Alternative Energy Resources - The Quest for Sustainable Energy

Zusatztext "...makes for an excellent introductory text on a subject whose importance is sure to last well into the future." (Civil Engineering! 5/2006) Informationen zum Autor PAUL KRUGER is Professor Emeritus at Stanford University. He has worked in both industry and academia in the areas of energy and the environment. Klappentext A balanced introduction to tomorrow's energy sourcesOver the course of the next fifty years, there will be a shift in the quest for sustainble energy, including a major change in transportation from internal combustion engines burning petroleum-derived fuels to newer technology engines using new transportation fuels. Alternative Energy Reources examines our options for energy sources with a focus on hydrogen as a large-scale, secondary energy vector parallel to electricity.As the price of petroleum products increases, the world is scrambling to find a suitable replacement energy source. In this comprehensive primer, Professor Paul Kruger examines energy use throughout history and the exponential expansion of our energy use beginning with the Industrial Revolution through the present day. The book then analyzes the various alternative energy sources available, including renewable energy (hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal), nuclear, and hydrogen. He addresses each energy source's pros and cons based on our needs, availability, and environmental impact aspects. Finally, Dr. Kruger proposes the use of hydrogen as a fuel to sustain our energy supply produced by appropriate technology mixtures of renewable and nuclear energy. Zusammenfassung A balanced introduction to tomorrow's energy sourcesOver the course of the next fifty years, there will be a shift in the quest for sustainble energy, including a major change in transportation from internal combustion engines burning petroleum-derived fuels to newer technology engines using new transportation fuels. Alternative Energy Reources examines our options for energy sources with a focus on hydrogen as a large-scale, secondary energy vector parallel to electricity.As the price of petroleum products increases, the world is scrambling to find a suitable replacement energy source. In this comprehensive primer, Professor Paul Kruger examines energy use throughout history and the exponential expansion of our energy use beginning with the Industrial Revolution through the present day. The book then analyzes the various alternative energy sources available, including renewable energy (hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal), nuclear, and hydrogen. He addresses each energy source's pros and cons based on our needs, availability, and environmental impact aspects. Finally, Dr. Kruger proposes the use of hydrogen as a fuel to sustain our energy supply produced by appropriate technology mixtures of renewable and nuclear energy. Inhaltsverzeichnis Foreword xxi Preface xxiii 1 Human Ecology on Spaceship Earth 1 1.0 Introduction 1 1.01 Axiom 1 2 1.02 Axiom 2 5 1.03 Axiom 3 6 1.04 Philosophical Questions for the Quest 9 1.1 Development of Human Ecology 9 1.11 Major Ages in Human History 10 1.12 The Biosphere: ''Spaceship Earth'' 10 1.13 Limits to Growth 11 1.2 Summary 13 References 14 2 The Unending Quest for Abundant Energy 16 2.0 Historical Perspective 16 2.1 Characteristics of an Industrial Nation 17 2.11 Flow of Abundant Energy 20 2.12 Capital and Income Energy Resources 22 2.2 Exponential Growth Dynamics 24 2.21 Linear Growth 24 2.22 Exponential Growth 25 2.23 Doubling Time 26 2.24 Exponential Growth Scenarios 27 2.25 Calculation of Growth Rates by Regression Analysis 29 2.3 Current Growth in Energy Consumption 31 2.31 Trends in Energy Consumption 31 2.32 Energy Intensit...

List of contents

Preface.
 
1. Human Ecology on Spaceship Earth.
 
1.0 Introduction.
 
1.1 Development of Human Ecology.
 
1.2 Summary.
 
References.
 
2. The Unending Quest for Abundant Energy.
 
2.0 Historic Perspective.
 
2.1 Characteristics of an Industrial Nation.
 
2.2 Exponential Growth Dynamics.
 
2.3 Current Growth in Energy Consumption.
 
2.4 Summary.
 
References.
 
3. The Fossil Fuel Era.
 
3.0 Historic Perspective.
 
3.1 Fossil Fuels.
 
3.2 Forecast of U.S. Energy Consumption thru 2025.
 
3.3 How Long Will Fossil Fuels Last?.
 
3.4 Growth of Fossil Fuel Demand for Generation of Electricity.
 
3.5 Summary.
 
References.
 
4. Sustainability of Energy Resources.
 
4.0 Sustainable Economic Development.
 
4.1 Sustainability of Electric Energy Demand.
 
4.2 Natural Gas in Sustainable Energy Supply.
 
4.3 Natural Gas Commitment for Electric Power Generation.
 
4.4 Sustainability of Natural Gas as an Energy Resource.
 
4.5 Non-Fossil Energy Resources.
 
4.6 Summary.
 
References.
 
5. Environmental Impact of Energy Consumption.
 
5.0 Historic Perspective.
 
5.1 Basics of Environmental Impact.
 
5.2 The Saga of the Greenhouse Effect.
 
5.3 Local Air Pollution from Automobile Exhaust.
 
5.4 Value of Air Quality Improvement in Transportation.
 
5.5 Some Data for the Los Angeles Air Basin.
 
5.6 Summary.
 
References.
 
6. The Nuclear Energy Era.
 
6.0 Historic Perspective.
 
6.1 Basic Elements of Nuclear Science.
 
6.2 Basic Elements of Nuclear Power.
 
6.3 The OKLO Natural Nuclear Reactors.
 
6.4 Thermonuclear Fusion.
 
6.5 Summary.
 
References.
 
7. Renewable Energy Resources.
 
7.0 Renewable Energy.
 
7.1 Hydroelectric Power.
 
7.2 Solar Energy.
 
7.3 Wind Energy.
 
7.4 Biomass Energy.
 
7.5 Other Renewable Resources.
 
7.6 Summary.
 
References.
 
8. Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier.
 
8.0 Historic Perspective.
 
8.1 Hydrogen and Electricity as Parallel Energy Carriers.
 
8.2 The Hydrogen Energy Fuel Cycle.
 
8.3 Summary.
 
References.
 
9. Hydrogen as a Transportation Fuel.
 
9.0 Historic Perspective.
 
9.1 Hydrogen Fuel Cells in Vehicle Transportation.
 
9.2 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles.
 
9.3 What More is Needed?.
 
9.4 Summary.
 
References.
 
10. The Hydrogen Fuel Era.
 
10.0 Perspective of an Era.
 
10.1 Potential for Air Quality Improvement.
 
10.2 Modeling Health Benefit from Hydrogen Fuel Transportation.
 
10.3 Electric Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Fuel.
 
10.4 Prospects for the Future of Sustainable Energy Supply.
 
10.5 Wrap-Up.
 
10.6 Summary.
 
References.

Report

"...makes for an excellent introductory text on a subject whose importance is sure to last well into the future." ( Civil Engineering , 5/2006)

Product details

• Authors: Paul Kruger, Kruger Paul
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.03.2006
• EAN: 9780471772088
• ISBN: 978-0-471-77208-8
• No. of pages: 272
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Electronics, electrical engineering, communications engineering; Alternativenergie, Erneuerbare Energie, Maschinenbau, Energie, Thermodynamik, ENERGY, Thermodynamics, Mechanical Engineering, Power Technology & Power Engineering