Time to Shine : Applications of Solar Energy Technology

The perfect primer for the engineer, scientist, and layperson alike to learn about the practical applications of solar energy technology and how it is being used today, all over the world.

Solar energy heats our homes, lights our city streets, and provides power worldwide. As solar energy becomes increasingly more important in all of our lives, it becomes increasingly more important to learn how it works and how it can be implemented.

Solar energy has been the "new" energy for a long time. As this technology becomes a larger and larger piece of the energy spectrum, it is increasingly important for engineers, scientists, managers, and other decision-makers to understand solar energy technology and its applications. This book, written in easy-to-understand language, with plentiful color photos and illustrations, is the perfect primer on solar energy for anyone working in the energy industry or anyone who wants to learn more about solar energy technology.

With a focus on its current uses, including developing countries, this book shows examples of actual and potential uses of solar energy. It presents an original view of solar energy technology, as well as tools for the understanding of consequences of energy-related decisions. Parts of this book draw to a large extent on the work of the Synopsis Institute in Lodève, France, a leading research and development firm in the area of solar energy technology and its practical uses in our everyday lives.

Michael Grupp obtained his PhD in nuclear solid-state physics at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. In 1977, he set up an independent energy research unit called Synopsis in southern France, undertook innovative solar energy R&D, and soon broadened his scope to applications for less developed countries. He has proposed and coordinated projects in Europe, Africa, and India concerning technical, production, market, and acceptance aspects, as well as their methodological implications. Dr. Grupp has received a European Solar Prize in 2004 and serves on several scientific committees and editorial boards. Married with four children, Michael Grupp was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the early '90s.