5 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. A good introdution to the subject of ethanol fuel,well worth reading,with some valuable information not in other books on ethanol.Not enough detail though for people who prefer a more hands on approach and would like to make their own fuel and convert their vehicle to run on ethanol.

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

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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. I have read through half of the book and find it fascinating. I am confident that based upon what I have read that I can provide an honest assessment of the book.
   
   Before continuing, let me explain my rating logic. I give the book five stars on the information presented as it relates to the nuclear industry. I give it three stars for the endless Global Warming propaganda (IMHO) carried through out the book. Therefore, the average rating ends up as four stars.
   
   The negative. From the tone of the book it is very obvious that the author wrote the book for her fellow leftists and environmentalists. For example, throughout the book you will hear the author make snide comments and sneeringly mention President Bush and the Iraqi war. Additionally, you will hear the oft repeated worries of the "proven" man-made Global Warming. But if you ignore these you will find a book worth its weight in gold.
   
   The positive. The author does an excellent job in walking the reader through the science, history and future of nuclear engineering as applied to humanity's desire for a clean unlimited fuel source. Some of the things you will learn when you finish the books are:
   
   - What different levels of radiation mean and their impact on the environment?
   - The expended in the design and testing of reactors to ensure safety and security.
   - Comparisons of the relative efficiencies as well as the environmental impact of wind, solar, fossil fuel, hydroelectric and nuclear power generation.
   - What happened at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl and the impact on the environment?
   - I cannot forget to mention the detailed explanation of risk analysis and how it applies to the nuclear industry and in everyday life.
   
   Did you know that the background radiation given off by the natural environment is higher in Finland than in the contaminated zone of Chernobyl? See page 103 of the book. Or did you know that there is radiation emitted by coal fired plants? Or in smoking cigarettes?
   
   If you want to know the science behind nuclear energy without all the fluff and propaganda of the anti-nuclear fanatics then this is the book for you.

1 comments about Applied Photovoltaics.

1. The delievery of this book is good. I purchased 6 books online. It is the third or second one arrived. The quality is good, looks like a totally new book. In summary, the service of this bookshop is very good! Cheers!

5 comments about The Bottomless Well: The Twilight of Fuel, the Virtue of Waste, and Why We Will Never Run Out of Energy.

1. Great idea, poorly executed. Writer makes way too many wild jumps without telling a compelling story, mixing high-level pronouncements with in-depth and overly-complicated science/math explanations. Underperforms



2. I thought Hard Green was a good enviro contrarian take. This one is not nearly as good.



3. Peter W. Huber and Mark P. Mills have written a powerful book about subtle concepts: heat, energy, power, and order. The book is a story of people's use of energy in increasingly clever, useful, and efficient ways to make life better for themselves and all who have followed and will follow them. The authors also make bold predictions. For example, they say that internal combustion engines will not disappear and, indeed, will actually multiply in coming decades.... Regarding these changes, which are already under way in the market, Huber and Mills declare, "The best thing U.S. policy makers can do is step out of the way and let the market find its own way to the extraordinary future that now beckons" (p. 76).
   
   The book offers many policy-relevant facts. For example, when a dilute form of energy, such as wind power or the solar energy striking rooftops, is made into better-ordered, more useful energy, the capital items needed for the transformation are often expensive. The total cost of the resulting energy supply reflects in part the costs of the energy inputs into making, transporting, installing, and repairing the equipment, as well as the cost of transporting power to where it is used (for example, constructing and maintaining power lines). When the raw energy is concentrated, these costs are usually much lower than when more machinery must be used to gather, convert, and transport the purer, better-ordered power to users. Forcing or subsidizing the use of more dispersed, more costly energy sources is neither energy efficient nor cost effective....
   
   A more energy-efficient method can reduce the energy consumption in a particular instance, but central planners often fail to recognize the even more efficient methods that might be employed in those circumstances. Those who bear the cost of energy (and energy-using devices), however, have an incentive to find better ways. Of course, more efficiency itself breeds innovative uses of the more efficient energy technology, and total energy use, summed over all uses, grows. More and better energy use, the authors point out in chapter after chapter, is making us more powerful and improving our environment in almost every way, and we are better off as a result....
   
   In "Saving the Planet with Coal and Uranium" (chapter 10), Huber and Mills argue cogently that the United States is leading the way back toward carbon balance by using and promoting land-efficient, fossil-fuel-using farming techniques that allow farm land to revert to forest, which sequesters carbon and becomes a carbon sink. They cite (controversial) evidence that expanding forests in North America are sequestering more carbon each year than is emitted here. They also observe: "Over the long term, societies that expand and improve their energy supplies overwhelm those that don't.... Civilization, like life, is a Sisyphean flight from chaos. The chaos will prevail in the end, but it is our mission to postpone that day for as long as we can and to push things in the opposite direction.... Energy isn't the problem. Energy is the solution" (p. xxvi).



4. Huber and Mills's argument in this book is basically summarized on p. 43:"...technologies of digital power...will redefine,yet again,how much energy we want and how much we can get.We will want more-much more.And we will get it easily.Unless,somehow,our optimism,drive,courage,and will give way to lethargy and fear ".
   This translates as the assertion that there are immense new scientific breakthroughs, just around the bend ,with respect to the generation and use of energy,in technology that will completely revolutionize the world.Unfortunately,these claims appear to be similar to the " cold fussion " claims made about 15 years ago and the claims made by Gary Winnick(Global Crossing) about the limitless,future growth of fiber optic cable applications.
   The claim that these solutions will be spontaneously generated in the near future are essentially based on nothing but additional claims and assertions.The best existing solution is the one offered at the turn of the century by Theodore Roosevelt-conservation and reduced energy consumption.



5. This book suffers from some gushing enthusiasm and at times seems like you are being presented a glorified power point presentation. That said I strongly encourage you to suffer through the initial "rah-rah" because once you get to the substance it is a very thoughtful and thought-inducing read.
   
   We live in a time, perhaps it has always been so, that arguments are usually decided within the first 20 to 30 words that a presenter delivers. Then, once someone has made up their mind on a subject they wont even listen to the first dozen words that are being delivered before they immediately evaluate the validity of the argument.
   
   This book will teach you about energy; what it actually means, its various forms and how we have throughout history increased its effectiveness. I do not mean in a scientific manner, I mean in a practical manner.
   
   Simply stated a ton of coal is less valuable than a tenth of a second of a precise laser burst aimed at a specific target. Yet in terms of energy there is 10,000 times more energy in the coal and in the process of creating the laser burst 99.9% of the energy was lost. But it wasn't lost, it is the necessary cost of creating the laser pulse; not because of inefficiencies or indifference on our part but it is inherent in the physical structure of the universe.
   
   Every negative review I have read of this book stated that they did not understand the basic premise of the authors, that they did not spend sufficient time and struggle to grasp what was said, but because the results of their argument did not support the preconception of the reviewer that the book was flawed.
   
   This is a thought provoking work and will change your perspectives. I strongly encourage everyone to read the book.

1 comments about Energy in Nature and Society: General Energetics of Complex Systems.

1. This is an important book for anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of energy in all its forms and in all environments. Perhaps I can best express my thoughts at this early stage of reading the book by quoting from an email I sent the author, Vaclav Smil, earlier today.
   
   "Today I received your latest book, Energy in Nature and Society, in paperback. After initially looking through it, I've now read the preface and the first eight pages and, after reading only that little, just placed an order for a hardcover copy - even though I can barely afford such extravagance. In this volume you have published a remarkable piece of work, and I hope it will be widely read by those who truly wish to gain a better understanding of energy in its totality."
   
   This truly is a book for those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of energy and is the best writing to date on the subject.

1 comments about How to do Telekinesis and Energy Work.

1. This is a simple item that teaches you the very basics of paranormal work. You should buy this item if you want to learn the basics of telekinesis and psi balls. I actually did fell some energy coming out of my hands when I practiced the drills. You can contact me more about this at alh48001@yahoo.com

No comments about Energy and the Environment.

1 comments about Developing Wind Power Projects: Theory and Practice.

1. Professor Wizelius presents an objective approach to Wind Power Projects and fundamental concepts. The book covers some important Wind Power aspects from A to Z - from technical issues to project development and commercial feasibility analysis. I strongly recommend this book to any one interested in the Wind Power or Renewable Energy business.

5 comments about The Problem of Increasing Human Energy.

1. I found this piece of writing and other non technical works by Tesla invaluable when doing essays on creative thinking and problem solving. Tesla was good at describing how he did his thinking.



2. Tesla was a brilliant though eccentric scientist and a trailblazing inventor. A fascinating read.



3. Science meets metaphysics. Groundbreaking, brilliant and rendered with precision and meticulous detail.



4. This is a very badly reproduced reprint of the article written by Tesla from Century Magazine. The entire document looks like a cheap photocopy and the contrast of the photographs makes them useless as a reference. The booklet contains ~38 pages of Tesla's musings which show him a man ahead of his time in 1900. The rest of the book (over 1/2) is a collection of "Mystical Drawings" also badly reproduced. Kessinger Publishing spared all expense in throwing this document together and did not give this visionary, his philosophies, nor his predictions the deserved treatments.
   
   Due to the poor quality of the text and photos, I give it a 1 but the author a 5+!



5. As I learn more about Tesla, I have come to realize that Edison and his supporters have done this genious a great wrong. Much of our electric comforts and wonders are founded in the aspiration of Tesla, not Edison. This book will provide insight to the depth of the man, but it alone can not encompass Tesla's true genious. I would recommend reading some background info on Tesla prior to develing into this work.

1 comments about Alternative Energy Demystified.

1. This book provides a good overview of present and future alternative energy sources. It discusses the fundamentals from wood stoves to nuclear fusion. Note, this is an overview book, NOT a HOW-TO book. You aren't going to get blueprints on building a wind turbine but you will get a brief discussion of the technology and an overview of some very basic design criteria. The material is well laid out and very practical. Because it is something of a technical book, there are a few very simple (junior high level) algebraic equations throughout the text. Most anyone with an interest in the subject will find the book useful and an inexpensive introduction to the subject. The end of chapter quizzes help cement core concepts. The book's title lives up to its claim.