Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air
Reviewed by Robert L. Pritchett
UIT Cambridge
Author: David JC MacKay
Released: Now
Pages: 382
$54.43 Hardcover, $34 USD Paperback,
Download: http://www.withouthotair.com/download.html
ISBN: 978-0-9544529-3-3.
Strengths: Breaks down complicated formulations and
factorizations of sustainable energy options into precise, concise, simple
understanding between weighing consumption and production for various
technologies.
Weaknesses: None found. |
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Introduction
I’m
concerned about cutting UK emissions of twaddle – twaddle about
sustainable
energy. Everyone says getting off fossil fuels is important, and
we’re
all encouraged to “make a difference,” but many of the things that
allegedly
make a difference don’t add up.
Twaddle
emissions are high at the moment because people get emotional
(for
example about wind farms or nuclear power) and no-one talks
about
numbers. Or if they do mention numbers, they select them to sound
big,
to make an impression, and to score points in arguments, rather than
to
aid thoughtful discussion.
This
is a straight-talking book about the numbers. The aim is to guide
the
reader around the claptrap to actions that really make a difference and
to policies that add up.
I
didn’t write this book to make money. I wrote it because sustainable energy
is
important. If you would like to have the book for free for your own
use,
please help yourself: it’s on the internet at www.withouthotair.com.
This
is a free book in a second sense: you are free to use all the material
in
this book, except for
the cartoons and the photos with a named photographer,
under
the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share-
Alike
2.0 UK: England & Wales Licence. (The cartoons and photos are
excepted
because the authors have generally given me permission only to
include
their work, not to
share it under a Creative Commons license.) You
are
especially welcome to use my materials for educational purposes. My
website
includes separate high-quality files for each of the figures in the
book.
What I Learned
This has got to be about the best book money can't buy (but
you can anyway and I applaud David JC MacKay's incredible effort, so recommend
getting a hardcopy, because it is a keeper).
I just cannot believe something this good, could be
available online for free!
David pulls no punches. He overcomes the hyperbole with
facts and figures that make sense regarding "sustainable"
energy. I love his use of terms
like "twaddle" and "claptrap", mostly because I have read
much and commented much and this book does a far , far better job than I ever
could because even though the facts are basically UK-based, they pretty much
"fit" the US as well, on this side of the pond.
The numbers and facts are irrefutable. I love the excellent,
clear and well-thought-out graphics presentations. I think the comparisons
between consumption and production in nearly every chapter arte superb,
especially for those of us who seem to be a bit math-challenged.
And even the math is laid out, so even I can understand it.
The chapters even have further reading sections.
And I gladly champion the "correctness" of
measuring everything as " kWh per day per person". When everything is compared with the exact same measurements, the BS
factor goes out the window.
And that is what makes this book not just fun to read, but
makes it a classic regarding sustainable energy options and their consumption vs.
production factors.
The book could have been titled "Sustainable Energy for
Dummies". But it really is a book for "Smarties". You read this
book and you will be forever grateful men like David JC MacKay are alive and
well on Planet Earth. His British humor is even contagious.
Conclusion
Support his efforts by buying the book. It's that simple.
Cut through the blarney and BS. The wool over the eyes can now be lifted.
It is the book that Pure Energy Systems Network should have
written.