Solar Thermal and Biomass Energy

This book covers renewable energy sources. In particular, it reviews the state of the art in thermal solar techniques and biomasses.The first topic treated is solar radiation. Then the authors discuss the possible utilisation of solar energy through thermal solar techniques, starting with low-temperature techniques and moving on successively to medium- and high-temperature ones. This discussion includes, of course, expanations of those devices and materials employed in using those technologies. The last part of the book covers biomasses. Starting with the definition of this wide-ranging field, the authors successively treat how to obtain energy from biomasses and all the environmental aspects linked to this topic.Very few books treat so diffusely the state of the art in thermal solar technologies, especially in biomasses, a topic in which there is a bit of confusion due to the very wide range of related technologies.