Wind Energy: Renewable Energy and the Environment
暫譯: 風能：可再生能源與環境

風能及其他可再生能源的利用正在以驚人的速度增長。《風能》第四版探討了風能產業從創立至今的發展；介紹了設計、空氣動力學、操作、控制及應用，並檢視各種風力發電機的類型。它涵蓋了風的特性，如剪切、功率潛力和湍流，並討論了單個風力發電機和風電場的測量及選址。它還探討了關於將風能作為能源來源的政治和經濟因素。本版內容全面更新，並新增三個章節，以及供採用的講師使用的解答手冊。

- 全面更新並新增三個關於氣候變遷、能源儲存和觀測的新章節。
- 透過對能源使用的討論及化石燃料壽命的量級估算，說明轉向可再生能源的必要性。
- 討論風力發電機與公用電網的互連、安裝和操作的法規，以及相關的環境問題。

Vaughn Nelson, PhD, has been involved with renewable energy, primarily wind energy, since the early 70's, is the author of 5 books and 4 CDs, has published over 50 articles and reports, was the principal investigator on numerous grants, and has given over 60 workshops and seminars from the local to international level. Primary work has been on wind resource assessment, education and training, applied R&D, and rural applications of wind energy. Presently he is a retired from West Texas A&M University (WTAMU). He was director of Alternative Energy Institute (AEI) from its inception in 1977 through 2003 and then returned for another year in July 2009. He retired as Dean of the Graduate School, Research and Information Technology, WTAMU in 2001. He served on State of Texas Committees, most notable the Texas Energy Coordination Council during its 11 years. He has received three awards from the American Wind Energy Association, one of which was the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, received an award as a Texas Wind Legend in 2010 from the Texas Renewable Industries Association and in 2013 received an award for Outstanding Wind Leadership in Education from Wind Powering America. He served on the board of directors for state and national renewable energy organizations. From material developed for regular and online courses on wind energy, Dr. Nelson wrote Wind Energy, (2009, 2nd Ed., 2013, with Starcher 3rd Ed., 2019 and now this 4th Ed, 2026); Introduction to Renewable Energy (2011, with Starcher, 2nd Ed. 2015, 3rd Ed. 2025); with Starcher, Introduction to Bioenergy (2016); Innovative Wind Turbines, An Illustrated Guidebook (2020); and Wind Farm Photos (2021).

Dr. Nelson degrees include a PhD in physics from the University of Kansas, an EdM from Harvard University and a BSE from Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia. He was at the Departamento de Física, Universidad de Oriente, Cumana, Venezuela for two years and then at WTAMU from 1969 to 2003. Besides writing books after retirement, he started quilting in 2006 and by 2025 he had made over 300 quilts. With his wife, Beth, some of their quits were exhibited at the Bosque Museum, Nelson + Nelson: Where Science Meets Art. Of course, hers were the art quilts. A few of our quilts were in two separate exhibitions at the Texas Quilt Museum.

Kenneth Starcher began his college career and renewable involvement the same semester, fall, 1976. It led to a BS in physics/computer Science at West Texas State University (1980). In 1980-81 he took courses in electrical engineering, electronics, and physics at Texas Tech University. He earned an MS in Engineering Technology. at WTAMU in 1995, and then took some courses in agricultural economics at WTAMU.

Starcher has been a field worker for most of the projects at AEI since 1980. He has been the educational funnel for on-site training and public information for students and public workshops for AEI. He has served as a trainer at wind and solar training workshops locally, nationally, and internationally. He has served as a Research Technician, Research Associate, Assistant Director, Director, and Associate Director (Training, Education and Outreach) for AEI over the past 38 years. AEI was terminated in 2015.

He served as a board member of the American Wind Energy Association, was on the Executive Board of Class 4 Winds and Renewables, was chosen as the Individual Member of the year for Texas Renewable Energy Association in 2005, the Small Wind Educator at the Small Wind Conference in 2010, and awarded an Outstanding Wind Leadership Education Award from Wind Powering America, 2013.

Starcher has installed and operated more than 85 different renewable energy systems, ranging in scale from 50 watt to 500 kW. He has served as a consultant for wind companies in the United States and produced wind resources maps for counties, states, and Thailand and Honduras.

**Vaughn Nelson, PhD** 自70年代初期以來一直參與可再生能源，主要是風能的研究，著有5本書和4張CD，發表了超過50篇文章和報告，擔任多項補助金的主要研究員，並在地方及國際層面舉辦了超過60場工作坊和研討會。他的主要工作集中在風能資源評估、教育與訓練、應用研究與開發，以及風能在農村的應用。目前他已從西德州農工大學（WTAMU）退休。他自1977年創立以來擔任替代能源研究所（AEI）主任，直到2003年，並於2009年7月再次回任一年。他於2001年退休，擔任WTAMU研究與資訊科技研究所的院長。他曾在德克薩斯州的委員會任職，最著名的是在德克薩斯能源協調委員會任職11年。他曾獲得美國風能協會頒發的三項獎項，其中之一是2003年的終身成就獎，2010年獲得德克薩斯可再生能源協會頒發的德克薩斯風能傳奇獎，並於2013年獲得美國風能推動教育的傑出風能領導獎。他曾在州及全國可再生能源組織的董事會任職。根據為風能的常規及線上課程所開發的材料，Nelson博士撰寫了《Wind Energy》（2009年，第二版2013年，與Starcher合著第三版2019年，現在是第四版2026年）；《Introduction to Renewable Energy》（2011年，與Starcher合著，第二版2015年，第三版2025年）；與Starcher合著的《Introduction to Bioenergy》（2016年）；《Innovative Wind Turbines, An Illustrated Guidebook》（2020年）；以及《Wind Farm Photos》（2021年）。

Nelson博士的學位包括堪薩斯大學的物理學博士學位、哈佛大學的教育碩士學位，以及堪薩斯州教師學院（Emporia）的工程學士學位。他曾在委內瑞拉的東方大學物理系工作兩年，然後在WTAMU工作至1969年至2003年。退休後除了寫書，他於2006年開始製作拼布，到了2025年已經製作了超過300件拼布。他和妻子Beth的一些拼布在Bosque博物館展出，展覽名為《Nelson + Nelson: Where Science Meets Art》。當然，她的作品是藝術拼布。我們的一些拼布在德克薩斯拼布博物館的兩個不同展覽中展出。

**Kenneth Starcher** 在1976年秋季學期開始了他的大學生涯和可再生能源的參與，並獲得了西德州州立大學的物理/計算機科學學士學位（1980年）。在1980至1981年期間，他在德州科技大學修習了電機工程、電子學和物理學的課程。他於1995年在WTAMU獲得工程技術碩士學位，然後在WTAMU修習了一些農業經濟學的課程。

自1980年以來，Starcher一直是AEI大多數項目的現場工作者。他擔任AEI的現場培訓和公眾資訊的教育聯絡人，為學生和公眾工作坊提供服務。他在當地、全國及國際的風能和太陽能培訓工作坊中擔任培訓師。在過去的38年中，他擔任過AEI的研究技術員、研究助理、副主任、主任和副主任（培訓、教育與外展）。AEI於2015年終止。

他曾擔任美國風能協會的董事會成員，並在Class 4 Winds and Renewables的執行委員會任職，於2005年被選為德克薩斯可再生能源協會的年度個人會員，2010年在小型風能會議中獲得小型風能教育者獎，並於2013年獲得美國風能推動教育的傑出風能領導獎。

Starcher已安裝和操作超過85種不同的可再生能源系統，規模從50瓦到500千瓦不等。他曾擔任美國風能公司的顧問，並為各縣、各州以及泰國和洪都拉斯製作風能資源地圖。