) where the readeris unsure of the overall direction of an argument, do not assist withthe readability of certain sections, especially for an engineer. Thebook is thoroughly referenced and conclusions are based on prac-tical case studies. It is therefore strange that one contributor relieson IEA data for energy predictions, which are known to be unreli-able in their forecasts of renewable energy growth. Despite theseminor criticisms, this book explains, compares and analyses elec-trical power markets in a way that brings theory into contextand highlights the options for an effective framework to promoteefficient renewable energy investment.

Arthur WilliamsDepartment of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,

The University of Nottingham, University Park,Nottingham NG7 2RD, UKTel.: +44 (0)115 8468684.

E-mail address: Arthur.williams@nottingham.ac.uk

Available online 24 April 2011