Solar energy is one of the most essential tools in the fight to create a sustainable future. A wholly renewable and cost-effective energy source capable of providing domestic, business, and industrial energy, solar energy is expected to become a $223 billion a year industry by 2026. The future of global energy production demands researchers and engineers who understand the physics of harnessing, storing, and distributing solar energy.

Physics of Solar Energy and Energy Storage begins to meet this demand, with a thorough, accessible overview of the required fundamentals. Now fully updated to reflect the past decade of research amidst a growing understanding of the scale of our collective challenge, it promises to train the next generation of researchers and engineers who will join this vital effort.

Readers of the second edition of Physics of Solar Energy and Energy Storage will find:

A particular focus on lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
Detailed discussions of photovoltaic solar systems, concentrating solar systems, passive solar heating, and more
Homework problems and exercises throughout to reinforce learning

Physics of Solar Energy and Energy Storage is ideal for mechanical, chemical, or electrical engineers working on solar or alternative energy projects, as well as researchers and policymakers in related fields.

Autorentext

C. Julian Chen is an adjunct professor and Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics at Columbia University since 2007. Prior to his time as an academic, he spent fifteen years in IBM's TJ Watson Research Center, where he performed research on scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). To continue STM research, he served as a Professor of Physics at Hamburg University for three years.