Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air
David J. C. MacKay
UIT Cambridge Ltd.; 1 edition (February 20, 2009)
Addressing the sustainable energy crisis in an objective manner, this enlightening book analyzes the relevant numbers and organizes a plan for change on both a personal level and an international scale—for Europe, the United States, and the world. In case study format, this informative reference answers questions surrounding nuclear energy, the potential of sustainable fossil fuels, and the possibilities of sharing renewable power with foreign countries. While underlining the difficulty of minimizing consumption, the tone remains positive as it debunks misinformation and clearly explains the calculations of expenditure per person to encourage people to make individual changes that will benefit the world at large.
Praise for “Sustainable Energy”:
“If someone wants an overall view of how energy gets used, where it comes from, and the challenges in switching to new sources, this is the book to read.” —Bill Gates, chairman, Microsoft
“At last a book that comprehensively reveals the true facts about sustainable energy in a form that is both highly readable and entertaining.” – Tony Juniper, Former Executive Director, Friends of the Earth
“A delight to read and will appeal especially to practical people who want to understand what is important in energy and what is not.” —Dr Derek Pooley CBE, former chief scientist, UK Department of Energy, and member, European Union Advisory Group on Energy
“This is a brilliant book that is both a racy read and hugely informative . . . It shows . . . how cars might become far more efficient but why planes cannot.” —David Newbery, director, Electricity Policy Research Group, University of Cambridge
The author has generously made available a FREE PDF of “Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air“.
3 Comments
David MacKay approaches energy solutions from the most effective direction—from the goal backwards. He does the math, vividly, accurately, and entertainingly. You draw the conclusions. (One clear result: solar and wind by themselves are fine but profoundly inadequate to the scale of the problem.)
Looks very interesting. I have read a similar book before.
That’s great @tercume burosu – why don’t you share what book that was by using the “Submit New Content” feature, and tell us how they compare!