Introduction

Rising fuel prices during recent years and the threat of global warming have reinforced public and scientific interest in the issue of sustainable energy, with the term sustainability understood as having economic, environmental and social dimensions.

Importance of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is seen as an effective means to address several problems simultaneously, including climate change, exploitation of non-renewable resources, the high volatility of energy prices on the global markets, dependency on fuels from politically unstable countries (energy-insecurity) and the transfer of wealth to these countries.

Scope of the Book

This book addresses these and related topics including the diffusion of renewable technologies. Policies to induce sustainable energy use and production are discussed by researchers from a range of different disciplines. The result is a use-oriented and multidisciplinary perspective concerning policies to support sustainable energy use and production, which will be of great use to researchers and academics alike.