"The successful application of new technology requires simultaneous consideration of the technical, economic, political, environmental, and international aspects of the innovation. This book presents fifteen cases of technology applications in the energy and environmental sectors. The case studies include applications of solar, wind, fuel cell, nuclear, and coal combustion and emission control technologies. Both successes and failures are analyzed. The case studies are also used to introduce a toolbox of analytical techniques useful in the context of realistic technology application. These techniques include energy and mass balances, project financial analysis tools, the treatment of external costs and benefits, probabilistic risk assessment, learning curves, regression analysis, and life cycle costing. The book is addressed to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in the natural sciences, engineering, and the social sciences who are interested in learning about problems of technology application, as well as technology practitioners in industry and government."--Jacket.