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Serving as a first text on wind energy for scientists and for more general but no less interested readers, this book provides an introductory work that combines interdisciplinary scope with a simple, lucid style.

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The present book was written to address the needs of those readers interested in wind energy converters. The authors have tried to strike a balance between a short book chapter and a very detailed book for experts in the field. There were three prime reasons behind doing so: first, the field is highly interdisciplinary and requires a more accessible format for non-experts. The second reason for this more compact version is that both authors have encountered many students and technically oriented people who were searching for this type of book on wind energy. The third reason and motivation for writing this book was to provide some initial information to people who are embarking on a career in the wind industry. It is this group of people that the present book is targeted at.

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Wind Energy Today.- Wind: Origin and Local Effects.- Physics of wind energy.- Components of a wind energy converter.- Design Considerations.- Operation and Control of Wind Energy Converters.- Economics and policy issues.- Life Cycle Assessment of a Wind Farm.- Outlook.

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Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hermann-Josef Wagner is Professor for Energy Systems and Energy Economics at the Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany. He worked as a scientist for the Research Centre Juelich, for the German Parliament and for different universities. His relevant experiences are on the fields on energy systems analysis, renewable energies like wind energy and life cycle analysis. He is engaged as chairman of Energy and Environment in German Association of Engineers. He was also admitted as member by the German Academy of Science Leopoldina. The German President decorated him for his engagement with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.Contact:email: lee@lee.ruhr-uni-bochum.deDr.-Ing. Jyotirmay Mathur is a mechanical engineer postgraduate in energy studies from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India; and doctorate from University of Essen, Germany. He specializes in the areas of renewable energy systems, energy policy modelling and energy efficiency. Working as Associate Professor in the Malaviya National Institute of Technology in Jaipur, and Head of the Centre for Energy and Environment. Dr. Mathur has been founder coordinator of the postgraduate program in energy engineering and another program in renewable energy at his institute. He is involved with several committees of national importance in India.Contact:email: jyotirmay.mathur@gmail.com and jyotirmay@mnit.ac.in

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