Introduction to Bioenergy

Vaughn Nelson has been involved with renewable energy, primarily wind energy, since the early 1970s. Currently, he is retired from West Texas A&M University (WTAMU). He has earned the following degrees: PhD in physics, University of Kansas, EdM, Harvard University, and BSE, Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia. He is the author of three books and four CDs, and has published over 50 articles and reports. In the series Energy and the Environment, Dr. Nelson is the author of Wind Energy (2009, 2nd ed. 2013) and Introduction to Renewable Energy (2011) as well as the 2nd ed. (2015) from CRC Press. Kenneth Starcher began his college career and involvement with renewables in the same semester at West Texas State University in 1976. It led to a BS in physics/computer science in 1980. He received an MS in engineering technology at West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) in 1995. Ken has been the educational funnel for on-site training and public information for students and public workshops for AEI and has been a field worker for projects at the company since 1980. He has served as a consultant for wind companies in the United States and produced wind resources maps for various areas worldwide.

• INTRODUCTION. ENERGY. SUN. CLIMATE CHANGE. PLANTS. SOIL. CONSTRAINTS. HEAT AND POWER. BIOFUELS. SECONDARY USES. INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES. ECONOMICS. OBSERVATIONS. APPENDIX.

"This book provides an excellent overview of the basic science that describes the source (solar energy) and how this energy is collected and converted to what we call bioenergy. … The latter chapters describe how bioenergy can be utilized by society and meet the growing need for additional energy as the supply of fossil fuels declines in the future."—R. Nolan Clark, Retired, Director, ARS, USDA, Bushland, Texas, USA