Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing the way companies manufacture, improve, and distribute their products. It demands the application of renewable energy using advanced materials. Renewable energy is reshaping the fields of industry, agriculture, and households, providing reliable power supplies and fuel diversification. This enhances energy security, lowers the risk of fuel spills, and reduces the need for imported fuels. Examples of material applications used for renewable energy are photovoltaic, solar cells, which can be used in agriculture. This volume has a diverse audience including students, researchers, and academics engaged in materials and renewable energy. Features : Presents latest research on renewable energy in relation to urbanization, industrialization, and the environment. Provides in-depth discussion on modeling and simulation using latest techniques. Provides technical exposure for the readers on advanced materials. Provides numerous examples on properties of biomaterials and their future prospect. Provides up-to-date information on functional materials for industrial application.

This book highlights progress towards the capture, storage, and utilization of energy through the development of advanced materials and systems based on abundant elements, materials, and commodities. Energy is critical to human sustainability and a global-scale deployment of renewable energy systems will be required. Hence, the chapters integrate the fundamental aspects that enable the technical advancements in detail, along with an emphasis on the need for highly sustainable materials to enable real impact for humankind: To determine innovation of energy capture and storage through characterizations of materials in areas of electrical generation and electrical storage systems; To demonstrate better performance, economic and environmental advantages than the current state of the art; To define new chemistries and materials for innovations in energy density design through lower operational temperatures, improve safety, expanding operational voltage, battery durability lifetimes, and reduce system costs. Advances critical technical and commercial objectives for novel high energy density materials; Evaluates operational material models for optimizing energy capture that are integrated by configurations as a system; Illustrates utilization of material life cycle assessment for high energy outputs generators for sustainable materials.

The search for cleaner, cheaper, smaller and more efficient energy technologies has to a large extent been motivated by the development of new materials. The aim of this collection of articles is therefore to focus on what materials-based solutions can offer and show how the rationale design and improvement of their physical and chemical properties can lead to energy-production alternatives that have the potential to compete with existing technologies. In terms of alternative means to generate electricity that utilize renewable energy sources, the most dramatic breakthroughs for both mobile (i.e., transportation) and stationary applications are taking place in the fields of solar and fuel cells. And from an energy-storage perspective, exciting developments can be seen emerging from the fields of rechargeable batteries and hydrogen storage.

Smart Buildings: Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology to Improve Energy Efficiency and Environmental Performance presents a thorough analysis of the latest advancements in construction materials and building design that are applied to maximize building efficiency in both new and existing buildings. After a brief introduction on the issues concerning the design process in the third millennium, Part One examines the differences between Zero Energy, Green, and Smart Buildings, with particular emphasis placed on the issue of smart buildings and smart housing, mainly the 'envelope' and how to make it more adaptive with the new possibilities offered by nanotechnology and smart materials. Part Two focuses on the last generation of solutions for smart thermal insulation. Based on the results of extensive research into more innovative insulation materials, chapters discuss achievements in nanotechnology, bio-ecological, and phase-change materials. The technical characteristics, performance level, and methods of use for each are described in detail, as are the achievements in the field of green walls and their use as a solution for upgrading the energy efficiency and environmental performance of existing buildings. Finally, Part Three reviews current research on smart windows, with the assumption that transparent surfaces represent the most critical element in the energy balance of the building. Chapters provide an extensive review on the technical features of transparent closures that are currently on the market or under development, from so-called dynamic glazing to bio-adaptive and photovoltaic glazing. The aesthetic potential and performance limits are also be discussed. - Presents valuable definitions that are given to explain the characteristics, requirements, and differences between 'zero energy', 'green' and 'smart' buildings - Contains particular focus on the next generation of construction materials and the most advanced products currently entering the market - Lists both the advantages and disadvantages to help the reader choose the most suitable solution - Takes into consideration both design and materials aspects - Promotes the existence of new advanced materials providing technical information to encourage further use and reduce costs compared to more traditional materials

Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing the way companies manufacture, improve, and distribute their products. It demands the application of renewable energy using advanced materials. Renewable energy is reshaping the fields of industry, agriculture, and households, providing reliable power supplies and fuel diversification. This enhances energy security, lowers the risk of fuel spills, and reduces the need for imported fuels. Examples of material applications used for renewable energy are photovoltaic, solar cells, which can be used in agriculture. This volume has a diverse audience including students, researchers, and academics engaged in materials and renewable energy. Features : Presents latest research on renewable energy in relation to urbanization, industrialization, and the environment. Provides in-depth discussion on modeling and simulation using latest techniques. Provides technical exposure for the readers on advanced materials. Provides numerous examples on properties of biomaterials and their future prospect. Provides up-to-date information on functional materials for industrial application.

How will we meet rising energy demands? What are our options? Are there viable long-term solutions for the future? Learn the fundamental physical, chemical and materials science at the heart of renewable/non-renewable energy sources, future transportation systems, energy efficiency and energy storage. Whether you are a student taking an energy course or a newcomer to the field, this textbook will help you understand critical relationships between the environment, energy and sustainability. Leading experts provide comprehensive coverage of each topic, bringing together diverse subject matter by integrating theory with engaging insights. Each chapter includes helpful features to aid understanding, including a historical overview to provide context, suggested further reading and questions for discussion. Every subject is beautifully illustrated and brought to life with full color images and color-coded sections for easy browsing, making this a complete educational package. Fundamentals of Materials for Energy and Environmental Sustainability will enable today's scientists and educate future generations.

Sustainable Materials and Green Processing for Energy Conversion provides a concise reference on green processing and synthesis of materials required for the next generation of devices used in renewable energy conversion and storage. The book covers the processing of bio-organic materials, environmentally-friendly organic and inorganic sources of materials, synthetic green chemistry, bioresorbable and transient properties of functional materials, and the concept of sustainable material design. The book features chapters by worldwide experts and is an important reference for students, researchers, and engineers interested in gaining extensive knowledge concerning green processing of sustainable, green functional materials for next generation energy devices. Additionally, functional materials used in energy devices must also be able to degrade and decompose with minimum energy after being disposed of at their end-of-life. Environmental pollution is one of the global crises that endangers the life cycles of living things. There are multiple root causes of this pollution, including industrialization that demands a huge supply of raw materials for the production of products related to meeting the demands of the Internet-of-Things. As a result, improvement of material and product life cycles by incorporation of green, sustainable principles is essential to address this challenging issue. - Offers a resourceful reference for readers interested in green processing of environmentally-friendly and sustainable materials for energy conversion and storage devices - Focuses on designing of materials through green-processing concepts - Highlights challenges and opportunities in green processing of renewable materials for energy devices