Reviews for Solar Energy Technology Handbook/Part B Applications, Systems Design, and Economics

The average rating for Solar Energy Technology Handbook/Part B Applications, Systems Design, and Economics based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-01-06 00:00:00 Nathan Varner A perfect descriptions awaits at the advent of Chapter 1: "Drive the Nebraskan backroads in July, and you encounter one of the great technological wonders of the modern world: thousands of acres of corn extending to the vanish point in all directions across the table-flat landscape. It appears as lush and as perfect a stand of vegetation as you will find anywhere on earth -- almost every plant, millions of them, the same uniform height, the same deep shade of green, free of blemish, emerging straight and strong from clean, weed-free soil, with the cells of every plant bearing genetically engineered doom for the over-adventurous worm." Yes, there's an extensive experience of awe associated with our technological advancements, but is this really for the greater good? This book delves into the biological and ethical implications, raising a number of important questions.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-06-02 00:00:00 Omar Harbi This project was a lengthy undertaking, but I finally worked my way through this text. This text is outdated, but that's not its fault; this is the one I got. Otherwise, it was a strong, simply-presented introduction to concepts in microeconomics and macroeconomics, primarily focused on the economic system(s) and context(s) of the United States. The world is changing so quickly in the Internet age that many of the delineations here no longer exist, though references to classical economics and some alternative systems were of course still pertinent. The economies of other nations are treated in a quasi-segmented way that does not reflect our global society (economy), and a shift in power dynamics has most definitely occurred internationally since this edition was released around the turn of the millennium. Language also needs a refresh. Generally, though, concepts are revisited multiple times, and students/readers are referred back to explanatory chapters for foundational information wherever necessary. Applied concepts in global economics (now outdated, but still interesting) are presented in each chapter for context. It's a good introductory text. Newer editions (which I have not read) hopefully deal more with cultural and socio-economic influences on the economy in the United States, international economics and globalization, and the rise of the tech sector and knowledge workers. And of course there's the development of behavioral economics, which may eventually bring the entire rationality model crumbling to the ground.