ALTERNATE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES:
A RESPONSE TO INCREASING ELECTRIC POWER NEEDS

 Dr. Saifur Rahman
Joseph R. Loring Professor & Director
Virginia Tech Advanced Res. Inst.
4300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 750
Arlington, VA 22203, USA
Web:  www.ceage.vt.edu
Email: srahman@vt.edu

Abstract:
This paper examines the state-of-the-art and opportunities provided by alternate energy technologies to meet the challenges of the increasing global electric power needs.  It explores the renewable energy technologies like solar, wind, hydro and geothermal. It provides a history of the growth of these technologies throughout the world during the past 10 years, and traces the cost, size and country-specific penetration issues in certain countries where the growth has been significant in the past, and expected to continue.  The market penetration and energy cost issues as well as environmental concerns from renewable energy technologies are explored.   

Biography:
Saifur Rahman (S’75, M’78, SM’83, F’98 – IEEE) is the director of the Advanced Research Institute at Virginia Tech where he is the Joseph Loring Professor of electrical and computer engineering. He also directs the Center for Energy and the Global Environment at the University. Professor Rahman has served as a program director in engineering at the US National Science Foundation between 1996 and 1999.  In 2008 he is serving as the vice president for New Initiatives and Outreach for the IEEE Power & Energy Society. He has also served on the IEEE PES Governing Board as VP of industry relations, and VP of publications between 1999 and 2003.  In 2006 he served as the vice president of the IEEE Publications Board, and a member of the IEEE Board of Governors.  He is also a member-at-large of the IEEE-USA Energy Policy Committee.  He has published over 300 papers on conventional and renewable energy systems, load forecasting, uncertainty evaluation and infrastructure planning.

Venue:   "Watts up @ EE"
              Block 23, #02-01
              Electrical Engineering Division
              School of Engineering
              Ngee Ann Polytechnic
              535 Clementi Road
              Singapore 599489