Download or read book Energy and Civilization written by Vaclav Smil and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2018-11-13 with total page 564 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book The Energy We Use written by National Science Teachers Association and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Energy Sprawl Solutions written by Joseph M. Kiesecker and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2017-06-15 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the next several decades, as human populations grow, the demand for energy will soar. But renewable energy sources have a large energy sprawl--the amount of land needed to produce energy--which can threaten biodiversity. In Energy Sprawl Solutions, scientists Joseph M. Kiesecker and David Naugle provide a roadmap for preserving biodiversity despite the threats of energy sprawl. Their strategy--development by design--identifies and sets aside land where biodiversity can thrive while consolidating development in areas with lower biodiversity value. This contributed volume features case studies from countries around the world, each describing a different energy sector and the way they have successfully maximized biodiversity protection. This book provides a needed guide for elected officials, industry representatives, NGOs and community groups who have a stake in sustainable energy-development planning.

Download or read book The Energy We Use written by Georgia Amson-Bradshaw and published by Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC. This book was released on 2019-07-15 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduce young readers to the ways we get energy from the environment, from oil and coal to hydropower and solar farming. Readers will learn that not all energy sources are created equal. Through full-color photographs, dynamic spotlight facts, and "Solve It!" activities, students will learn about the problems with each type of energy production, then think critically about potential eco-friendly solutions for the future. This volume informs readers and engages their problem-solving skills and creativity.

Download or read book The Simple Physics of Energy Use written by Peter Rez and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a society we use energy for climate control and lighting in buildings, moving people and goods from one place to another and making things. This book uses simple classical physics (mechanics, thermodynamics and electromagnetism) to quantitatively review sources of energy and how we use them.

Download or read book Advancing the Science of Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-01-10 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for-and in many cases is already affecting-a broad range of human and natural systems. The compelling case for these conclusions is provided in Advancing the Science of Climate Change, part of a congressionally requested suite of studies known as America's Climate Choices. While noting that there is always more to learn and that the scientific process is never closed, the book shows that hypotheses about climate change are supported by multiple lines of evidence and have stood firm in the face of serious debate and careful evaluation of alternative explanations. As decision makers respond to these risks, the nation's scientific enterprise can contribute through research that improves understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change and also is useful to decision makers at the local, regional, national, and international levels. The book identifies decisions being made in 12 sectors, ranging from agriculture to transportation, to identify decisions being made in response to climate change. Advancing the Science of Climate Change calls for a single federal entity or program to coordinate a national, multidisciplinary research effort aimed at improving both understanding and responses to climate change. Seven cross-cutting research themes are identified to support this scientific enterprise. In addition, leaders of federal climate research should redouble efforts to deploy a comprehensive climate observing system, improve climate models and other analytical tools, invest in human capital, and improve linkages between research and decisions by forming partnerships with action-oriented programs.

Download or read book The Efficient Use of Energy written by I.G.C. Dryden and published by Butterworth-Heinemann. This book was released on 2013-10-22 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Efficient Use of Energy, Second Edition is a compendium of papers discussing the efficiency with which energy is used in industry. The collection covers relevant topics in energy handling and describes the more important features of plant and equipment. The book is organized into six parts. Part I presents the various methods of heat production. The second part discusses the use of heat in industry and includes topics in furnace design, industrial heating, boiler plants, and water treatment. Part III deals with the production of mechanical and electrical energy. It tackles the principles of internal combustion engines, generators, and the use of nuclear energy. Total energy systems and heat salvage are covered in Part IV. Part V elucidates on the use of refractory and insulating materials and the importance of instrumentation and control in the regulation of energy consumption. The final section focuses on the environmental aspect of energy production such as the control of pollutants emanating from plants during production. The book will be of use to engineers and plant production managers.

Download or read book Renewable Energy written by David Elliott and published by Polity. This book was released on 2020-08-24 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The use of renewables is spreading rapidly. Over a quarter of global electricity is already generated from solar, wind, hydro and biomass energy. With costs falling significantly, renewables are booming, helping to avoid the major climate change risks associated with fossil fuel use in power stations, homes and vehicles. But can we get rid of all of these dirty energy sources – and nuclear power, as well – and deliver 100% of our energy from renewables? Or are renewable energy systems inherently unreliable and expensive, given the need to deal with their variability? In this timely analysis, leading energy expert David Elliott tackles these issues head on and asks to what extent renewables can deliver a technologically and economically viable energy future. Exploring both the progress and problems of renewables against a backdrop of rising energy demand, he argues that, on balance, they do seem to be living up to their promises. With renewables rapidly expanding across the globe, and China now leading the pack, a renewable future could really be on the horizon.

Download or read book Transportation Energy Data Book written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Energy Disruption Triangle written by David C. Fessler and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-01-30 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A real-world guide for adapting to the new energy era The Energy Disruption Triangle is a treatise on the energy revolution's real-world impacts, and a handbook for anyone looking to weather the storm. Three major technologies are already changing the energy paradigm: solar energy, electric vehicles, and energy storage. As technology continues to evolve and become more accessible to the masses, the nation's energy habits will experience a dramatic upheaval; this book provides actionable guidance to help you adapt. We are already in the beginning stages of this black swan event, and most people don't know what's coming—but it will come much sooner and much faster than anyone thinks. This book reveals the revolution happening right before our eyes, and shows you how to thrive in this new era. Learn how our energy supplies—and usage—are changing Understand why energy storage matters, and how the technology is evolving Explore the history and future of groundbreaking energy technologies Delve into the disruption of the U.S. energy supply, and the possibility of energy independence Rapidly advancing battery technology is boosting energy storage for homeowners, utilities, and electric vehicle manufacturers, stranding fossil fuels in the ground due to the high price of extraction relative to cost-effective sources such as solar and wind. Traditional energy sources are being phased out, and our nation has come to a fork in the road: uphold the status quo and allow our energy supply to be disrupted, or adapt and advance to a state of total energy independence. The Energy Disruption Triangle explores the state of U.S. energy from source to consumer, and provides insight into the three sectors that are changing the world.

Download or read book The Energy We Use written by Georgia Amson-Bradshaw and published by Cavendish Square Publishing. This book was released on 2019-07-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduce young readers to the ways we get energy from the environment, from oil and coal to hydropower and solar farming. Readers will learn that not all energy sources are created equal. Through full-color photographs, dynamic spotlight facts, and "Solve It!" activities, students will learn about the problems with each type of energy production, then think critically about potential eco-friendly solutions for the future. This volume informs readers and engages their problem-solving skills and creativity.

Download or read book Life after Fossil Fuels written by Alice J. Friedemann and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-03-29 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a reality check of where energy will come from in the future. Today, our economy is utterly dependent on fossil fuels. They are essential to transportation, manufacturing, farming, electricity, and to make fertilizers, cement, steel, roads, cars, and half a million other products. One day, sooner or later, fossil fuels will no longer be abundant and affordable. Inevitably, one day, global oil production will decline. That time may be nearer than we realize. Some experts predict oil shortages as soon as 2022 to 2030. What then are our options for replacing the fossil fuels that turn the great wheel of civilization? Surveying the arsenal of alternatives – wind, solar, hydrogen, geothermal, nuclear, batteries, catenary systems, fusion, methane hydrates, power2gas, wave, tidal power and biomass – this book examines whether they can replace or supplement fossil fuels. The book also looks at substitute energy sources from the standpoint of the energy users. Manufacturing, which uses half of fossil fuels, often requires very high heat, which in many cases electricity can't provide. Industry uses fossil fuels as a feedstock for countless products, and must find substitutes. And, as detailed in the author's previous book, "When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the Future of Transportation," ships, locomotives, and heavy-duty trucks are fueled by diesel. What can replace diesel? Taking off the rose-colored glasses, author Alice Friedemann analyzes our options. What alternatives should we deploy right now? Which technologies merit further research and development? Which are mere wishful thinking that, upon careful scrutiny, dematerialize before our eyes? Fossil fuels have allowed billions of us to live like kings. Fueled by oil, coal, and natural gas, we changed the equation constraining the carrying capacity of our planet. As fossil fuels peak and then decline, will we fall back to Earth? Are there viable alternatives?

Download or read book Sustainable Energy written by Jefferson W. Tester and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 884 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evaluates trade-offs and uncertainties inherent in achieving sustainable energy, analyzes the major energy technologies, and provides a framework for assessing policy options.

Download or read book Energy Resources written by Wendell H. Wiser and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book deals with the physics and chemistry of all kinds of energy resources - coal, gas, oil, hydropower, and nuclear. After a brief introduction to the concepts of force, work, and energy, the book discusses energy resources and reserves, followed by discussions of electric power and methods for generating electricity. The discussion then turns to the uses of energy in agriculture, transportation, etc., and the pollution that accompanies these uses. The book concludes with material on energy conservation and energy supplies for the future.

Download or read book Sustainable Energy written by David J. C. MacKay and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Energy Beyond Oil written by Paul Mobbs and published by Troubador Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2005 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whilst you read this sentence the world, on average, has just burnt another seven to eight thousand barrels of oil. In fact, it gets through around eighty-two million barrels per day. The message you take from this book should be a positive one... that Western society is about to undergo a massive, collective shock. But, by applying basic principles of sustainable development we can live through this period... albeit without the ready-meals, cheap flights to Spain, 4x4's, Britney Spears videos, Formula One racing, plastic umbrellas...

Download or read book Direct Use of the Sun s Energy written by Farrington Daniels and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 1964-03-11 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While the development of atomic power holds great promise for the future as a replacement for fossil fuels that are rapidly being depleted, the underdeveloped countries have a particularly vital and immediate interest in devising low-cost sources of energy. Mr. Daniels has spent many years studying the possibilities of converting the sun's rays into mechanical and electrical power, and in this volume he covers all aspects of the subject of solar energy. Without stressing mathematical and engineering details (though including complete references to the sources of this kind of information), he describes the full range of the experimental work involving collectors of solar radiation, cooking and heating water, agricultural and industrial drying, storage of heat, solar furnaces and engines, cooking and refrigeration, and photochemical conversion.