New textbook by Mika Järvinen and Hanna Paulomäki guides engineers toward a sustainable energy transition

Edited by Mika Järvinen, Associate Professor of Energy technology at Aalto University, and Hanna Paulomäki, ecologist and energy transition researcher, the new textbook explores the energy transition and various energy technologies from the perspectives of planetary boundaries and social sustainability. The book focuses in particular on climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable land use. A broad and international group of researchers in energy technology, ecology, biology, business, and social sciences contributed to the writing of the book.

The textbook aims to meet the need for interdisciplinary sustainability education in the education of energy engineers.

‘We want to increase future energy engineers’ understanding of the social and planetary constraints of sustainability, so that we avoid creating new, harmful path dependencies while building an energy system based on renewable sources,’ says Mika Järvinen. ‘The book addresses sustainable implementation options and solution pathways for various energy technologies in a world of limited resources, amid climate change and biodiversity loss.’

The book covers topics including renewable energy production from wind and solar power, sustainable limits of waste and bioenergy use, the potential of heat engines to utilize renewable energy, and the use of heat pumps as carbon-free heat sources. It also discusses energy storage and the fundamentals of electrical power systems required for a renewable-based energy system. These elements play a crucial role when the energy system is based on weather-dependent production.

The book was made possible with support from the TAH Foundation and Aalto University.