4 comments about Quest for Zero Point Energy Engineering Principles for Free Energy.

1. And the man just keeps getting better! If you are a researcher into the new energy technologies, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR and buy this book. Moray King will save you months of frustration and floundering around. BIG-BANG for the Buck!



2. I've bought most of the free energy books out there and would put this on my "top ten" list. Most books published on this topic are not technical or rational, or are all hype and offer little of substance. This book is a notable exception in the genre. Moray doesn't reach too far with outlandish conclusions, and therein lies his--and ultimately this book's--credibility. The text is technical in places, and uses terms that may confuse the layman, but a layman could also learn much, as the explanations are nonetheless surprisingly lucid. But be aware that the book is a compilation of technical papers, not a hold-your-hand, dumbed-down, super-rudimentary description.

   This book doesn't contain--as many of the naive expect from such books--detailed plans that will allow you to build a free energy motor, nor does it claim to. But it offers concise, referenced, well-edited explanations of an "ether" or "zero-point-energy" theory that is the conceptual backbone of free energy systems. Postulated operational principles of some of the more infamous free energy devices are also included.

   I don't usually write reviews, but I made an exception in this case because I am (very) tired of this genre being polluted by so many quacks. Free energy is credible, and possible, and this is one book that helps disseminate useful information on a topic of critical importance to humanity.




3. It is worth reading, along with T.E. Bearden's, Nikola Tesla, and John Bedini's work. The EM theory has many errors and if your a novice in this field and want some direction in how to approach the classical EM theory and understand where the problem areas exist. You will eventually understand the fundamental principles of extracting free energy from the vacuum and it's not as absurd as people would like for you to believe, in other words the world is definitely not flat. Go explore.



4. There is no such thing as "Zero Point Energy," nor is there "free" or "unlimited" energy.
   The claims made by this book are ridiculous.
   
   Perpetual energy, free energy, perpetual motion, etc., are all SCIENCE FICTION ideas which propose that energy is unlimited.
   
   Any physicist will say that energy is the ability to perform work AGAINST OR ALONG A FORCE.
   There are four forces: gravity, electro-magnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear.
   Basically, the concept of "Zero Point Energy" or "free energy" would contradict all of them.
   
   There is a "theoretical" term called "vacuum" energy, which is the supposed "energy" of free space, but this isn't Zero, it's just a VERY LOW ENERGY STATE. It isn't free or renewable.

1 comments about A Declaration of Energy Independence: How Freedom from Foreign Oil Can Improve National Security, Our Economy, and the Environment.

1. Jay Hake's new book, "A Declaration of Energy Independence" is a must read for the extensive and multifaceted insights offered.
   
   He has a keen grasp of the history of the interplay of world energy demand, and the the political and economic forces that constrain the formation of a constructive energy policy.
   
   His extensive hands on experience in the evolution of US energy policy brings insights to the difficulty of political solutions. He offers thoughtful proposals of politically feasible solutions.
   
   There is a concise and cogent treatment in the chapter titled "Fossil Fuels and Global Warming: A Dangerous Experiment with the Planet."

4 comments about Sustainable Ethanol: Biofuels, Biorefineries, Cellulosic Biomass, Flex-fuel Vehicles, and Sustainable Farming for Energy Independence.

1. The people in Washington have decided that growing corn to produce ethanol as a partial means to energy independence is consistent with national security goals. Consequently ethanol production, like domestic oil production receives government subsidies. Some may call it pork-barrel legislation and others may call it a "scam." Robert Bryce, in his recently published Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusion of Energy Independence (2008), actually entitles his chapter on ethanol, "The Ethanol Scam." Bryce's point is that ethanol production is not energy efficient and is not sustainable. Furthermore it is posited that we should be using our cropland to grow food for a hungry world that is likely to get hungrier.
   
   Jeffrey Goettemoeller and Adrian Goettemoeller argue in this technical but readable book that ethanol production can be made energy efficient and sustainable. They counter the cropland for food argument by noting that only the carbohydrate component of the corn kernel is used to produce ethanol, adding that too much corn is now grown for food in America to the detriment of farmers elsewhere who cannot compete in the marketplace with cheap American corn. Consequently, our abundance puts small foreign farmers out of business and ironically creates food shortages. See pages 86-87 for the full argument.
   
   As to the viability of ethanol for use in our vehicles, the authors contend that, although ethanol is only about two-thirds as energy rich as gasoline, it is nonetheless necessary since we will soon or late run out of gasoline. Furthermore, today's combustion engines can be altered to run more efficiently on ethanol than currently is the case. (See "flex fuel" vehicles.) Additionally, ethanol is valuable since burning it reduces vehicular pollution. Finally, ethanol is a necessary replacement for MTBE which here in California has been phased out due to its tendency to pollute underground water supplies.
   
   The book begins with a brief but interesting history of ethanol production, how it was used in lamps before electricity, and how it was legislated against during Prohibition. They follow that with a consideration of oil production and consumption and the prospects for the return of cheap oil. They go on to tout the economic and security benefits of ethanol while considering the environmental impact. Fuel economy and the various gasoline/ethanol blends are discussed and how ethanol might improve fuel economy. There's a chapter on ethanol production from such feedstocks as sorghum, sugar, artichokes, and food waste. Cellulosic ethanol is considered. They close by urging conservation and more efficient use of fuel.
   
   My personal opinion is that ethanol is one of many stop-gap measures we will be taking during the long, slow withdrawal from fossil fuels. In the final analysis, unless there are some major breakthroughs in more efficient ways to capture solar energy and the development of more efficient batteries to store energy, we will not be able to support the six and a half billion people on this planet at current energy levels.



2. This book is truly a crash course on the subject. The Goettemoeller brothers present a brief but very comprehensive account of the ethanol evolution, beginning with a concise history of the oil and ethanol industries, through farm subsidies, the economics, environmental impact, greenhouse gases, ethanol and world hunger, all the flex-fuel vehicles available (E10, E85, E100 and the Brazilian full flex-fuel vehicles), improving fuel efficiency, ethanol production from several crops, the energy balance, to close with a discussion about a key question, is ethanol renewable? All of it in just less than 200 pages, not surprisingly the book reads fast, the facts are presented almost like bullets, with web addresses and references for easy follow-up.
   
   The successful Brazilian experience is also presented, explaining the 30 year process that led to this country's leadership in farming productivity, ethanol fuel production and distribution, and the development and manufacturing of full flex-fuel vehicles, with the same sales price as E-10 cars. And all of these achievements without government subsidies, or sacrificing food production, and even with a sharp increase in grain and food exports thanks to China's voracious appetite for commodities. The authors also debunk the deforestation myth. Sugar cane is produced mainly in São Paulo state, some 2,500 Km away from the Amazon forest, in areas previously used for farming, and the entire state's area is just 3% of Brazil's territory. Whenever possible, a comparison with the U.S experience is presented, and key differences are highlighted, such as Brazil's superior productivity rates in farming sugar cane.
   
   My only disappointment with the book is that the Brazilian case is not presented with the same depth as the American experience; instead, information about Brazil is spread throughout the book in very short paragraphs, and based mainly on interviews with Brazilian English-speaking executives. It seems the language barrier hindered a deeper coverage of this successful story. That's why I did not give the book the five stars. And incidentally, the book does not mention the fact that today the price of hydrated ethanol (Brazil's biofuel) is around 30% cheaper than standard gasoline, more than enough to fully compensate for the lower energy content in ethanol, and thanks to the fully flexible fuel technology, auto users are free to choose the proportion of each fuel depending on market prices. Tipically, between sugar cane harvest seasons, you simply go back to gasoline.
   
   As oil approaches US$ 120 per barrel, and as the oil industry and OPEC countries are ironically echoing the concerns of some international bureaucrats and environmental groups (yes, the same supporting the Global Warming cause!) regarding the alleged responsibility of ethanol production for the recent increases in food prices, I think this is a book you definitively should read before taking sides on the food versus biofuels controversy.
   
   The problem is complex; there are several causes, and agricultural subsidies in rich countries are chief among them, in particular when highly subsidized corn crops for ethanol production became more profitable than producing other cash crops for food. This subject is out of the scope of the book, but if you are interested on this controversy, read the masterpiece article in the Economist's April 17th 2008 issue, entitled "The Silent Tsunami". That will be a good starting point to understand the real causes and the paradoxes behind world hunger and poverty.
   
   Also, the latest two books from Joseph E. Stiglitz have some chapters explaining how agricultural subsidies in the U.S. and several European countries, together with trade barriers, are among the real culprits for the poorest developing countries not being able to produce what they eat, and how many other countries are being barred from entering the "free" global market and developed by themselves. Just read Making Globalization Work and Fair Trade for All: How Trade Can Promote Development. At least inform yourself properly and get the facts right before taking sides on this new global controversy. Happy 2008 Earth's Day!



3. This is a book that is helpful for people of all educational levels to begin to understand not only Ethanol, but the who Biofuels industry.
   
   The conciseness of the information into what can be considered bullet points delivers the maximum information in the least space possible. This leaves no room for agenda driven diatribes present in most books today. In addition, the book provides an abundance of cited sources that can be used by the reader for additional research and, thus, does not choke the book with needless facts and information.
   
   The best part is that, for us who think Ethanol is only one piece in the complete Biofuels puzzle, much of the information can be applied to other Biofuels like methanol and butanol.
   
   For me this book is not only a primer, but a reference source for the future.



4. We hear a lot these days about global warming, the West's over consumption habits, and how oil is getting more and more expensive and less available. We also hear a lot about alternative energies, flex-fuel cars, ethanol, and the like, but how many of us really know what these alternatives mean - both for the environment and our wallets. Unless you are a scientist working in the field, often we have to rely on what the media tells us; and many of us don't trust the media for a straight forward, objective opinion. Big oil, with their record profits, try and keep us in the dark about other forms of energy. Good thing I stumbled upon the book Sustainable Ethanol by the Goettemoeller brothers. This is the first book I have seen that explains the science - and logic - behind ethanol as an alternative fuel to oil and gas in a clear, readable, and informative style.
   
   Not only do they cover the history of ethanol fuel (did you know the first cars were designed to run on ethanol, not gasoline), but they go into what the latest scientific studies prove - that ethanol is a viable alternative fuel not only for cars, but also for other forms of energy such as natural gas. This latter point is further developed in the book when the Goettemoeller brothers delve into biogas and butanol - two other alternative energies that can be derived from natural resources (such as landfills, manure, and agricultural waste).
   
   Chapters include: A brief history of ethanol fuel; Will cheap oil return?; Economic and security benefits; Environmental impact; E10, E85, and flex-fuel vehicles; Improving fuel economy on ethanol; Food, farming, and land use; Ethanol production; Cellulosic ethanol; Energy balance: Is ethanol renewable?; and Facing our energy future.
   
   Some highlights of the book include:
   
   In 2006 the ethanol industry contributed $23.1 billion to our Gross Domestic Product, created 163,034 new jobs, $2.7 billion in federal tax revenue, $2.2 billion in state tax revenue, and reduced our need for foreign oil imports by 206 million barrels.
   
   If car manufacturers optimized their flex-fuel vehicles to run on E85 (85% denatured alcohol and 15% gasoline), not only would the fuel economy be the same as straight gasoline, but a significant reduction in pollution would occur because ethanol has fewer highly volatile components (i.e., lower carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide).
   
   Ethanol production is not limited to just corn: grain sorghum, wheat, barley, agricultural residues, forestry wastes, municipal solid wastes, food processing and other industrial wastes, and various grasses can all be used to make ethanol.
   
   Ethanol can be made via a "closed loop" system, whereby the grain used to make the ethanol can then be feed back to the animals (as ethanol production only uses the starch from grains, not the proteins or vitamins), the manure from the animals is then used to create fertilizer (for more grain) and biogas which is used as a process fuel in place of natural gas. In a sense, no external energy is required to go into the process, creating a sustainable energy production process.
   
   Sustainable Ethanol is copiously documented, with charts and graphs illustrating the complex science that is clearly explained. This book should be on everyone's reading list who cares about the environment and our future. Rarely does one get to read about an emerging technology and actually understand at the end what that technology is, how it works, and just how important it can be for helping save the planet. The Goettemoeller brothers have succeeded beyond any expectations in this regard. Sustainable Ethanol is a landmark book - if you want to see what you can do to help save the planet, then this book is a must.
   
   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
   New Great Books
   [...]

5 comments about Power to the People: How the Coming Energy Revolution Will Transform an Industry, Change Our Lives, and Maybe Even Save the Planet.

1. This book is as excellent an introduction to the topic of the future of energy as any book on the market. This statement, however, is more a reflection of the lack of alternatives to Power to the People as it is of the book's own strengths. To be certain, it is a well-written and smartly researched book. One would expect nothing less from a writer from The Economist. It's strongest point is to so thoroughly make the case for why the energy sector must change in the next decades. The pollution and inefficiency that the modern subsidization of the carbon-based energy economy creates harms global welfare. However, its greatest weakness is to skimp on the details as to how the energy sector should transform itself. This book does not go into how solar energy works, or what government policies concerning wind energy should be. In fact in doesn't even survey the prospects for renewable energy, by say, arguing that solar cells are the future. Rather it puts forth a well reasoned case that the days of carbon-based fuels must end, and that governments must stop the carbon subsidy and research alternatives. End of story. In fact its most interesting chapters don't concern energy at all but have to do with reconciling the philosophies of capitalism with those of environmentalism, as task that the author does quite well. A good starting point for those interested in the future of energy, but if you're looking for more specific forecast of how global energy production will or should be composed in the future, look elsewhere.



2. I almost didn't read this because of the title. In this day and age with many seemingly on the edge of reason I thought it was somewhat of an incendiary title.
   
   I'm glad I did check it out - I loved it. This man is a seriously talented writer. The material is dense. Very dense. Lots of dates, places, people, times and tragic, infuriating, maddening events. It is rendered readable with Mr. Vaitheeswarans method of inserting ironic humor into the text just when your eyes start crossing.
   
   I enjoyed the way he presented all of the sides that he perceives and the pros and cons for each one. Talking about the environment is a very emotional issue for some and I thought that he covered all of the bases well without making it sound like one particular answer is written in stone.
   
   We have, at our fingertips such wonderful scientific advances. The trick will be to put them to use to solve the problems, not create more down the line from here. I think he pointed that out very well.



3. I expected something completely different when I read this book. I was expecting that this book would tell about different ways that the future would get energy to the people.
   
   This book is nothing like that the first two thirds of this book is a diatribe on how everybody is using energy the wrong way. It tells that innovation and micro power is the wave of the future and condemns all government subsidies for energy. He does not explain why we will be going to micro power but says that's the way it is going to be.
   
   I have to say I started reading this book and put it down for a while for the racist remarks throughout the book. It is told from an Indian viewpoint where he makes snide remarks about the British saying that the British East Indian Company was the ultimate in evil. He makes condescending remarks about the Americans not being smart enough to have back-up generator in Silicon Valley whereas in Bangalore India they have them.
   
   He is obviously against nuclear power by making outrageous remarks about nuclear wastes not being safe for 100,000 years. I read nuclear renewal and the waste from the newer breeder reactors is a couple of 100 years and they will reduce that as time goes on.
   
   He is all for the fuel cell and the book is very well written. He doesn't say how we are going to get the hydrogen that we will need and talks endlessly about the Kyoto Protocol like it was the only peace of legislation that mattered on global warming.
   
   I thought there would be new ideas and processes for the future like biomass or solar chimneys. There is nothing new or insightful this book seems more like a list of grievances.



4. Power to the People does present a particular point of view. Many people do not like to read books on very political topics like this unless it matches their view. I guess I'm that way as much as anyone, maybe more than most.
   
   But while I do not agree with all that Vijay Vaitheeswaran says, I did enjoy this book. It's thoughtful, but entertaining. Cleverly written, but perceptive. Some of the comments that stick in my mind may not be the most important points in the book. (Vaitheeswaran's account of when he met Cindy Crawford and she said "the three words men most want to hear" was pretty funny.) But the thoughts in the book as a whole all hang together. They persuade, if not necessarily convince.
   
   Contrast this with Internal Combustion, by Edwin Black, a book that I also read recently. His book draws on a wealth of research. And I agree with many of the principles he builds up from the facts. But Black's book ultimately does not hang together. Black draws basic conclusions from the facts that the facts do not support. The book's faults pull it down.
   
   All in all, while I agree with much of what others see as faults in Power to the People, my opinion of the book as a whole could not be higher. It's a gem.



5. The next big boom will be free energy. Vijay, people want free energy and not cheap energy. Tesla proposed free wireless energy for the world which never happen. Micropower offers cheap distributed energy, not free energy. The motionless Electromagnetic Generator is a technology makes possible distributed free energy in massive quantities. Alternatives like ethanol, solar, wind, and fuel cell are expensive and produce insignificant amounts of energy. Why offer a marginal increase in available energy? People want free energy. The usage of this energy would be limited to their creativity, boundaries of logic, and available capital. Image a world where the consumer uses a 1,000 fold more energy and higher quality energy producing higher quality standards of life. People want more control of the energy generation and consumption behaviors. Technology stagnation can no longer be an adequate reason for high energy prices. Nuclear power will provide more energy. Utility companies had wait for regulatory permission to build the plant, factor in costs to finance monies, billions of dollars borrowed that raised the rates. Between 1969 and 1984 the rates rose 60 percent.
   
   "Small is profitable", by Amory Lovins, is quoted, "Thus the grid linking central stations to remote customers had become the main driver of thoses customer's power costs and power-quality problems-which became more acute as digital equipment required extremely reliable electricity. The cheapest, most reliable power, therefore, was that which was produced at or near the customers..." Fuels cells have niched in reliable electricity near the customer, small power plants located near the customer. Fuel cell technology has been used to provide megawatt power for companies, provide backup power for computers, and small electronic devices. Fuel cell technology for automobiles, buses, and trucks remain cost prohibitive until the cost per kilowatt drops below 30 cents a kilowatt, it will be infeasible. Fuel cell technology for transportation does not make sense. "Progress has come only in fits and starts, but the trend is clear: the era of monopolization, centralization, and overregulation has started to give way to market forces in electricity." Micropower has been given a chance to blossom, prices are determined by markets not monopolies, and energy is serve the needs of ordinary people. "Forward -looking firms are already developing microgrids that can electronically link together dozens of micropower units, be they fuel cells or wind turbines." For example, Hydrogren uses 400 kilowatt, air-cooled phosphoric acide fuel cells to generate multi-megawatt systems, 6 - 30 megawatts.
   
   However, centralized power production failed in providing free energy. Decentralized power produce is the solution either in the form of local community energy production using power micro generators or off the grid power generation, such as, home generators or home power plants.
   
   
   Providing internet to poor nations does not remove poverty. Free energy removes poverty but providing increased mechanical work and logic to grow food, manufacture products, and entertain. Over a half a billion people have no access to electricity. Micropower is an attractive option, in such places. "One significant advantage of micropower is that is call allow generator owners to become producers as well as consumers- selling surplus electricity back to the grid when they do not need it."
   
   Electric vehicles make the car an appliance. "Who killed the electric car" is a compelling story about how GM distorted customer demand statistics to scrap the EV1. Consumers wanted the EV1. The EV1 used Ovonic advanced battery technology to provide cruising speeds for adequate distances. EV hybrids could combine hydrogen reforming, battery, and an combustible engine. Even more significant are cars that run on water or air. EV1 cost 60 cents a mile to operate.
   
   
   Vijay's book suggests that modern cars emit less population; gas will be the preferred choice of fuel for the next fifty years; energy is the biggest market in the world; fuel cells are doomed; electric vehicles failed to create customer demand; environmental green house crisis emphasis will emerge in politics and in the media; and micropower will not mean the end of giant power plants, instead, it will mean cheap power to areas without power. Vijay sees super Enron, "As energy markets liberalize, on-line energy-trading markets develop, and individual consumers win the right to select their energy suppliers, some people even see the emergence of virtual utilities. Microgrids would allow such firms to combine the individual efficiency of the micropower plants with the market power that is gained by bundling together their collective generating capacity."

1 comments about Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from Solar Cells.

1. Practical Photovoltaics is one of the finest, most comprehensive guides to the world of solar energy. The book starts with a beginer's course in solid state physical devices (which taught even an Electrical Engineer such as myself new things) and leads into the history of solar cell materials and procedures over the years. Next comes an in-depth discussion of the various types of materials, and how they are suited for different applications. He makes logical predictions about the future of some of these materials, and hints around at what new techniques scientists are starting to look at today.
   In the appendix, he even describes how to assemble your own array of solar cells for those who wish to try a hands-on approach to learning.
   Oh, yeah, one more thing: he has a decent list of recomended readings at the end of each chapter, allowing you to select topics that interest you to continue your reading.

5 comments about Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry.

1. I feel the basic assumptions in the book are reasonable. For example, one key point that he makes is with the issue of peak energy cost and how solar fits in nicely with satisfying this need. This itself will be a key driver for alternative, and specifically solar growth. Peak energy is about 30% of the total power requirement in many nations. Considering that solar currently only contributes around 0.01% of the world's total electricity needs, it is clear that it has a lot of room to grow.
   
   Less convincing his is argument that local production and consumption will reduce distribution costs. I dont think this is a given as there may be large distances between production and consumption. This is after all how the feed in tarrif system is supposed to work. The only way distribution will be reduced significantly is if the bulk of the energy is consumed locally - and this will only take place if there is an efficient mechanism to store the surplus energy locally. Currently, there is none.
   
   What I also found lacking was the derivation of costs (per watt hour or peak watts). He introduces these terms and presents various cost curves, but does not go into the details of how they are determined. In the end, it is all about costs and he should have spent more time on this topic.



2. This is a great book. It talks about the Photovoltaics industry in a way that avoids traditional cliches. The authors approach the subject from a strictly economic point of view, preaching the inevitability of "the Solar Revolution," and supporting it with a series of logical arguments. Props to the authors.



3. Great book. The problem is this technology requires fossil fuels in silicon raw materials and production. While newer solar thermal power may be better, cutting edge technology from companies like Nanosolar which use printing techniques and lighter thin surfaces for broad commercial use, will likely take lead.
   
   The simple economics and lower capital cost make it like to dominate alternative energy options.



4. What is unique about this solar proponent is that even without the usual social/environmental arguments, the author still makes a poignant, richly data-assisted projection that the paradigm energy shift from fossil fuel to solar power will be inevitable based on economic rewards and fossil fuel supply. In addition to the economic aspects he gives an overview of the main alternative energy sources.



5. This is a great read. Unlike many authors who've written about solar in relation to other forms of energy generation, Travis thoughtfully analyzes why solar will be a big part of the solution. He considers issues of changing energy costs, cleanup costs (carbon), and solar's declining costs in parallel with those. He explains why distributed generation will be increasingly important for energy delivery compbatibly with centralized generation. A compelling and thought-provoking book.

5 comments about Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius.

1. I have been a solar electric and solar hot water installer for 3 years. I can design and install a system with ease and confidence, but the projects in this book increased my understanding to a whole new level. It was like learning about solar from the inside out. I always enjoy it when I can learn about something I know well from a different angle. Some of my friends bought the book for themselves after thumbing through my copy. I recommend this book for anyone who likes to have a hands on approach to solar in many different areas.



2. I purchased this Book as a gift for my father. He loves to build things, and I thought introducing him to the wave of the future in engineering through "Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius" would be a fun way to learn something new. I was right. He loved it. I skimmed through the book, and it has detailed instructions, pictures, and tons of really great and practical ideas and projects...combined with some slightly rebellious ones. It truly is an original book and alot of fun..Highly recommended for those that like to create and build.



3. There was some interesting info about solar power. But, the "Projects" were very weak. Instructions were incomplete.
   I have been thinking of putting some solar panels on my roof, as an introduction to what I hope will be a big part of thr future. This book did not get me any closer.



4. Excellent book. The only one that had exactly the information I was looking for.



5. According to another reviewer here: "Instructions were incomplete."
   
   He is being highly charitable.
   
   There will be no more "EVIL GENIUS" books for me. You've been warned.

5 comments about Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak.

1. This will not tell you how to survive without oil, but it confirms the truth about peak oil and the inevitable decline in production. He outlines many alternatives and their problems. Great book.



2. This book explains why GM is changing it's entire manufacturing process to run all 9 million cars it makes on electric motors and have an electric drive train. With the E - Flex design GM is betting the firm on, they can use a different generator as circumstances demand (eg compressed air, fuel cell, E85, diesel, CNG, etc). Beyond Oil explains why.
   It also explains why ALL major car companies are moving to hybrids and PHEV's now.
   After reading this why would you buy a car that runs only on petrol?



3. A perfect introduction to energy for well educated readers. Short, clear, to the point chapters on the various options from traditional to alternative, full of pithy observations and good humor. Not alarmist, just fact based, clear headed and long sighted.



4. While the list of books on this topic continues to grow all the time, this is probably one of the must-have books if you are interested in the topic of Peak Oil. Deffeyes is often quoted in other works, as is his former colleague, H. King Hubbert. Deffeyes comes off as a wise expert when talking about issues directly related to his area of expertise, and an honest layman when talking about things he's not as much of an expert on. This give the book an air of authenticity. It is a fairly short book, but manages to give a good background on the different energy industries related to the question of oil and its possible substitutes. It also gives a pretty succinct summary of the state of reserves and production which can go a long way towards clarifying many common misconceptions, such as the idea that we can drill our way out of the crisis. Deffeyes predicted that peak oil would hit on Thanksgiving Day of 2005. Interestingly, he maintains a web page on which he comments on the latest events. So far he has yet to retract his predictions.



5. Deffeyes has written an excellent book on M K Hubbert's 1969 published predictions for future world oil production.The most interesting chapter is chapter 3.It covers the basic logistics model that Hubbert showed fit the data like a glove fitting your hand.Deffeyes has uncovered a small error in Hubbert's exposition.It is presented on p.51.Deffeyes correctly states that production,discoveries,and hits started together."Hits have to initially grow faster than discoveries.Discoveries have to initially grow faster than production"(p.49) Hits has the highest peak and peaked about 1960.Discoveries then has the next highest peak and peaked about 1980.Production(discoveries and hits)peaked around 2000.
   
   The conclusion is that "the major theoretical conclusion is that a straight line requires that production(discoveries,hits) depends linearly on the fraction of oil that is unproduced(undiscovered,unhit)".(Deffeyes,p.51).The major prediction is that the price of oil will be going up constantly.Possible remedies are conservation,more(much more)fuel efficient cars, nuclear power,solar power,wind power,and cogeneration.The one non solution is to try to drill our way out of the problem.This is not possible given the technical constraints of the problem.

5 comments about Power to Save the World: The Truth About Nuclear Energy.

1. If you like your science with endless, irrelevant narrative concerning facts arbitrarily selected by the author based on their romantic attachment to whatever, then this book is for you. I bought this book for some meat-on-bone reading. What I got was tedium ad nauseam. "The driveway and an area around a garage were occupied by an ancient wooden hay wagon with iron-bound wheels from the Idaho ranch, a battered van, an antique school bus Rip had turned into a camping vehicle, various tools and farm equipment, and a metal-working shop with sheets of corrugated metal, lengths of pipe, and coils of wire". (p.22) Oh PUH-lease. Let's get on with it. The book reads like a kindergartener's first reader, and the name of the scientist involved adds to this feel. "See Rip run. See Rip exhale carbon dioxide. See Rip's exhaled carbon dioxide contribute global climate catastrophe."
   
   The chapters on WIPP and subsea were the best, and are the sole reason for my giving this book two stars. As a degreed engineer, I could seriously have done without the grandma-knows-best, romantic visions of the environment discourse.



2. The good sides of this book are manifold. First of all, probably due to the fact that the author is a professional novelist, one has to say that "it reads like a book": it is difficult to put it down, and the fourhundred something pages are read with ease and fun. The second good side of this book is that it is full of very interesting, and not always well-known information, even to people in the field. It is a mixture of technical issues and human relationships.
   
   However, there were two points that irritated me somewhat. First of all is the somewhat naive attempt at "showing that we are environmental activists too". The arguments put forward should stand by themselves, and not because the authority in the book (Rip Anderson) and his wife are also local concerned activists for one or other ecological cause.
   The other point I found disappointing was the somewhat simplistic technical treatment of several key aspects in the nuclear power happening. The main point I found disappointing was the missing of a clear discussion of fuel reprocessing, fast breeders, thermal reactors and so on. These subjects are touched upon, but they are very vaguely treated ; nevertheless, this is an essential part in the future of nuclear power if it is to have a future. In other words, at the end of the day, you have to take some expert's word for it, as the book doesn't give you the means to verify some aspects yourself in a logical derivation, even though most of the information in the book is factually correct.
   
   That said, this book is a very good read for people who have been fed on the vocal absurdities spread around by anti-nuclear activists such as Helen Caldicott. A read of both is probably a good thing, but one should start with "Power to save the world", as it gets most of its facts right.



3. It's thorough and thought provoking -- enough to motivate me to look up parallel information as I read through the book.
   
   I really like how the author balances risk and benefit throughout, and gets her readers to think in those terms. There seemed to be little glossing over hard facts. Overall, the book takes away my concerns about the risks of nuclear, especially as compared to other sources - like the filthy coal industry. I love the idea of solar, but her perspective on the toxic manufacturing and disposal process for solar cells helps answers questions I've long wondered about. She isn't against other forms of energy generation - just puts them in perspective. Nothing is free, easy, or perfect.
   
   It was amazing to learn about the incredible advances in reactor technology and how it can be done with a tiny fraction of the waste now generated.
   
   Her dissection of the disposal issue takes away the scare factor.
   
   The book informs a highly emotional discussion in a rational, reasonable way and demolishes a lot of mythology. There are parts I had to re-read to digest, but it's written about as easy to understand as it could be to cover the subject with the depth it does for a layperson.



4. Ms. Cravens has written a very good book discussing the complete nuclear power cycle from a lay person's perspective. Her discussions concerning power baseloading and comparing nuclear sources to coal sources for powering the national power grid are narratives that are rarely, if ever, discussed outside of the power industry due to the emotional issues that nuclear power brings forth in people.
   
   As a non-technical author and former protester against nuclear power, Ms. Cravens tackles the subject material of nuclear power, the security issues, health issues and comparisons to other major power sources with a thoroughness not usually seen at this level. Her approach to "tag along" with noted retired DOE scientist, Rip Anderson and his openness and patience towards teaching a non-technically trained person the ins and outs of the nuclear power cycle add to the narrative. The unique approach she takes to treat her investigation of nuclear power as a personal journey leads to Ms. Cravens' ultimate understanding that nuclear power must be one of the power sources we rely on for our power needs as we go into the 21st century.
   
   The book provides an excellent overview partly due to the length of time it takes for Ms. Craven's accounts of her travels and interviews to be written. Ms. Cravens does not try to write this book in 3 or 6 months just to ride the coattails of the latest nuclear headlines. Instead she took the time she needed to fully understand nuclear power, other sources of electrical power and the subject of baseloading before finalizing her book. The time was well spent as she is able to competently write about the use of nuclear power in today's world of shrinking inventory of carbon based fuels, greenhouse effects and increasing international tensions.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone who is truly interested in the discussion and future of nuclear power. It does not answer every technical question but that was never the goal of the book. What Ms. Cravens' book does is address the necessary critical technical and nontechnical questions about the nuclear power cycle and the power needs of the United States from a layperson's level. This book should be used as reference material for any critical discussions or debates concerning the pros and cons of nuclear power.



5. Another book from a writer who says "I was anti-nuclear but I think different now". What sort of message can we expect from somebody who says "In 50 years of operation, they have caused no deaths to the public"? Obviously she has never heard about Chernobyl, or the cancer clusters near Sellafield and La Hague. And still she does not answer the questions that environmentalists raise about nuclear power: What are we going to use when we run out of uranium? what do we do about people living near nuclear power stations who get sick and die? What are we going to do with nuclear waste? Not to mention all the "what-if's" about accidents and possible terrorist attacks. This book shows you one side of the story, and hides the other one.

5 comments about Energy Victory: Winning the War on Terror by Breaking Free of Oil.

1. Gas is $3.80. OPEC continues to bleed us. The Saudi's continue to export radical Islam financed by our oil dollars. Environmentalist continue to obstruct. To counter these factors Zubrin lays out a solid, cogent plan utilizing METHANOL not corn based ETHANOL. This plan uses existing technology not pie in the sky maybe here in 10 years hopes and dreams.



2. Great historical information on the middle east. Lines out the strategy to become energy independent in short order. Fabulous book.



3. Brilliant ideas for solving the recurring energy crises once and for all! Must-read for every American, especially politicians. Thank you Mr. Zubrin!



4. I was recently sent a preview copy of an upcoming publication, "Energy Victory," written by Robert Zubrin. The book attempts to layout a plan for America to break free of its oil addiction ­ a path that, he claims, current US Policy will never achieve. Although the book's main focus is on energy solutions, Zubrin does spend a significant amount on time on the genealogy of terror, America's tumultuous relationship with OPEC and debunking myths.
   
   Having not paid much attention to the history of terrorism (although I would argue that Americans, should spend more time learning about this), I found this section interesting. It brings to light a little more urgency for Americans to find solutions to replace oil that is purchased from the volatile Middle East - an area that is obviously not friendly to Americans.
   
   So what are the solutions, sensei? Renewable fuels such as ethanol and methanol. Before you start arguing that ethanol is not a solution because it has less energy, this is not true. Ethanol has a positive net energy. Updated in 2004, the most definitive analysis (by USDA) concludes that for every 100 BTUs used to grow corn and process it into ethanol, 167 BTUs of ethanol is produced. In other words, ethanol generates 67 percent more energy than it takes to produce. Zubrin explains that the misinformation has been fueled by ethanol detractor David Pimentel, in conjunction with Tad Patzek, whose research is so out of date and scientifically unsound that his own university, Cornell University, discredits the research.
   
   As ethanol is gaining traction, with the support of the Big Three, especially GM in bringing Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) to market, and more than 50 percent of American's fuel being blended with some percentage of ethanol, and more than 1300 E85 stations across the U.S., Zubrin says that many people are not happy with the developments. "Not everyone is happy with this development, of course, and the reasons are plain to see. The 4.9 billion gallons of US ethanol produced in 2006 took ten billion dollars away from the oil cartel. Thus it is hardly surprising to find the ethanol program regularly denounced by journalistic hired guns and other business analysts associated with oil industry funded think tanks, as well as by ideological libertarians whose sensibilities it offends." Ha, take that!
   
   Zubrin continues in his book to layout long­term plan for reducing America's energy dependence on foreign oil using an "alcohol economy," and spends some time ruminating about how the world can help defeat global warming while simultaneously reducing fossil fuel use. Interestingly enough, he supports raising all countries' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which may come at the short-term expense of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, but over time, as fossil fuels are phased out, greenhouse gas emissions would decrease.
   
   This is not a lighthearted reading for those who want the top line view of an issue. This is a very technical book (scientific terms, chemical equations, etc.) that delves fairly deep into each topic he covers but there are moments of humor that keep the book moving. Ultimately, I liken Energy Victory to the famous 1776 book, Common Sense, by Thomas Paine. Paine authored the first book on freedom from British rule, and Zubrin has authored the book on freedom from foreign oil.
   
   For more reviews like this go to [...]



5. A serious book calls for a serious review and I will try to provide that. Zubrin covers a lot of ground so I will take this by chapter. First, the author has a PhD in nuclear engineering so he knows the science. The first two chapters provide the rationale for his campaign to replace petroleum with methanol, and to a lesser degree ethanol. The book was written a year ago and the effects of food crop diversion to ethanol have now emphasized the negatives of ethanol. Methanol is made from non-food, non-sugar, sources and is a better compound for fuel. The first five chapters provide his argument that Saudi Arabia is an enemy funding terrorism and the Wahhabi heresy of Islam. He makes good points but is a bit more excited than I would be. Another review makes the point that China will still be buying oil from the Saudis no matter what we do. Still, the price will fall as methanol, nuclear fission and fusion technology provide alternatives.
   
   Chapter 6 tells the story of flex-fuel technology and the remarkable life story of Roberta Nichols, a woman engineer who succeeded in adapting alcohol to motor fuel and doing it cheaply. She was a great pioneer and died too young to see her accomplishments recognized. Chapter 7 tells the story of several politically supported alternatives and explains why they are not practical. One section of this chapter tells the story of a professor whose poorly done research survives as a major argument against ethanol as a practical alternative to petroleum. There is a good deal of technology in this chapter but it is well explained.
   
   Chapter 8 discusses the potential for under-developed countries to benefit from a change to alcohol-based energy production. Methanol can be made from agricultural waste products and offers these societies a future that cannot occur if poor countries are beholden to the OPEC oil cartel. There is some economics and politics in this chapter but I agree with it all. Chapter 9 discusses the Brazilian experience, in which Brazil has freed itself from dependence on OPEC oil. An issue of Time magazine from this spring has a feature story that misrepresents the Brazilian experience so it would be good for those interested to read this as an antidote to the lies of what Zubrin calls the "Malthusians," those who do not want us to solve the problem. They prefer a smaller population, no matter how that goal is achieved. Al Gore is the most prominent member of this group.
   
   Chapter 10 is almost the best part of the book as he describes the true role of CO2 and global warming. He shows the present levels of CO2 are actually rather low when compared to previous epochs, such as the Holocene Maximum, a warm period when humans emerged from Africa and spread across the globe. He does warn that CO2 will become a problem as other societies move to an economic model similar to ours. As they prosper, their CO2 production will rise and that does constitute a risk for the planet. That risk will be reduced and eliminated by the suggestions made in the book.
   
   Chapter 11 goes on to discus other forms of energy, especially the promise of nuclear fusion which, once harnessed, will ensure the future of the human race for millions of years. This is his field and he knows it thoroughly.
   
   Chapter 12 is a well-done discussion of the role of the petroleum engine in the history of the 20th century, from the "Miracle of the Marne" in 1914, when a French division was rushed into battle in a thousand Parisian taxicabs, to the origins of World War II. Chapter 13 finishes up with a summary of the history of Islam and the plans of the Wahhabis to conquer the world and establish a new caliphate to replace the Ottoman Empire.
   
   This is a serious book with a lot of information, some of it rather technical for someone who never studied chemistry. His opinions on political issues are strong and, at times, a bit intemperate. The fusion program has been mishandled. The ethanol lobby has distorted the market, for example maintaining tariffs on Brazilian ethanol that would otherwise lower the price for American drivers.
   
   He is absolutely right on the big issues. We need to get off our addiction to middle eastern oil. He does not get into the production of oil in our own territory and I want to know more about that. I have ordered another book to do so. Bacterial engineering to produce oil and other carbon compounds, as Craig Venter and others plan to do, is not covered. This is a big field and there is a lot of misinformation. This book is a big help and should be read by anyone seeking information on alternatives. I'm not sure methanol is the only answer but it is a big piece of it and this is the place to learn about it.