Powering Planet Earth: Energy Solutions for the Future

In their book Nicola Armaroli, Vincenzo Balzani and Nick Serpone uncover the background details associated with a transition to sustainable energy production that are routinely swept under the table in public discussions. They are not only concerned with the (alleged) advantages and disadvantages of any one energy generation technology from a technical viewpoint, but also with the ecological, economic, political and social consequences of an inevitable transition. In a highly readable manner aimed at an international audience, the authors introduce the often misused and sometimes abused term energy and give a lucid account of the development of energy production from timber to nuclear energy. They compare various energy generation methods with respect to their efficiency and practicability for large–scale implementation and examine if, and how, these methods live up to the expectations and promises their proponents make. In addition, the authors juxtapose the political and economic prerequisites in different regions of the world that advance, or hinder, an energy turnaround. They round off their book by debunking the eighteen most popular myths often cited in discussions on energy issues. As a result, the authors provide ammunition for debate, underpin (and unsettle) opinions using facts, and challenge comfortable and popular chains of reasoning. INDICE: Preface XIII Introduction 1 1 What Is Energy? 5 Energy and Related Terms 6 From One Energy Form to Another 7 Sources of Energy 8 The Pillars of the Universe 9 Particles in Motion 9 Heat (Warmth) – an Exchangeable Energy 10 You Can’t Run Away from Them – the Principles of Thermodynamics 10 Einstein’s Equation: E = mc2 13 From Kilowatt–hour to the Barrel of Oil 14 From a Chemical Bond to a Tsunami 15 2 Yesterday and Today 17 The Energy Slaves 17 From Coal to Coal? 19 Hidden Energy 21 From Faraday to Blackouts 22 From Muscle Work to Jet Aircraft 22 Petroleum to Food 24 From Fire to Air Conditioning 25 From Horseback Messengers to E–mails 26 From Gunpowder to the Atomic Bomb 27 Emerging Issues 29 3 How Much Energy Goes to Waste? 31 The Largest Explosion of All Time 31 Obese and Miserable 32 Fruits Out of Season 33 From Whale Oil to Pollution by Light 33 At Full Throttle 35 A Desperate Case – the Transportation System 36 Let’s Get a Move on 38 4 Energy in the Spaceship’s Hold 41 Crude Oil 41 Peaking of Oil Production? 43 Natural Gas 44 Coal and CO2 Rise 45 The Most Traded Commodities 45 The Hidden Treasure 48 Energy Also Travels 50 Costly Energy Invoices 51 Alliances, Tensions, Wars 52 5 Collateral Damage 55 The Planet Overheats 56 Agreements and Disagreements 57 Jailing the Offender? 59 A Subtle Danger 59 Rain Is No Longer What It Used to be 61 Financial Compensation 62 Minimize! Save the Planet 63 6 Energy from the Atom 65 Splitting the Atom 66 Nuclear Accidents 68 An Inconvenient Legacy 71 Where Do We Store Nuclear Wastes? 71 We’ll Settle the Bill Later 73 Current Nuclear Power Plants 76 Tomorrow’s Nuclear Power Plants (Maybe) 78 The Harsh Reality of the Marketplace 79 Solution or Problem? 80 Nuclear Fusion: if Not Roses . . . Then What? 81 7 Energy from the Sun 83 Conversion and Exploitation of Sunlight 84 From Light to Heat 84 From Light to Electricity 85 Concentrating Sunlight 88 Light to Chemical Energy – Natural Photosynthesis 88 Light to Chemical Energy – the Sunshine Vitamin 89 Biomass and Biofuels: Yes, but . . . ! 92 Artifi cial Photosynthesis 93 The Hydrogen Myth 95 8 Energy from Air, Water, and Land 99 Wind Changes 99 Wind Farms 101 Water – between Past and Future 105 Geothermal Energy 108 Sea Power 111 9 Fukushima and the Future of Nuclear Energy 115 What Happened at Fukushima Daiichi? 115 The Consequences for the Population 117 A Lesson from the Fukushima Disaster 118 What Is Today’s Cost of Nuclear Energy? 120 Should Italy Go Back to Nuclear Energy? 121 The Fate of Nuclear Energy 123 Global Expansion of Nuclear Power? 125 Is It Worthwhile to Get Energy Using Technologies Exposed to Great Risks? 126 10 Energy Italy 127 Stop Navigating Blind 127 Conserve Energy! Where? How? 128 Italy – a Country with an Abundance of Sunlight 129 Wind, Geothermal Energy, Biomass 131 Conservation and Renewables – a Summary 132 11 Energy Canada 133 Primary Energy Resources 133 Oil Sands or Tar Sands? 136 Oil Sands and Their Environmental Impact 138 Water Usage 139 Natural Gas Usage 139 Greenhouse Gases 139 Coal in Canada 141 Natural Gas 142 Nuclear Energy and Electricity 143 Electricity 146 Renewable Energy – Wind Power 148 Renewable Energy – Solar Power 150 Renewable Energy – Biomass Energy 150 Renewable Energy – Geothermal Energy 151 Renewable Energy – Sea Power 151 Canada and Energy – Doing More 151 12 Energy USA 153 Primary Energy Resources 153 Coal – Supply and Demand 156 Natural Gas – Supply and Demand 159 Nuclear Power 161 Historical Notes 161 Present Situation 162 Nuclear Renaissance 164 Water Usage in Nuclear Reactors 165 Plant Decommissioning 165 Renewable Energy 166 Renewable Energy – Wind Power 167 Renewable Energy – Solar Thermal Power 170 Renewable Energy – Solar Photovoltaic 173 Renewable Energy – Geothermal Energy 174 Renewable Energy – Biomass 176 Renewable Energy – Biofuels 179 13 Energy UK 181 Primary Energy Resources 181 Fossil Fuels 183 Fossil Fuels – Coal 184 Fossil Fuels – Natural Gas 184 Nuclear Power 185 Nuclear Waste Management and Disposal 188 Windscale Fire and Decommissioning 188 Renewable Energy 190 Renewable Energy – Wind Power 191 Some Historical Notes 191 Renewable Energy – Solar Power 194 Renewable Energy – Geothermal Energy 196 Renewable Energy – Wave and Tidal Power 197 Renewable Energy – Biofuels 198 Electricity in the United Kingdom 198 14 Global Trends 201 A Shot at the Wrong Target 202 Sustainability of the Photovoltaic Option 204 Will Renewable Energy Sources Suffi ce? 205 But There Is Always a Limit 206 15 Scenarios for the Future 209 (Un)Sustainable Development 209 America’s Big Footprint 210 The More We Consume, the More We’re Happy? 211 That’s Enough! 212 Strategies 213 At the Crossroads 214 Transition to Renewable Energy Resources 215 The Scientist’s and the Politician’s Responsibility 216 Challenges and Opportunities 216 Appendices 219 Appendix A: 17 Myths to be Dispelled 221 Appendix B: Maybe You Didn’t Know That . . . 225 Consumption 225 Transportation 226 Nuclear Energy 226 Renewable Energy Sources 227 Wastes and Pollution 227 Disparity 228 Appendix C 229 Appendix D: Bibliography 231 Useful Websites 232 General Energy Databases 232 Data on Resources, Pollution and the State of the Planet 233 Renewable Energies 233 Nuclear Energy 234 Efficiency and Energy Education 234 Climate Changes 234 For Children and Teachers 234 Index 235

• ISBN: 978-3-527-33409-4
• Editorial: Wiley VCH
• Encuadernacion: Rústica
• Páginas: 254
• Fecha Publicación: 16/01/2013
• Nº Volúmenes: 1
• Idioma: Inglés