How to Obtain Abundant Clean Energy

How to Obtain Abundant Clean Energy
Author: Linda McGown
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 329
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1468469916

The Three Mile Island accident, the periodic occurrence of long gas lines until sufficient price increases are achieved, our dependence on foreign powers for a large fraction of our energy supply, and continual controversy in our government and concerned public groups all point to the real pre sence of an energy crisis. Even the government has finally publicly acknow ledged the fact that our present fuel sources will run out soon enough to be of concern to us now. This knowledge should raise many questions in the minds of our citizens. When will our sources run out, or at least become too expensive to afford? What could replace them, and which alternatives are best? When we hear about these matters in the news media, we get many contradictory opinions, mainly concerning coal and nuclear energy. Most of us realize that the reintroduction of coal on a massive scale would give rise to considerable pollution difficulties. Many people are also waking to an awareness of the dangers of nuclear reactors. When we turn to scientists for answers, we find that each one seems to advise us that a single path to new energy sources is the best-of course, each scientist tends to advise his own path.

Abundant Energy

Abundant Energy
Author: Kenneth P. Green
Publisher: AEI Press
Total Pages: 121
Release: 2011-10-16
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0844772054

Human beings depend on energy. From burning wood to harnessing the atom, we have relied on the consumption of natural resources. As civilization grows and the demand for energy increases, we must ask ourselves how toe best meet our energy needs while responsibly stewarding our resources. In Abundant Energy: The Fuel of Human Flourishing, Kenneth P. Green provides a brief history of our reliance on different sources of energy, explores the viability of both current and potential future sources, and offers a vision for the task of fueling human prosperity in the twenty-first century.

Energy and Civilization

Energy and Civilization
Author: Vaclav Smil
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 564
Release: 2018-11-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0262536161

A comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society throughout history, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. "I wait for new Smil books the way some people wait for the next 'Star Wars' movie. In his latest book, Energy and Civilization: A History, he goes deep and broad to explain how innovations in humans' ability to turn energy into heat, light, and motion have been a driving force behind our cultural and economic progress over the past 10,000 years. —Bill Gates, Gates Notes, Best Books of the Year Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows—ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity—for their civilized existence. In this monumental history, Vaclav Smil provides a comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. Humans are the only species that can systematically harness energies outside their bodies, using the power of their intellect and an enormous variety of artifacts—from the simplest tools to internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. The epochal transition to fossil fuels affected everything: agriculture, industry, transportation, weapons, communication, economics, urbanization, quality of life, politics, and the environment. Smil describes humanity's energy eras in panoramic and interdisciplinary fashion, offering readers a magisterial overview. This book is an extensively updated and expanded version of Smil's Energy in World History (1994). Smil has incorporated an enormous amount of new material, reflecting the dramatic developments in energy studies over the last two decades and his own research over that time.

PERFECT POWER: How the Microgrid Revolution Will Unleash Cleaner, Greener, More Abundant Energy

PERFECT POWER: How the Microgrid Revolution Will Unleash Cleaner, Greener, More Abundant Energy
Author: Robert Galvin
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2008-07-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0071641653

What's the solution to the world's growing energy problem? PERFECT POWER Electric usage is rising. Fuel costs are rocketing. Blackouts are happening more frequently. Why? Because our electrical power system--built on a vast network of resources including nuclear energy, natural gas, water, and coal--has become woefully outdated, increasingly expensive, and dangerously fragile. We need to change the current system, and we need to do it now. Written by business visionary and former Motorola chairman Robert Galvin, Perfect Power shows us how to create a “perfect” system that can deliver power where needed, at an astonishing reliability standard of 99.9999999 percent. By super-charging the “Six Sigma” concepts that Galvin developed as the founder and CEO at Motorola, we can Meet the energy reliability and quality needs of the Digital Age Generate new goods and services that create jobs, empower consumers, and lower energy cost Eliminate wasteful spending on our electrical infrastructure that can be used for peak power needs Facilitate local, regional, and, ultimately, national energy independence Fundamentally reduce the impact of energy on the environment Invest in the microgrid revolution Energy providers and policy makers will reinvent today's centralized power systems and integrate them with new, efficient “microgrids." Investors and entrepreneurs will spot tomorrow's hottest technologies. Consumers will demand change from “the powers that be.” And environmentalists will take advantage of cleaner, greener energy sources available. We have the power to fulfill our energy needs, fix our old systems, forge ahead with new ideas, and fuel our dreams. It's Perfect Power.

The Power of Renewables

The Power of Renewables
Author: Chinese Academy of Engineering
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2011-01-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309160006

The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely diversified energy portfolios, job creation, energy security, and pollution reduction, making renewable energy development an important strategy with wide-ranging implications. Given the size of their energy markets, any substantial progress the two countries make in advancing use of renewable energy will provide global benefits, in terms of enhanced technological understanding, reduced costs through expanded deployment, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to conventional generation from fossil fuels. Within this context, the U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), reviewed renewable energy development and deployment in the two countries, to highlight prospects for collaboration across the research to deployment chain and to suggest strategies which would promote more rapid and economical attainment of renewable energy goals. Main findings and concerning renewable resource assessments, technology development, environmental impacts, market infrastructure, among others, are presented. Specific recommendations have been limited to those judged to be most likely to accelerate the pace of deployment, increase cost-competitiveness, or shape the future market for renewable energy. The recommendations presented here are also pragmatic and achievable.

The Energy of Abundance

The Energy of Abundance
Author: Phyllis King
Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2015-07-20
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 163265993X

“A break-through-it book . . . gives you easy-to-apply tools to awaken new possibilities and achieve fulfillment of your dreams.”—Sheri Meyers, PsyD, author of Chatting or Cheating The Energy of Abundance is a fresh, insightful, and often humorous view of life, spirituality, and the creative process. It explains in accessible language the energy game, and how each of us can play it to invite more happiness, love, and abundance into our lives. Succinct and practical, this book reveals each person’s unique and personal dance between spiritual truths and human desires. If you have ever wondered why the law of attraction hasn’t worked for you, The Energy of Abundance will help you figure it out. The Energy of Abundance clearly details how to bring a sense of calm to your chaos, a spirit of laughter (and even fun!) to your missteps, and an energy of renewal to yourself and your life by reconnecting to your innate power source. It addresses all major aspects of life—from birth to death, marriage to money—and clearly explains how to shift outcomes, using captivating stories, laugh-out-loud humor, and poignant insights. You will learn how to: Connect to your abundant core Master the art of receiving Attain the prosperity you desire Connect with soulmate relationships Release beliefs that do not serve you Connect to your life purpose . . . and why you need to “With great passion and care, [King] empowers us to heal old hurts and transform current challenges into fuel for our growth and expansion.”—Katherine Woodward Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Conscious Uncoupling

Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation

Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation
Author: Ottmar Edenhofer
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 1088
Release: 2011-11-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781107607101

This Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report (IPCC-SRREN) assesses the potential role of renewable energy in the mitigation of climate change. It covers the six most important renewable energy sources - bioenergy, solar, geothermal, hydropower, ocean and wind energy - as well as their integration into present and future energy systems. It considers the environmental and social consequences associated with the deployment of these technologies, and presents strategies to overcome technical as well as non-technical obstacles to their application and diffusion. SRREN brings a broad spectrum of technology-specific experts together with scientists studying energy systems as a whole. Prepared following strict IPCC procedures, it presents an impartial assessment of the current state of knowledge: it is policy relevant but not policy prescriptive. SRREN is an invaluable assessment of the potential role of renewable energy for the mitigation of climate change for policymakers, the private sector, and academic researchers.

A Question of Power

A Question of Power
Author: Robert Bryce
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Total Pages: 337
Release: 2020-03-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1610397509

An acclaimed author and celebrated journalist breaks down the history of electricity and the impact of global energy use on the world and the environment.​ Global demand for power is doubling every two decades, but electricity remains one of the most difficult forms of energy to supply and do so reliably. Today, some three billion people live in places where per-capita electricity use is less than what's used by an average American refrigerator. How we close the colossal gap between the electricity rich and the electricity poor will determine our success in addressing issues like women's rights, inequality, and climate change. In A Question of Power, veteran journalist Robert Bryce tells the human story of electricity, the world's most important form of energy. Through onsite reporting from India, Iceland, Lebanon, Puerto Rico, New York, and Colorado, he shows how our cities, our money--our very lives--depend on reliable flows of electricity. He highlights the factors needed for successful electrification and explains why so many people are still stuck in the dark. With vivid writing and incisive analysis, he powerfully debunks the notion that our energy needs can be met solely with renewables and demonstrates why--if we are serious about addressing climate change--nuclear energy must play a much bigger role. Electricity has fueled a new epoch in the history of civilization. A Question of Power explains how that happened and what it means for our future.

Abundance

Abundance
Author: Peter H. Diamandis
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 432
Release: 2014-09-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 145161683X

The authors document how four forces--exponential technologies, the DIY innovator, the Technophilanthropist, and the Rising Billion--are conspiring to solve our biggest problems. "Abundance" establishes hard targets for change and lays out a strategic roadmap for governments, industry and entrepreneurs, giving us plenty of reason for optimism.