Energy Reader - 9781405199841

Here are some of the seminal essays on the most important topic we face: how to move from the energy sources that built our civilization to those that might be able to sustain it. They`re fascinating historically, but also of great practical value. Bill McKibben, Author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet

The essays on energy that Laura Nader has assembled here should be read by all students of energy... and that needs to be all citizens, lest we repeat the energy policy mistakes of the past. John Harte, author of Cool the Earth, Save the Economy

Thank you. At last the questions about energy are answered: oil, gas, nuclear, wind, solar, biofuels, waste; their histories and transitions: their social, political, economic and philosophical dimensions. The Energy Reader is not just for students, but all who are concerned with the future of our planet and human existence as we know it. Jeremy H. Keenan, University of Bristol

The Energy Reader delivers a rare and uncompromising summary of the dilemmas and possibilities of energy policy and technologies. Drawing together contributions from business, connections and crackles with innovative insight. John Andrew McNeish, Ch. Michelsen Institute (CMI)

This reader assembles critical insights on the global energy-climate crisis from an impressive group of scientists and shapes them into a new way of conceptualizing both the energy problem and the deep political, social and technological changes which will be necessary in order to make the transition to a sustainable energy future. Hal Wilhite, University of Osio

The Energy Reader examines the quandary of meeting future energy needs, bringing a unique critical approach to this complex global challenge and its potentially dire implications. It evaluates the social and cultural components of the energy problem in addition to the technological issues, and differentiates long-term perspectives from short-term fixes, presenting readers with a truly holistic approach to energy.

In this insightful book, a wide range of experts address the overall energy problem, the politics of energy, the protection of future generations, the avoidance of dangerous waste products, efficiency, resilience, and democratic relevance. These cross-disciplinary critical perspectives are presented by respected social scientists, physicists, economists, business experts, engineers, journalists, historians, and entrepreneurs. They illuminate the key historical trends in energy development and demonstrate new and sometimes controversial solutions-they tell us what can and will work with respect to current and future energy policies. The Energy Reader offers thought-provoking insights into the global energy strategies necessary for humanity's future.