General Renewable Energy Resources

Use the tabs on this page to find books, scholarly journals, trade publications, data sources, and podcasts on topics related to the renewable energy industry. Additional publications on specific energy sources will be listed on the corresponding pages within the guide.

The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.

Alternative Energy by Christopher A. Simon
Call Number: HD9502.U52 S544 2020
ISBN: 9781538116364
Published/Created: 2020
The second edition of Alternative Energy: Political, Economic, and Social Feasibility builds on first edition material, but with significant updates on dramatic changes within the renewable energy sector over the last decade. The book discusses the basic technical aspects of major renewable energy systems and technological developments; the impact of politics on energy policy using contemporary theories of public policy (such as, Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), Punctuated Equilibrium (PE), Narrative Policy Framework, and Policy Diffusion), as well as discussing the evolution of the social feasibility of renewable energy. Alternative energy solutions, such as nuclear power, are expanded to discuss nuclear power developments and feasibility in the post-Fukushima policy environment. International commitment to renewable energy is also addressed. —From publisher’s description.
Clean Energy Politics by Joseph P. Tomain
Call Number: HD9502.U52 T655 2017
ISBN: 9781107039179
Published/Created: 2017
In Clean Power Politics, Joseph Tomain describes how clean energy policies have been developed and, more importantly, what's necessary for a successful transition to a clean energy future, including technological innovation, new business models, and regulatory reforms. The energy system of the future will minimize the environmental costs of traditional energy production and consumption, and emphasize expanded use of natural resources and energy efficiency. Because many new energy technologies can be produced and consumed at smaller scales, they will shift decision-making power away from traditional utilities and empower consumers to make energy choices about consumption and price. In this way, a clean energy future embodies a democratization of energy. —From publisher’s description.
Electrify by Saul Griffith
Call Number: TD195.E4 G735 2021
ISBN: 9780262046237
Published/Created: 2021
"An optimistic--but realistic and feasible--action plan for fighting climate change while creating new jobs and a healthier environment: electrify everything. ... Griffith, an engineer and inventor, calls for grid neutrality, ensuring that households, businesses, and utilities operate as equals; we will have to rewrite regulations that were created for a fossil-fueled world, mobilize industry as we did in World War II, and offer low-interest "climate loans." Griffith's plan doesn't rely on big, not-yet-invented innovations, but on thousands of little inventions and cost reductions. We can still have our cars and our houses--but the cars will be electric and solar panels will cover our roofs. For a world trying to bounce back from a pandemic and economic crisis, there is no other project that would create as many jobs--up to twenty-five million, according to one economic analysis. Is this politically possible? We can change politics along with everything else." —From publisher’s description.
Energy and Civilization by Vaclav Smil
Call Number: TJ163.5 .S623 2017
ISBN: 9780262035774
Published/Created: 2017
A comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society throughout history, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel-driven civilization. Sections of the book cover wind, water, biomass fuels, and other renewable energies.
Energy Economics by Thomas R. Sadler
ISBN: 9781498586580
Published/Created: 2020
The author, Thomas Sadler, uses the tools of economics to analyze the development of modern energy systems, the world's reliance on fossil fuels, and the components of a transition to cleaner energy resources. He also considers the science and policy underlying important energy issues, especially with respect to nuclear energy and the climate crisis, arguing that, without changes to the world's fossil fuel consumption patterns, an increase in demand for energy will exacerbate environmental problems. —From publisher’s description.
Global Energy by Paul Ekins (Editor); Mike Bradshaw (Editor); Jim Watson (Editor)
Call Number: HD9502.A2 G54435 2015
ISBN: 9780198719526
Published/Created: 2015
A number of energy issues - including energy security, energy prices and the polluting emissions for energy use - now have high prominence on global agendas of policy and diplomacy. In addressing these and other global energy issues, the purpose of this book is to lay out the broad global energy landscape, exploring how these issues might develop in coming decades, and the implications of such developments for energy policy. The book has three Parts. Part I sets out the current global context for energy system developments, outlining the essential trends of global energy supply and demand, and atmospheric emissions, from the past and going forward, and their driving forces. Part II explores the options and choices, covering both energy demand and energy supply, facing national and international policymakers as they confront the challenges of the global context outlined in Part I. Part III of the book brings together the discussion in Parts I and II with consideration of possible global energy and environmental futures, and of the energy policy choices which will determine which future actually comes to pass. —From publisher’s description.
Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems by Gilbert M. Masters
Call Number: TK1005 .M33 2013
ISBN: 9781118140628
Published/Created: 2013
The second edition of Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems provides a solid, quantitative, practical introduction to a wide range of renewable energy systems. For each topic, essential theoretical background is introduced, practical engineering considerations associated with designing systems and predicting their performance are provided, and methods for evaluating the economics of these systems are presented. While the book focuses on the fastest growing, most promising wind and solar technologies, new material on tidal and wave power, small-scale hydroelectric power, geothermal and biomass systems is introduced. Both supply-side and demand-side technologies are blended in the final chapter, which introduces the emerging smart grid. As the fraction of our power generated by renewable resources increases, the role of demand-side management in helping maintain grid balance is explored. Renewable energy systems have become mainstream technologies and are now, literally, big business. Throughout this edition, more depth has been provided on the financial analysis of large-scale conventional and renewable energy projects. While grid-connected systems dominate the market today, off-grid systems are beginning to have a significant impact on emerging economies where electricity is a scarce commodity. Considerable attention is paid to the economics of all of these systems. —From publisher’s description.
Available to researchers onsite via Stacks.
Renewable Energy by Bruce Usher
Call Number: TJ808 .U84 2019
ISBN: 9780231187848
Published/Created: 2019
Written in a straightforward style with easy-to-understand visual aids, the book illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of renewable energy based on business fundamentals and analysis of the economic forces that have given renewables a tailwind. Usher dissects the winners and losers, illustrating how governments and businesses with a far-sighted approach will reap long-term benefits while others will trail behind. —From publisher’s description.
Renewable Energy by Stephen Peake (Editor)
Call Number: TJ808 .R42 2018
ISBN: 9780198759751
Published/Created: 2018
Renewable Energy provides both perspective and detail on the relative merits and state of progress of technologies for utilizing the various 'renewables'. The analysis considers emissions, sustainability, cost implications and energy security, as political and economic pressures move society towards a low-carbon future. From an overview of basic energy conversion processes, through a discussion of the individual renewable sources, to a concluding examination of the prospects for their integration into national and international networks and the outlook for renewable energy, this book provides a valuable insight into prospects for the renewables. —From publisher’s description.
Renewable Energy Law by Penelope Crossley
Call Number: K3981 .C76 2019
ISBN: 9781107185760
Published/Created: 2019
With the rapid growth of the renewable energy sector, it has become increasingly important to understand how renewable energy is defined in national laws around the world and what regulatory mechanisms these countries are deploying to achieve their renewable energy goals. In Renewable Energy Law: An International Assessment, Penelope J. Crossley compares the national renewable energy laws for each of the 113 countries that have such a law, shedding light on the question of whether energy laws are converging globally to facilitate trade or engaging in regulatory competition. The book includes over sixty extracts from different national laws, case studies on the European Union and the Chinese wind sector, and many examples of the particular challenges facing specific countries. This work should be read by scholars, policymakers, regulators, employees of commercial entities operating in the energy sector, and anyone else interested in the legal and regulatory landscape of renewable energy. —From publisher’s description.
The Routledge Research Companion to Energy Geographies by Vanesa Castán Broto (Editor); Stefan Bouzarovski (Editor); Martin J. Pasqualetti (Editor)
Call Number: HD9502.A2 R685 2017
ISBN: 9781472464194
Published/Created: 2017
Providing an integrated perspective on the complex interdependencies between energy and geography, The Routledge Research Companion to Energy Geographies offers a timely conceptual framework to study the multiple facets of energy geography, including security, space and place, planning, environmental science, economics and political science. Illustrating how a geographic approach towards energy can aid decision-making pathways in the domains of social justice and environment, this book provides insights that will help move the international community toward greater cooperation, stability, and sustainability. —From publisher’s description.
Short Circuiting Policy by Leah Cardamore Stokes
Call Number: HD9502.U52 S8299 2020
ISBN: 9780190074265
Published/Created: 2020
In 1999, Texas passed a landmark clean energy law, beginning a groundswell of new policies that promised to make the US a world leader in renewable energy. As Leah Stokes shows in Short Circuiting Policy, however, that policy did not lead to momentum in Texas, which failed to implement its solar laws or clean up its electricity system. Examining clean energy laws in Texas, Kansas, Arizona, and Ohio over a thirty-year time frame, Stokes argues that organized combat between advocate and opponent interest groups is central to explaining why states are not on track to address the climate crisis. She tells the political history of our energy institutions, explaining how fossil fuel companies and electric utilities have promoted climate denial and delay. —From publisher’s description.
There Is No Planet B by Mike Berners-Lee
Call Number: TJ163.2 .B4745 2020
ISBN: 9781108821575
Published/Created: 2021
This is the big-picture perspective on the environmental and economic challenges of our day, laid out in one place, and traced through to the underlying roots - questions of how we live and think. This updated edition has new material on protests, pandemics, wildfires, investments, carbon targets and of course, on the key question: given all this, what can I do? —From publisher’s description.
What We Know about Climate Change, Updated Edition by Kerry Emanuel; Bob Inglis (Foreword by)
Call Number: QC903 .E43 2018
ISBN: 9780262535915
Published/Created: 2018
An updated edition of a guide to the basic science of climate change, and a call to action. The vast majority of scientists agree that human activity has significantly increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere--most dramatically since the 1970s. Yet global warming skeptics and ill-informed elected officials continue to dismiss this broad scientific consensus. In this updated edition of his authoritative book, MIT atmospheric scientist Kerry Emanuel outlines the basic science of global warming and how the current consensus has emerged. —From publisher’s description.

Scholarly research on renewable energy industries can overlap with a number of different fields. This page has a list of the most commonly cited academic journals on renewable energies as it relates to industry and economy. The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.

Bioenergy Research by Springer
Call Number: TP336 .B52
Published/Created: 2008-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy by Springer
Call Number: TD1 .C54
Published/Created: 2002-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Climatic Change by Springer
Call Number: QC981.8.C5 C54
Published/Created: 1977-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Energy & Environment by Sage
Published/Created: 1990-present
(Online resource) For more information see the publisher’s website External
Energy Economics by Elsevier
Call Number: HD9502.A1 E5345
Published/Created: 1979-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
The Energy Journal by International Association of Energy Economists
Call Number: HD9502.A1 E536
Published/Created: 1980-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Energy Policy by Elsevier
Call Number: HD9502.A1 E54
Published/Created: 1973-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Energy Research & Social Science by Elsevier
Call Number: HD9502.A2 E55114
Published/Created: 2014-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Environmental and Resource Economics‎ by Springer
Call Number: HD75.6 .E558
Published/Created: 1991-present
Published in cooperation with the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Environmental Science and Pollution Research International‎ by Springer
Call Number: GE1 .E553
Published/Created: 1994-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
Frontiers in Energy by Springer
Call Number: TJ163.13
Published/Created: 2011-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External
International Journal of Energy Sector Management‎ by Emerald
Call Number: TJ163.13
Published/Created: 2007-present
(Online resource) For more information see the publisher’s website External
Joule
Call Number: TJ163.13 .J675
Published/Created: 2017-present
For more information see the publisher's website External
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews by Elsevier
Call Number: TJ807 .R45
Published/Created: 1997-present
For more information see the publisher’s website External

In addition to major news and magazine outlets, there are a number of trade publications specific to energy and environmental policy. The following resources link to the publication's website. Depending on the amount or type of content viewed, users may run into a paywall. When available, a link is provided to the journal's Library of Congress catalog record and/or subscription where the article can be found.

Canary Media External
An independent news outlet focused on climate change and clean energy topics. Many reporters from Greentech Media moved to Canary Media when Greentech Media closed in 2021.
CleanTechnia External
CleanTechnia reports and provides commentary on clean energies, energy storage, the electrical grid, electrical vehicles, and energy storage (batteries).
Climate Desk External
While not actually a trade publication, this article aggregator, convened in 2009 by Mother Jones, "is a multi-media journalistic collaboration dedicated to exploring the impact—human, environmental, economic, political—of a changing climate. The partners are: The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, CityLab, Grist, The Guardian, High Country News, HuffPost, Medium, Mother Jones, National Observer, Newsweek, Reveal, Slate, The Weather Channel, Undark, Wired and Yale Environment 360." While the aggregator itself might not have the most recent articles, searching the phrase "Climate Desk" in any of the partner publications' websites will pull up articles with that tag.
Environment & Energy Publishing (E&E) External
Includes Environment & Energy Daily Designed for policy players who need to know what’s happening to their issues on Capitol Hill. From federal agency appropriations to comprehensive energy legislation, E&E Daily is the place insiders go to track their environmental and energy issues in Congress.
Greenwire The one-stop source for those who need to stay on top of all of today’s major environmental and energy action. With an average of more than 25 stories a day, Greenwire covers the complete spectrum, from electricity industry restructuring to Clean Air Act litigation to public lands management.
Energywire: EnergyWire is designed to bring readers deep, broad and insightful coverage on the business and political issues surrounding the rapidly expanding unconventional energy industry in the United States and around the world.
Trellis External
Trellis provides reporting on clean energy and sustainability, specifically in the business and technology sectors. They also host events and publish reports related to renewable energy industries and environmental responsibility. Formerly known as GreenBiz.
Grist External
Founded in 1999, Grist writes about climate, sustainability, clean energy, and environmental justice.
Renewable Energy World External
A source for news, events and webcasts on topics related to renewable energies, storage, and energy efficiency. Browse topics using the category bar across the top of the page. They also have an magazine archive External of Renewable Energy World
Resources magazine External
Published starting in 1959 by the group Resources for the Future (RFF), it contains content on environmental, energy and natural resource news and insights. The Library of Congress has print holdings for Resources in the catalog.
Wood Mackenzie - Our Latest Thinking External
Wood Mackenzie is a research firm focused on energy, power, and chemical industries. Their page "Our Latest Thinking" contains opinion and news pieces written by analysts. Larger reports are not free to access.
Wood Mackenzie acquired Greentech Media in 2016, and in April 2021 ceased publishing Greentech Media news content, although past articles can still be found on the Greentech Media website. External

Online Resources

The following websites contain data about energy resources.

Our World in Data: Renewable Energy External
Provides charts and data to answer questions such as "How much of our primary energy comes from renewables?," with information specifically about solar, wind, hydropower, biofuels and geothermal energy. They cite their sources at the bottom of the page.
Open Energy Information External
OpenEI "is a collection of content and data provided by contributors." Data coverage covers topics in geothermal, solar, water and wind energy resources, along with incentives, policies, programs and regulations.
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
U.S. Energy Information Administration collects data and publishes reports and analysis on renewable and alternative fuels. Some data series have expired or are captured by other reports, so using the search feature on the website will often bring you to the most current information.
International Energy Agency (IEA) External
Although IEA was started in 1974 to respond to oil supply distruptions, they have since expanded to examine "full spectrum issues including renewables, oil, gas and coal supply and demand, energy efficiency, clean energy technologies, electricity systems and markets, access to energy, demand-side management, and much more." Their website has official energy statistics from more than 100 countries collected on a monthly or annual basis, analyses by industry sector or technology, and energy-related policies.
European Commission Energy Data and Analysis External
"The European Commission provides a wide range of analysis and statistics on the energy market including oil, coal, gas and electricity, data on energy imports and exports, and energy trends up and beyond 2050. These actions support EU policy making on energy. In addition, various energy statistics are produced, such as: energy performance in buildings, energy production, consumption, taxation and prices in the EU and abroad, economic and environmental data."
Visualizing Energy. External
A project of the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS), this portal combines data, visualization, and storytelling on topics of energy, economics, social outcomes, and environmental change. Data used in visualizations can be downloaded in spreadsheet.

Databases

Additionally, a number of databases contain useful statistics on renewable energy. A few specific ones are listed below, but the full list can be found on the subscription databases page of this guide. The subscription resources marked with a padlock are available to researchers on-site at the Library of Congress. If you are unable to visit the Library, you may be able to access these resources through your local public or academic library.

DOE Data Explorer External This link opens in a new window

Use the DOE Data Explorer (DDE) to find scientific research data--such as computer simulations, numeric data files, figures and plots, interactive maps, multimedia, and scientific images--generated in the course of DOE-sponsored research in various science disciplines. The DOE Data Explorer includes a database of citations prepared by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) based on the information found at data-hosting websites. The DDE is intended to be particularly useful to students, the public, and to researchers who are new to a field or looking for experimental or observational data outside their normal field of expertise. You may browse or search the database, then link to a data collection where it resides. You will often find specialized search interfaces and software toolkits developed by the data owners. These allow you to search deeper into the data files and help you understand, analyze, and use the data within the context of your own research interests.
GlobalData: Power External This link opens in a new window
The GlobalData: Power portfolio brings users intelligence on the power sector like never before and all in a single, real-time, online platform. The platform provides fully integrated databases, tools, analyses, news, companies and deals. It has three strands of intelligence: Market intelligence coverage includes market outlook, power plants across technologies and upcoming projects, a capacity and generation database, a power consumption database and research reports Equipment intelligence provides users with a database of power components, along with a tenders and contracts database, and research reports on key equipment and Corporate intelligence, the company database which includes over 66,000 companies and also provides benchmarking reports and analysis on around 3,000 deals annually, along with news and events.
Statista External This link opens in a new window
Statista is an online statistics, market research and business intelligence portal. It provides access to data from market and opinion research institutions, as well as from business organizations and government institutions in English, French, German and Spanish.

Print Resources

A number of organizations and companies have published data books with energy statistics, often by country. A few examples are listed below, which link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are provided when available.

Energy Prices and Taxes for OECD Countries by International Energy Agency and OECD
Call Number: HD9502.A1 E545
Published/Created: 2019
Primarily focuses on coal, oil and natural gas.
Energy Statistics 1970-1985 and Main Series From 1960 by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Staff
Call Number: TJ163.2 .E489 1987
ISBN: 9264029354
Published/Created: 1987
Energy Statistics Yearbook by United Nations. Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office.
Call Number: HD9502.A1 Y42
Published/Created: 1957-2008
This current title starts in 1991. Previous titles are as follows, starting from the oldest:
World Energy Supplies in Selected Years, 1929-1950; World Energy Supplies, 1951/1954-1973/1978 (each volume covers a four-year period); Yearbook of world energy statistics, 1979-1981; and Energy Statistics Yearbook, 1982-1990.
World Energy Balances by International Energy Agency
Call Number: HD9502.A1 W662
Published/Created: 2016-present
World Energy Statistics by International Energy Agency
Call Number: HD9502.A1 W6753
Published/Created: 2016-present

These audio series cover topics in renewable energy, energy policies, and energy infrastructure. Usually they do not need to be listened to sequentially, and by reading episode descriptions, you may find one that addresses your topic. Podcasts also have show notes where they link to guest information, and resources mentioned in the episode. Podcasts can be listened to directly on their website or through a podcast app.

Currents from Norton Rose Fulbright External
"Currents features in-depth discussions on the latest developments in project finance. The podcast is hosted by partner Todd Alexander, who interviews key business leaders and policy makers to investigate important trends affecting the energy and infrastructure space."
The Energy Gang from Greentech Media External
"A weekly digest on energy, cleantech and the environment." Podcasts are about an hour, with regular hosts Stephen Lacey, Katherine Hamilton, and Jigar Shah. The show notes contain links to the articles and sources they discuss.
The Solarpreneur Podcast External
This podcast is for those in the solar energy business and sales, and they "reveal the tricks of the trade to make it happen in the solar industry whether you're a sales pro, marketer, or entrepreneur. Show topics include online marketing, closing strategy, mindset, filling the pipeline, industry news, interviews, and so much more." Episodes range from 15-40 minutes, depending on the topic.
The Interchange from Greentech Media External
"The Interchange is a weekly podcast on the global energy transformation, hosted by Stephen Lacey and Shayle Kann. Each week, the duo provide deep insights into technology, markets, projects, company financials, mergers and acquisitions, policy changes, and market data."
The MIT Energy Initiative Podcast External
"Conversations at MIT about the future of energy." Episodes come out about once per month. Show notes contain transcripts and sources.
The Energy Transition Show External
Hosted by energy expert Chris Nelder, this podcast discusses the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies and features a number of guests from energy industries. Free mini episodes (about 20 minutes) are released twice per month. A subscription is required to access full length episodes.

Renewable Energy Industries: A Research Guide

General Renewable Energy Resources

Online Resources

Databases

Print Resources