This book provides a unique multi- and interdisciplinary approach to energy conversion technologies by shedding light on the topic from both technological and ethical perspectives. It applies these concepts to examples of engineering problems related to energy conversion - an internal combustion engine and a fuel cell - in order to give the reader a clear idea of how to implement the approaches and do the work. The first part is an introduction to thermodynamics, which is an important concept for engineers when describing and analyzing energy conversion processes in terms of their efficiency. The book goes on to discuss the concepts of energy analysis and life cycle assessment while taking environmental aspects into account, particularly the formation of pollutants. The second part introduces the ethical terminology and describes global and environmental risks associated with energy conversion, as well as aspects of sustainability. The book is based on an introductory lecture on energy technologies for undergraduate engineering students. However, the explanation of the various concepts remains illustrative, avoiding a more complex mathematical or philosophical treatment of the subject. Therefore, this book provides a modern but timeless introduction to energy conversion technologies that is well suited for the generally interested reader.

Johannes Kiefer is a lecturer in chemical engineering at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. After his undergraduate studies in chemical engineering, he did a doctoral degree in the area of laser-based combustion diagnostics at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany with research visits at the University of Lund, Sweden and the Sandia National Labs Livermore, USA. A focus of his current research is the investigation of modern energy conversion technologies including new combustion concepts and fuel cells, the characterization of fossil and renewable fuels, and the monitoring of chemical and biotechnological processes. Kiefer has received a number of prizes including the 2009 Award of the Staedler Foundation for his PhD thesis and the 2009 WLT-Award of the German Scientific Society for Laser Technology for his contributions to the development and application of lasers. Rafaela Hillerbrand is head of the research group Ethics for Energy Technology at the Human Technology Centre (HumTec) at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. Before joining HumTec Rafaela Hillerbrand worked as a senior research fellow at the University of Oxford on epistemological and ethical problems for decisions under risk and uncertainty. Hillerbrand's research traverse philosophy of science, particularly philosophy of physics and the Earth sciences and applied ethics. Hillerbrand holds a PhD in theoretical physics as well as a PhD in philosophy. For her book on the ethics of technology she received the Lilli-Bechmann-Rahn-Preis of the University Erlangen Nürnberg in 2005. Her PhD in physics was awarded the Ingrid-zu-Solms Naturwissenschaftspreis 2008. She is an elected member of the German Young Academy of Sciences (Junge Akademie).