This dissertation was written as a part of the MSc in Energy Systems that I attended at the International Hellenic University. Climate change has already become one of the biggest problems of the world since its first emergence is the early seventies. It determines the environmental policy of all governments around the globe which announce various measures to tackle it. Global warming is evident in the planet since one could observe it from many serious changes in climate, such as ocean sea rise, ice melting, enhanced and frequent precipitation and increase of the air temperature. It is projected with the best case scenario that the global air temperature will raise by 2oC up to 2100 above pre- industrial level. Above this threshold, many irreversible and catastrophic changes of climate are probable to emerge. The polluted air is everywhere. It can cause many serious diseases, such as lung cancer and destruction of the lung tissue. Greenhouse gases such as CO2 are emitted both naturally and from human induced actions such as the combustion of conventional fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. Greenhouse gases accumulate into the upper layer of the atmosphere and they absorb the thermal radiation radiated from the earth’s surface. Later on, they re-radiate this thermal radiation in all directions and thus, they trap the earth’s heat below atmosphere and air temperature is being increased. At this point, I am sincerely grateful to Prof. Eftichios S. Sartzetakis who supervised the writing of my thesis and who shared his views and knowledge on a number of issues related to this thesis. Finally, I am using this opportunity to express my gratitude to the faculty and everyone within the International Hellenic University who supported me throughout the course of this Energy Systems MSc.
