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This volume of the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Second Edition, describes technologies that actively convert solar radiation into useful heat in a temperature range from just above ambient up to more than 1,000(deg)C. Applications cover a broad range of energy services such as space heating, cooking, domestic hot water supply, electrical power generation, and high temperature thermochemical processes. The major developments that have led to currently available technologies for solar thermal energy applications were initiated mainly after the first oil shock in 1973. Solar thermal energy is widely used already for heating purposes (water, space) in the "e;low"e; temperature range up to about 100(deg)C employing mainly nonconcentrating collectors, whereas higher temperatures can be achieved with more sophisticated solar collector technologies. Temperatures over 200(deg)C typically require concentrating solar radiation using mirror systems. Several different technologies are described in detail in this volume, including solar collector systems in the lower temperature range, the direct use of solar radiation for food processing, namely cooking and drying, the production of electricity through conversion of solar radiation first to heat, driving a mechanical conversion system coupled to an electric generator, the use of solar radiation to drive chemical processes, and many more.

This volume on Infectious Diseases in an Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology (ESST) addresses the needs of health care providers and policy makers as well as scientists and engineers. Most of chapters in this volume deal with infectious diseases that directly affect humans, including the detailed characterization of specific pathogens, how they reproduce, how they are transmitted, and the means available to control, eliminate, or eradicate them. In this revised and updated second edition, the number of human infectious diseases covered has been significantly expanded. Other new chapters deal with current leading edge technologies for the diagnosis of pathogens; surveillance including environmental and syndromic surveillance for pathogens; requirements for quality assurance, quality control and the need for biological standards and controls to sustain high quality diagnosis and surveillance; the use of big data for personalized medicine; modeling infectious diseases; zoonotic and vector borne diseases; disease prevention with antibiotics, antivirals and vaccines; and factors that affect ecological balances leading to emergence of new diseases such as climate change and deforestation. Finally, infectious diseases that affect livestock and culture of plants for food, comfort and beauty are also addressed, since we must also consider them when discussing sustainability of humans in our ecosystem.

This expanded, revised, and updated second edition of Innovations in Green Chemistry and Green Engineering provides a comprehensive introduction to the state-of-the-art in this key area of sustainability research.

This volume in the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Second Edition, brings together chapters examining water, energy, minerals and the environment in a holistic approach to land use planning and utilization.

This volume in the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Second edition, provides a comprehensive overview of complementary strategies for dealing with waste in and around urban areas: Waste-to-energy power plants (WTEs) and recycling.

The expected end of the "oil age" will lead to increasing focus and reliance on alternative energy conversion devices, among which fuel cells have the potential to play an important role. Not only can phosphoric acid and solid oxide fuel cells already efficiently convert today's fossil fuels, including methane, into electricity, but other types of fuel cells, such as polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, have the potential to become the cornerstones of a possible future hydrogen economy. This handbook offers concise yet comprehensive coverage of the current state of fuel cell research and identifies key areas for future investigation. Internationally renowned specialists provide authoritative introductions to a wide variety of fuel cell types and hydrogen production technologies, and discuss materials and components for these systems. Sustainability and marketing considerations are also covered, including comparisons of fuel cells with alternative technologies.

By uncovering relationships and challenges of successful and scalable crop management and breeding, this volume addresses the challenges of environmentally sound production of bulk and quality food, fodder, fiber, and energy which are of ongoing international concern.

This comprehensive reference is a state-of-the-art survey of biomass as an energy carrier for the provision of heat, electricity, and transportation fuel, considering technical, economic, environmental, and social aspects.