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Penn State University Libraries

Energy Resources and Engineering

 

Contact

Linda  Musser photo

Linda Musser
Title: Distinguished Librarian and Head Earth and Mineral Sciences Library


Bonnie Osif photo

Bonnie Osif
Title: Engineering Librarian



Engineering Library

325 Hammond Building
University Park, PA 16802
814 865-3451

General Resources

Databases

COMPENDEX

  • This index contains over 9 million references to the engineering literature from 1884 to date.  The focus of coverage is on the journal articles but it also contains references to books, conference papers and other materials.

Science Accelerator

  • This federated search tool from the Dept. of Energy provides references to journal articles, conference papers and other fulltext resources on energy topics from 1943 to date.

Energy Citations Database

  • This Dept. of Energy database contains references to DOE funded research from 1943 to date, many of which are available in full text at the site. This database indexes 2.4 million items. Although the ECD is part of the Science Accelerator federated search, the ECD interface also searches the fulltext of documents in the database, which Science Accelerator does not.  Thus, searching in the ECD is useful when you need to be very comprehensive in your search or are having difficulty finding results.

DOE Information Bridge

  • This Dept. of Energy database focuses on access to the fulltext of publicly available DOE reports. Most of the 266,000+ materials are from 1991 to date.  There is significant overlap between the Energy Citations Database and the Information Bridge, both of which are included in the Science Accelerator federated search.

NTIS (National Technical Information Service)

  • NTIS is the U.S. Government agency charged with the collecting and disseminating scientific and technical reports from government-sponsored research. The NTIS database contains records of unclassified research materials from 1964 to date. Citations and abstracts from unclassified government-sponsored research reports from the Departments of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA, EPA, and other federal agencies, and international government departments and other international organizations including those from Canada, Japan, the former Soviet Union, Western and Eastern European countries. 
  • Technical Reports Search (This free version contains brief records only)
  • NTIS Database (Full database license for PSU use)

OnePetro

  • This multi-society database of materials indexes materials related to the oil and gas production industry. Penn State users have access to the fulltext of the Society of Petroleum Engineers technical papers and journals through this resource.

INIS (International Nuclear Information System)

  • This database covers nuclear science and technology. It indexes journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports from 1970 to date.

Web of Science

  • scientific journal articles

Science.gov

This index simultaneously searches over 45 databases and websites of the US government.

Other Resources

Environment and Energy Newswires

  • Provides access to the latest energy policy news

GREENR (Global Reference on the Environment Energy and Natural Resources) 

  • Contains authoritative content on the development of emerging green technologies and discusses issues on the environment, sustainability and more

Encyclopedia of Energy

Macmillan Encyclopedia of Energy (2001)

Survey of Energy Resources 2007 [2009 Update] (World Energy Council)

Statistics and Data

Energy Information Administration (U.S.)

  • This website has a wealth of information and statistics on all types of energy resources, worldwide. Data is available by commodity and country, with many historical data available to download.

DOE Data Explorer

  • A guide to data collections at national laboratories, data centers, etc. across all of the science areas with DOE involvement

IEA Energy Information Centre Statistics Page

  • The International Energy Agency provides statistics by commodity and country.  Graphs, maps and data are available for downloading.

Statistical Review of World Energy (BP)

  • BP provides overviews and data in excel format from 1965+ for major energy sources, both renewable and non-renewable.

Energy Statistics Yearbook (United Nations)

Non-Renewable Resources

Coal    

  • EIA Coal Page - The DOE Energy Information Administration's website focused on coal information.  The site provides information on coal prices, production, etc. for locations worldwide.
  • National Coal Resources Data System - The NCRDS is a federated database comprised primarily of these three databases:
    • Coal distribution data (USCOAL) containing published coal-resource estimates for coal bearing states listed by state, county, coal field, geologic age, formation, rank, coal thickness, overburden thickness, and reliability of resource estimates.
    • Coal point-source and chemical data (COALQUAL) containing geodetic location, field observations, sample analyses, bed thickness; lithology; depth of burial, moisture, ash, and sulfur content, heat value, and major-, minor-trace-element contents.
    • A point-source stratigraphic database (USTRAT).
  • COALPROD Database - contains annual historical coal production information for the major producing states within the conterminous U.S.
  • Coal Online - Coal Online is an online reference work providing comprehensive information on the technology of coal utilization.

Oil and Gas

  • EIA Petroleum webpage - The DOE Energy Information Administration's website for information and data related to petroleum products.  It includes historic data by location and type.
  • Basic Petroleum Data Handbook (CAT Record) - This book contains historic data on production, prices...
  • Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ) Databook (CAT Record)
  • International Petroleum Encyclopedia (CAT Record)
  • OPEC website - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) produces a variety of publications including the Annual Statistical Bulletin, containing lots of data.
  • EIA Natural Gas webpage - The DOE Energy Information Administration's website contains information and data for countries around the world.
  • Gas Facts (CAT Record)
  • Oil Shale/Tar Sands Guide - The site provides an introduction to oil shale and tar sands and U.S. oil shale and tar sands resources.
  • Center for Oil Shale Technology and Research (COSTAR) - This site provides access to the annual Oil Shale Symposium proceedings and the Tell Ertl database of documents related to the development of the oil shale industry in the United States.

Fracking- General Information on hydraulic fracturing (fracking, hydrofracking)

Nuclear

Renewable Resources

 

Overview

Solar

  • How Solar Energy Works - This site, provided by the Union of Concerned Scientists, provides a good overview of how this type of energy is produced and potential impacts.

Wind    

Biomass

  • How Biomass Energy Works - This site, provided by the Union of Concerned Scientists, provides a good overview of how this type of energy is produced and potential impacts.
  • Biomass Program (DOE) - The Dept. of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy maintains this website which has statistics and information related primarily to biofuels.
  • National Biodiesel Board - This industry organization provides background and statistics related to the U.S. biodiesel industry.
  • Renewable Fuels Association - This trade organization features statistics and background on ethanol fuel production and use.
  • Biomass Energy Resource Center - This organization has more of a focus on biomass combustion as an energy source.
  • Bioenergy Feedstock Information Network - This Department of Energy site provides access to information on a variety of bioenergy sources switchgrass to soybeans.
  • Oilgae - Information about algae as a source for oil.

Geothermal

  • How Geothermal Energy Works - This site, provided by the Union of Concerned Scientists, provides a good overview of how this type of energy is produced and potential impacts.
  • Geothermal Basics - This site, provided by the Geothermal Energy Association, provides an introduction to geothermal energy and includes costs, diagrams and other data.
  • International Geothermal Association - This site has background information and country information.

Water

Pennsylvania Energy Resources