Description
Environmental journalist Pahl (U. of Vermont) offers readers a timely crash course in five renewable energy technologies--solar, wind, water, biomass and biofuels, and geothermal--aiming to inspire individual and community action through abundant examples of energy independence projects around the world. The introductory chapter explores peak oil and other energy problems in the U.S., as well as government initiatives (and the lack thereof) that address them. The author then discusses the potential, the history, and (briefly) the technology of each renewable alternative, followed by case studies. Language is appropriate for a general audience, but community/urban planners and homeowners may find this book especially useful. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Al Gore's summer blockbuster An Inconvenient Truth, and crude oil prices soaring to all-time highs, more people than ever know the truth about our oil addiction. Global warming is here. M. King Hubbert's oil peak is fast approaching (or may already have arrived). The secret's out: fossil fuel reserves are dwindling and popular interest has created the need for accessible, realistic solutions. The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook, a clear-eyed view of the critical situation we face, offers ways out. Greg Pahl examines energy technologies currently available and homes in on renewable energy strategies that can be adopted by individuals and communities. Such cooperative initiatives have been common in Europe for years and are beginning to gain a foothold in the US. Each chapter focuses on a different renewable energy category--solar, wind, water, biomass, liquid biofuels, and geothermal--then reviews their advantages and disadvantages and desccribes numerous examples of successful, proven local initiatives. The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook is an eloquent appeal for community and regional action to initiate an array of solutions to energy needs until now controlled by large, distant utilities and consortiums. It is time to take back control of the energy and environmental challenges ahead; this book will help people do just that. It is a handbook for anyone ready to take the first steps towards a more sustainable future.
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