This Code of Practice sets out the requirements for the design, specification, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.Key safety considerations in the protection and earthing of PV systems mounted on buildings and on the ground is covered in detail. It also contains requirements for commissioning, monitoring and maintenance throughout the lifetime of an installation. It is an invaluable resource for technicians and supervisors who may be responsible for overseeing solar PV systems deployment.This second edition provides updated information to ensure that a solar PV system is designed, competently installed and safe to operate in compliance with current national and international standards - including alignment to BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 and other relevant industry standards. Read more

** Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham is out now **THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'Superb, enthralling and necessarily terrifying . . . every step feels spring-loaded with tension... extraordinary.' The New York TimesThe story of Chernobyl is more complex, more human, and more terrifying than the Soviet myth. Adam Higginbotham has written a harrowing and compelling narrative which brings the 1986 disaster to life through the eyes of the men and women who witnessed it first-hand. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over the course of more than ten years, as well as letters, unpublished memoirs, and documents from recently-declassified archives, this book makes for a masterful non-fiction thriller.Chernobyl has become lodged in the collective nightmares of the world: shorthand for the spectral horrors of radiation poisoning, for a dangerous technology slipping its leash, for ecological fragility, and for what can happen when a dishonest and careless state endangers not only its own citizens, but all of humanity. It is a story that has long remained in dispute, clouded from the beginning in secrecy, propaganda, and misinformation.Midnight In Chernobyl is an indelible portrait of history's worst nuclear disaster, of human resilience and ingenuity and the lessons learned when mankind seeks to bend the natural world to his will - lessons which, in the face of climate change and other threats - remain not just vital but necessary.Now, Higginbotham brings us closer to the truth behind this colossal tragedy.'Tells the story of the disaster and its gruesome aftermath with thriller-like flair . . . wonderful and chilling ... written with skill and passion.' The Observer'An invaluable contribution to history.' Serhii Plokhy, Evening StandardLONGLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE ONDAATJE PRIZE 2020 Read more

Feeding the world, climate change, biodiversity, antibiotics, plastics, pandemics - the list of concerns seems endless. But what is most pressing, and what should we do first? Do we all need to become vegetarian? How can we fly in a low-carbon world? How can we take control of technology? And, given the global nature of the challenges we now face, what on Earth can any of us do, as individuals? Mike Berners-Lee has crunched the numbers and plotted a course of action that is full of hope, practical, and enjoyable. 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? Read more

A beautiful gift for the intrepid explorer in your life by one of the most acclaimed and beloved nature writers working today, the internationally bestselling, prize-winning author of Landmarks, The Lost Words and The Old WaysA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2019WINNER OF THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2020'You'd be crazy not to read this book' The Sunday TimesA Guardian Best Book of the 21st CenturyIn Underland, Robert Macfarlane takes us on a journey into the worlds beneath our feet. From the ice-blue depths of Greenland's glaciers, to the underground networks by which trees communicate, from Bronze Age burial chambers to the rock art of remote Arctic sea-caves, this is a deep-time voyage into the planet's past and future. Global in its geography, gripping in its voice and haunting in its implications, Underland is a work of huge range and power, and a remarkable new chapter in Macfarlane's long-term exploration of landscape and the human heart.SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2020 'Macfarlane has invented a new kind of book, really a new genre entirely' The Irish Times'He is the great nature writer, and nature poet, of this generation' Wall Street Journal 'Macfarlane has shown how utterly beautiful a brilliantly written travel book can still be' Observer on The Old Ways'Irradiated by a profound sense of wonder... Few books give such a sense of enchantment; it is a book to give to many, and to return to repeatedly' Independent on Landmarks'It sets the imagination tingling...like reading a prose Odyssey sprinkled with imagist poems' The Sunday Times on The Old Ways Read more

Have you ever asked yourself how the inventions, gadgets, and devices that surround us actually work? Discover the hidden workings of everyday technology with this graphic guide.How Technology Works demystifies the machinery that keeps the modern world going, from simple objects such as zip fasteners and can openers to the latest, most sophisticated devices of the information age, including smart watches, personal digital assistants, and driverless cars. It includes inventions that have changed the course of history, like the internal combustion engine, as well as technologies that might hold the key to our future survival, including solar cells and new kinds of farming to feed a growing population. All the way through the book, step-by-step explanations are supported by simple and original graphics that take devices apart and show you how they work. The opening chapter explains principles that underpin lots of devices - from basic mechanics to electricity to digital technology. From there on, devices are grouped by application - such as the home, transport, and computing - making them easy to find and placing similar devices side by side. How Technology Works is perfect for anyone who didn't have a training in STEM subjects at school or is simply curious about how the modern world works. Read more

** Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham is out now **THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'Superb, enthralling and necessarily terrifying . . . every step feels spring-loaded with tension... extraordinary.' The New York TimesThe story of Chernobyl is more complex, more human, and more terrifying than the Soviet myth. Adam Higginbotham has written a harrowing and compelling narrative which brings the 1986 disaster to life through the eyes of the men and women who witnessed it first-hand. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over the course of more than ten years, as well as letters, unpublished memoirs, and documents from recently-declassified archives, this book makes for a masterful non-fiction thriller.Chernobyl has become lodged in the collective nightmares of the world: shorthand for the spectral horrors of radiation poisoning, for a dangerous technology slipping its leash, for ecological fragility, and for what can happen when a dishonest and careless state endangers not only its own citizens, but all of humanity. It is a story that has long remained in dispute, clouded from the beginning in secrecy, propaganda, and misinformation.Midnight In Chernobyl is an indelible portrait of history's worst nuclear disaster, of human resilience and ingenuity and the lessons learned when mankind seeks to bend the natural world to his will - lessons which, in the face of climate change and other threats - remain not just vital but necessary.Now, Higginbotham brings us closer to the truth behind this colossal tragedy.'Tells the story of the disaster and its gruesome aftermath with thriller-like flair . . . wonderful and chilling ... written with skill and passion.' The Observer'An invaluable contribution to history.' Serhii Plokhy, Evening StandardLONGLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE ONDAATJE PRIZE 2020 Read more

A radical new history of energy and humanity's insatiable need for resources that will change the way we talk about climate change *Winner of a Nouvel Observateur Award, a Fondation pour l'écologie politique Award, the Prix du jury Turgot and the Prix du Sénat du livre d’histoire 2025**Selected as an Economist and Financial Times Book of the Year*'A necessary, eye-opening and frequently gobsmacking book... Removing fossil fuels from the energy mix will require something akin to an amputation. The vivid sense of the scale and complexity of the world’s material and energetic flows provided by this book makes clear what a difficult, and possibly bloody, operation that will have to be' - The EconomistIt has become habitual to think of our relationship with energy as one of transition: with wood superseded by coal, coal by oil, oil by nuclear and then at some future point all replaced by green sources. Jean-Baptiste Fressoz’s devastating but unnervingly entertaining book shows what an extraordinary delusion this is. Far from the industrial era passing through a series of transformations, each new phase has in practice remained almost wholly entangled with the previous one. Indeed the very idea of transition turns out to be untrue.The author shares the same acute anxiety about the need for a green transition as the rest of us, but shows how, disastrously, our industrial history has in fact been based on symbiosis, with each major energy source feeding off the others. Using a fascinating array of examples, Fressoz describes how we have gorged on all forms of energy – with whole forests needed to prop up coal mines, coal remaining central to the creation of innumerable new products and oil still central to our lives. The world now burns more wood and coal than ever before.This book reveals an uncomfortable truth: ‘transition’ was originally itself promoted by energy companies, not as a genuine plan, but as a means to put off any meaningful change. More and More and More forces its readers to understand the modern world in all its voracious reality, and the true nature of the challenges heading our way. Read more

‘One of the finest memoirs published in recent years.’ Dan Jones‘An utterly fascinating and wonderfully detailed insight into the hidden world of the modern submarine.’ James HollandA candid, visceral, and incredibly entertaining account of what it’s like to live in one of the most extreme environments in the world.Imagine a world without natural light, where you can barely stand up straight for fear of knocking your head, where you have no idea of where in the world you are or what time of day it is, where you sleep in a coffin-sized bunk and sometimes eat a full roast for breakfast.Now imagine sharing that world with 140 other sweaty bodies, crammed into a 430ft x 33ft steel tube, 300ft underwater, for up to 90 days at a time, with no possibility of escape. And to top it off, a sizeable chunk of your living space is taken up by the most formidably destructive nuclear weapons history has ever known. This is the world of the submariner. This is life under pressure.As a restless and adventurous 18-year-old, Richard Humphreys joined the submarine service in 1985 and went on to serve aboard the nuclear deterrent for five years at the end of the Cold War. Nothing could have prepared him for life beneath the waves. Aside from the claustrophobia and disorientation, there were the prolonged periods of boredom, the constant dread of discovery by the Soviets, and the smorgasbord of rank odours that only a group of poorly-washed and flatulent submariners can unleash.But even in this most pressurised of environments, the consolations were unique: where else could you sit peacefully for hours listening to whale song, or…Based on first-hand experience, Under Pressure is the candid, visceral and incredibly entertaining account of what it’s like to live, work, sleep, eat – and stay sane – in one of the most extreme man-made environments on the planet. Read more

This book provides a broad overview on the different aspects of solar energy, with a focus on photovoltaics, which is the technology that allows light energy to be converted into electric energy.Renewable energy sources have become increasingly popular in recent years, and solar is one of the most adaptable and attractive types – from solar farms to support the National Grid to roof panels/tiles used for solar thermal heating systems, and small solar garden lights. Written by Delft University researchers, Solar Energy uniquely covers both the physics of photovoltaic (PV) cells and the design of PV systems for real-life applications, from a concise history of solar cells components and location issues of current systems. The book is designed to make this complicated subject accessible to all, and is packed with fascinating graphs and charts, as well as useful exercises to cement the topics covered in each chapter.Solar Energy outlines the fundamental principles of semiconductor solar cells, as well as PV technology: crystalline silicon solar cells, thin-film cells, PV modules, and third-generation concepts. There is also background on PV systems, from simple stand-alone to complex systems connected to the grid. This is an invaluable reference for physics students, researchers, industrial engineers and designers working in solar energy generation, as well those with a general interest in renewable energy. Read more

Off Grid Solar, a reference guide for builders of solar and battery projects.This book includes all the steps to build an Off Grid energy system, and will help you make better decisions, so they can understand your technology needs rather than trust other’s recommendations. You will learn:How many solar panels are needed to refill the batteriesHow to design to minimize costs of equipmentThe best angle for your solar panelsA detailed comparison of many battery typesTools requiredWire sizing and typeHow photovoltaic cells workWhy a BMS is needed for batteriesDescription of Charger Controllers and InvertersHow to attach panels to your roofThe first and only book to focus on:Off Grid solar only, eliminating the confusion of grid-tied systemsFuture technologies, such as Lithium-Ion batteries, Battery Management Systems, Microgrids, and Off Grid Battery InvertersGlobal audience, using internationally recognized codes and standardsSolar and battery expert Joseph P. O’Connor draws from his years of experience to craft a how-to guide needed by everyone around the world. O’Connor has conducted and taught the installation/maintenance of Off Grid solar projects to people and communities as far away as the central African rainforest and right in his own backyard of Oakland, California. Read more

Nuclear Copper is a true story that delves into the fascinating and covert world of nuclear policing, as seen through the eyes of PC Okuhara. As Matt Okuhara became immersed in the intricacies of nuclear security, he quickly earned a position in the elite Strategic Escort Group (SEG). Alongside this extraordinary group of professionals, he embarked on a series of high-stakes assignments, safeguarding sensitive nuclear materials both domestically and abroad. In Nuclear Copper, readers are granted a rare glimpse into the clandestine world of safeguarding nuclear assets. Working hand-in-hand with international partners, PC Okuhara’s experiences are not confined to his home country. The narrative describes collaborative efforts with special forces, the French Marines, and the Japanese Coastguard. These international partnerships bring unique challenges and cultural dynamics. The risks of this work are omnipresent, and the consequences of failure are unthinkable. From identifying potential threats to uncovering attempts at nuclear espionage, the officers of the CNC navigate a world where precision, adaptability, and resolve are essential qualities. Read more

Water chemistry, water sources, water pollutants, and microbiological contaminants are all covered in the book. The basic concepts of water chemistry are well taught. Along with stormwater management and green infrastructure, the book also examines the theoretical underpinnings of a number of water treatment and analysis procedures. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students, environmental researchers, chemists, and lab technicians who work in water and environmental laboratories could all benefi t from this book. Chemical engineers and operators are the primary target audience for the majority of books on the market, thus both technicians and chemists can gain a lot from this book. Read more

At the dawn of the atomic age, uranium and thorium were equally important as the elements of choice in researching nuclear energy - either one could have powered the world's reactors. But it was uranium that won out, and thorium, which is far cleaner, safer, and more abundant than uranium, was relegated to the dustbin of science. With it went the possibility of creating a low-risk nuclear energy source to power our planet. Now, as the world searches for cheap, non-carbon-emitting energy sources, thorium is reemerging as an overlooked solution. As one of the first energy experts to promote the development of thorium, award-winning science writer Richard Martin combines science, new historical research, and a timely business narrative to show how we can wean ourselves off our fossil-fuel addiction and shift to a lower-risk energy source. At once a big think book and a science manifesto, SuperFuel challenges us to look back at what could have been different in history as well as forward to an energy revolution in the making. Read more

The more we debate about the catastrophic implications of climate change, the more fossil fuels we continue to burn. How did we get caught up in this mess? In this masterful new history, Malm claims that it all began in Britain with the rise of steam power. So why did manufacturers turn from traditional fuels, notably water, to steam? Overturning established theories of the transition and offering a radically new view of our warming world, this study shows how steam was adopted as a superior source of power. Two centuries later, the inheritors of that power continue to profit from 'business as usual,' as the world heads toward irreversible catastrophe. Malm examines the history of resistance to fossil fuels and surveys the obstacles to the transition to renewable energy so urgently needed today. Then as now, energy choices are determined in struggles over power. Read more

A groundbreaking history of architecture told through the relationship between buildings and energyThe story of architecture is the story of humanity. The buildings we live in, from the humblest pre-historic huts to today's skyscrapers, reveal our priorities and ambitions, our family structures and power structures. And to an extent that hasn't been explored until now, architecture has been shaped in every era by our access to energy, from fire to farming to fossil fuels.In this ground-breaking history of world architecture, Barnabas Calder takes us on a dazzling tour of some of the most astonishing buildings of the past fifteen thousand years, from Uruk, via Ancient Rome and Victorian Liverpool, to China's booming megacities. He reveals how every building - from the Parthenon to the Great Mosque of Damascus to a typical Georgian house - was influenced by the energy available to its architects, and why this matters.Today architecture consumes so much energy that 40% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from the construction and running of buildings. If we are to avoid catastrophic climate change then now, more than ever, we need beautiful but also intelligent buildings, and to retrofit - not demolish - those that remain. Both a celebration of human ingenuity and a passionate call for greater sustainability, this is a history of architecture for our times. Read more

Recycling is good, isn’t it? In this visionary book, chemist Michael Braungart and architect William McDonough challenge this status quo and put forward a manifesto for an intriguing and radically different philosophy of environmentalism."Reduce, reuse, recycle”. This is the standard “cradle to grave” manufacturing model dating back to the Industrial Revolution that we still follow today. In this thought-provoking read, the authors propose that instead of minimising waste, we should be striving to create value. This is the essence of Cradle to Cradle: waste need not to exist at all. By providing a framework of redesign of everything from carpets to corporate campuses, McDonough and Braungart make a revolutionary yet viable case for change and for remaking the way we make things. Read more

A TIMES BEST SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT BOOK OF THE YEARONE OF PROSPECT'S TOP THINKERS 2024'AN IMPORTANT READ FOR ANYONE IN NEED OF OPTIMISM' BILL GATES'DAZZLING AND DEEPLY REPORTED' DAVID WALLACE-WELLS'HIGHLY READABLE . . . ENGAGING STORIES OF PEOPLE BEHIND SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVANCES IN RECENT DECADES' FINANCIAL TIMES A green economy is not only possible, it's profitable. In this vital antidote for climate anxiety, award-winning journalist Akshat Rathi uncovers ten unlikely heroes creating the key breakthroughs for a green economy. From the Chinese bureaucrat who did more to make electric cars a reality than Elon Musk, to the Danish students who helped to build the world's longest-operating wind turbine and the American oil executive building the technology that can reverse climate damages, we meet the people bending the emissions curve and making a prosperous future possible. Bringing together business, politics, activism and technology, their stories show us the tools we need to solve the climate crisis, and how it's more profitable to save the world than destroy it. Read more

Did you know that the tools that have become absolutely integral to your life - your laptop, iPod, and cell phone - are all powered by lithium batteries? Chances are you've got some lithium on your person right now. The third element on the periodic table may also hold the key to an environmentally sustainable, oil-independent future. From electric cars to a "smart" power grid that can actually store electricity, lithium - a metal found only in some of the most uninhabitable places on Earth - is setting us on a path toward a carbon-free future and shifting the geopolitical chessboard in profound ways. The science reporter Seth Fletcher takes us on a fascinating journey, from the salt flats of Bolivia to the labs of MIT and Stanford, from the turmoil at GM to cutting-edge lithium-ion battery start-ups, introducing us to the key players and ideas in an industry with the power to reshape the world. Read more

A Financial Times 'What to read in 2025' Book'Essential reading' Françoise Vergès, author of A Decolonial Feminism'Profound and compelling ... A book that I couldn't put down' Adam Hanieh, author of Crude CapitalismWhether it's pumping oil, mining resources or shipping commodities across oceans, the global economy runs on extraction. Promises of frictionless trade and lucrative speculation are the hallmarks of our era, but the backbone of globalisation is still low-cost labour and rapacious corporate control. Extractive capitalism is what made - and is still making - our unequal world.Professor Laleh Khalili reflects on the hidden stories behind late capitalism, from seafarers abandoned on debt-ridden container ships to the nefarious reach of consultancy firms and the cronyism that drives record-breaking profits. Piercing, wry and constantly revealing, Extractive Capitalism brings vividly to light the dark truths behind the world's most voracious industries. Read more

Description:"DIY Off-Grid Solar Power for Everyone" is a comprehensive guide crafted for anyone looking to embrace the world of solar energy. This book simplifies the journey into off-grid solar power, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced enthusiasts.Inside the Book, you'll find:Solar PV and Electricity Basics: This section introduces the fundamental concepts of solar photovoltaic technology and electricity, providing a solid foundation for beginners.Key Components of Off-Grid Solar: An in-depth exploration of the essential components required for off-grid solar systems, including solar panels, batteries, charge controllers, inverters, cables, and fuses.Battery Knowledge: Detailed information on various types of batteries used in solar systems, along with guidance on maintenance, pricing, lifespan extension, and configuration options.Solar Panel Insights: An analysis of different types of solar panels, their advantages and disadvantages, and the various configurationsInverter Essentials: A look at different inverter types, their waveforms, power ratings, and the significance of selecting the right Inverter for specific needs.Step-by-Step Sizing Guide: Guidance on accurately sizing an off-grid solar system Components (Solar panel, Charge Controller, Battery, and Inverter) without making common errors.Cable Selection: Guide on choosing the right cable diameters (size) for your system to ensure safety and efficiency.Essential Tools List: A comprehensive list of tools necessary for a successful off-grid solar setup.Installation Guide: A detailed chapter on the installation process of off-grid solar systems, covering everything from site assessment and panel mounting to system testing and maintenance.Example Drawings: Visual aids in the form of example drawings for various sizes of off-grid solar systems.Cost and Finance Insights: An overview of the financial aspects of off-grid solar installations, including upfront costs and long-term return on investment calculations.Permitting Process: Comprehensive guide on the process of getting permits for off-grid solar setups.Bonus Digital Content:eBook page access: Gain access to an exclusive ebook page for colored images, graphs, tables, and more.10 DIY Solar Projects: Step into the world of solar with 10 detailed DIY projects, perfect for both beginners and experienced hobbyists.Video Tutorials: Complement your learning with hands-on video tutorials for setting up your off-grid solar system.What Makes This Book Different?Comprehensive Yet Simple: Unlike other books that might be either too technical or too superficial, this guide strikes a perfect balance, offering depth in a way that's understandable and accessible.Real-Life Application Focus: This book goes beyond theory, providing real-world examples and practical DIY projects, ensuring you can apply what you learn immediately.All-In-One Resource: From basics to advanced concepts, it covers every aspect of off-grid solar power.This book isn't just a guide; it's your companion on the journey to a greener lifestyle. Whether you're looking to cut energy costs, reduce your carbon footprint, or become completely energy-independent, this book is your first step.Stay Connected!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/opengreenenergyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/opengreenenergyBlogpost : https://www.opengreenenergy.com Read more