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Energy myths and realities : bringing science to the energy policy debate / Vaclav Smil.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: Washington, D.C. : Lanham, Md. : AEI Press ; Distributed by Rowman & Littlefield, c2010Description: xiv, 213 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9780844743288 (hbk.)
  • 0844743283 (hbk.)
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 333.794 SMI 23 014297
Contents:
Lost Opportunities Persistent Myths Challenging the Myths 1.The Future Belongs To Electric Cars Electric- versus Gasoline-Powered Cars Recent History of Electric Cars Recent Electric Models Electric Cars and the Supply of Electricity More Efficient Gasoline Engines 2.Nuclear Electricity Will Be Too Cheap To Meter Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Fission Retreat from Nuclear Power Hope for Fast Breeder Reactors New Case for Nuclear Energy Successful Failure 3.Soft-Energy Illusions Advantages of Soft Energy Soft Energy Today The Hypercar Other Soft-Energy Dreams Soft Energy in China The "Perfect" Solution The Future of Soft and Small Approaches 4.Running Out: Peak Oil And Its Meaning Predictions of Peak Oil Production Untapped Resources Nonconventional Oil Reserves Production, Demand, and Prices Countering the Claims of Peak-Oilers 5.Sequestration Of Carbon Dioxide Contents note continued: Organic Approaches Technical Fixes The Energy Penalty on Sequestration 6.Liquid Fuels From Plants Liquid Fuels for Transportation Corn-Based Ethanol Sugar Cane[&​#x2013;]Based Ethanol Impacts of Ethanol Production Cellulosic Ethanol, "A Huge New Source of Energy" Biofuels, An Inappropriate Solution 7.Electricity From Wind Evolution of Wind Power Estimated Potential of Wind Power Key Constraints on Wind Power Realizing the Potential of Wind Power 8.The Pace Of Energy Transitions Present Realities Past Transitions Why Energy Transitions Are Gradual The Repowering Challenge False Analogy Electric Vehicles Nuclear Power Soft-Energy Conversions Peak Oil Carbon Sequestration Crop-Based Ethanol Wind-Powered Electricity Generation Energy Transitions A Quick Summation.
Summary: "Energy is both a technical topic and a political one; all too often, the political claims and assertions get far more play than sober technical reality. In Energy Myths and Realities, Vaclav Smil does a brilliant job of examining the crazy quilt of claims and assertions about energy. With great wit and simple, clear arguments, he shows that most of the wild claims we hearùin all directionsùhave no basis in reality."ùNathan Myhrvold, CEO, Intellectual Ventures -- "Vaclav Smil is a giant among energy scientists and historians. In this book, he explains why fossil fuels remain dominant, why it is so hard to scale up wind and solar technologies, and why nuclear power, despite having been over-hyped in the past, is one of our best hopes for meeting future energy needs and dealing with global warming."-Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger, coauthors of Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility and cofounders of the Breakthrough Institute -- "Investment opportunities into new energy sources and related conversion techniques are, at times, molded by preconceived ideas that can sometimes lead to excessively positive and unjustifiably enthusiastic expectations. By criticizing the assorted myths and misconceptions surrounding energy innovations, Vaclav Smil provides readers with refreshing insights that are often missing in today's energy policy debates."ùPhilippe Rohner, senior investment manager, Pictet Asset Management, Geneva, Switzerland -- "Vaclav Smil is a master thinker about the master resource of energy. A multidisciplinarian, Smil combines basic economics, technological understanding, and historical insight to skewer false energy visions. Energy reality, he reminds us, is determined by the free marketplace, not by words or wishes."ùRobert Bradley, founder and CEO, Institute for Energy Research -- Myth: New energy sources and technical innovations will eliminate the need for fossil fuels within a few decades. -- Reality: Comprehensive energy transitions take several generations. -- Myth: Carbon sequestration is the solution to global climate change. -- Reality: Because of its costs, technical challenges, and problems with social acceptance, carbon sequestration will not be able to prevent further substantial rise in carbon emissions. -- Myth: Electric cars will replace conventional automobiles in the near future. -- Reality: Electric cars are expensive, their adoption rate will be slow, and internal combustion engines will dominate the market for decades to come -- These are just a few of the misconceptions about the future of global energy often presented as facts by the media, politicians, business leaders, activists, and even scientistsùwasting time and money and hampering the development of progressive energy policies. Energy Myths and Realities: Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate debunks the most common fallacies to make way for a constructive, scientific approach to addressing the global energy challenge. -- When will the world run out of oil? Should nuclear energy be adopted on a larger scale? Are ethanol and wind power viable sources of energy for the future? Vaclav Smil advises the public to be wary of exaggerated claims and impossible promises. The global energy transition will be prolonged and expensive and hinges on the development of an extensive new infrastructure. Traditional energy sources and established energy conversions are persistent and adaptable enough to see the world through that transition. -- Energy Myths and Realities brings a scientific perspective to an issue often dominated by groundless assertions, unfounded claims, and uncritical thinking. Before we can create sound energy policies for the future, we must renounce the popular myths that cloud our judgment and impede true progress. --Book Jacket.
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Book Book Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bangalore 333.794 SMI 014297 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available 014297

Includes bibliographical references (p. 177-195) and index.

Lost Opportunities
Persistent Myths
Challenging the Myths
1.The Future Belongs To Electric Cars
Electric- versus Gasoline-Powered Cars
Recent History of Electric Cars
Recent Electric Models
Electric Cars and the Supply of Electricity
More Efficient Gasoline Engines
2.Nuclear Electricity Will Be Too Cheap To Meter
Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Fission
Retreat from Nuclear Power
Hope for Fast Breeder Reactors
New Case for Nuclear Energy
Successful Failure
3.Soft-Energy Illusions
Advantages of Soft Energy
Soft Energy Today
The Hypercar
Other Soft-Energy Dreams
Soft Energy in China
The "Perfect" Solution
The Future of Soft and Small Approaches
4.Running Out: Peak Oil And Its Meaning
Predictions of Peak Oil Production
Untapped Resources
Nonconventional Oil Reserves
Production, Demand, and Prices
Countering the Claims of Peak-Oilers
5.Sequestration Of Carbon Dioxide
Contents note continued: Organic Approaches
Technical Fixes
The Energy Penalty on Sequestration
6.Liquid Fuels From Plants
Liquid Fuels for Transportation
Corn-Based Ethanol
Sugar Cane[&​#x2013;]Based Ethanol
Impacts of Ethanol Production
Cellulosic Ethanol, "A Huge New Source of Energy"
Biofuels, An Inappropriate Solution
7.Electricity From Wind
Evolution of Wind Power
Estimated Potential of Wind Power
Key Constraints on Wind Power
Realizing the Potential of Wind Power
8.The Pace Of Energy Transitions
Present Realities
Past Transitions
Why Energy Transitions Are Gradual
The Repowering Challenge
False Analogy
Electric Vehicles
Nuclear Power
Soft-Energy Conversions
Peak Oil
Carbon Sequestration
Crop-Based Ethanol
Wind-Powered Electricity Generation
Energy Transitions
A Quick Summation.

"Energy is both a technical topic and a political one; all too often, the political claims and assertions get far more play than sober technical reality. In Energy Myths and Realities, Vaclav Smil does a brilliant job of examining the crazy quilt of claims and assertions about energy. With great wit and simple, clear arguments, he shows that most of the wild claims we hearùin all directionsùhave no basis in reality."ùNathan Myhrvold, CEO, Intellectual Ventures --
"Vaclav Smil is a giant among energy scientists and historians. In this book, he explains why fossil fuels remain dominant, why it is so hard to scale up wind and solar technologies, and why nuclear power, despite having been over-hyped in the past, is one of our best hopes for meeting future energy needs and dealing with global warming."-Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger, coauthors of Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility and cofounders of the Breakthrough Institute --
"Investment opportunities into new energy sources and related conversion techniques are, at times, molded by preconceived ideas that can sometimes lead to excessively positive and unjustifiably enthusiastic expectations. By criticizing the assorted myths and misconceptions surrounding energy innovations, Vaclav Smil provides readers with refreshing insights that are often missing in today's energy policy debates."ùPhilippe Rohner, senior investment manager, Pictet Asset Management, Geneva, Switzerland --
"Vaclav Smil is a master thinker about the master resource of energy. A multidisciplinarian, Smil combines basic economics, technological understanding, and historical insight to skewer false energy visions. Energy reality, he reminds us, is determined by the free marketplace, not by words or wishes."ùRobert Bradley, founder and CEO, Institute for Energy Research --
Myth: New energy sources and technical innovations will eliminate the need for fossil fuels within a few decades. --
Reality: Comprehensive energy transitions take several generations. --
Myth: Carbon sequestration is the solution to global climate change. --
Reality: Because of its costs, technical challenges, and problems with social acceptance, carbon sequestration will not be able to prevent further substantial rise in carbon emissions. --
Myth: Electric cars will replace conventional automobiles in the near future. --
Reality: Electric cars are expensive, their adoption rate will be slow, and internal combustion engines will dominate the market for decades to come --
These are just a few of the misconceptions about the future of global energy often presented as facts by the media, politicians, business leaders, activists, and even scientistsùwasting time and money and hampering the development of progressive energy policies. Energy Myths and Realities: Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate debunks the most common fallacies to make way for a constructive, scientific approach to addressing the global energy challenge. --
When will the world run out of oil? Should nuclear energy be adopted on a larger scale? Are ethanol and wind power viable sources of energy for the future? Vaclav Smil advises the public to be wary of exaggerated claims and impossible promises. The global energy transition will be prolonged and expensive and hinges on the development of an extensive new infrastructure. Traditional energy sources and established energy conversions are persistent and adaptable enough to see the world through that transition. --
Energy Myths and Realities brings a scientific perspective to an issue often dominated by groundless assertions, unfounded claims, and uncritical thinking. Before we can create sound energy policies for the future, we must renounce the popular myths that cloud our judgment and impede true progress. --Book Jacket.

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