| | |  | ASHRAE | Home » » Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air | | | | | | | Description: | | Addressing the sustainable energy crisis in an objective manner, this enlightening book analyzes the relevant numbers and organizes a plan for change on both a personal level and an international scale—for Europe, the United States, and the world. In case study format, this informative reference answers questions surrounding nuclear energy, the potential of sustainable fossil fuels, and the possibilities of sharing renewable power with foreign countries. While underlining the difficulty of minimizing consumption, the tone remains positive as it debunks misinformation and clearly explains the calculations of expenditure per person to encourage people to make individual changes that will benefit the world at large. | | | Features: | |
• ISBN13: 9780954452933
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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| | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| David JC MacKay | | Paperback:
| 384 pages | | Publisher:
| UIT Cambridge Ltd. | | Publication Date:
| February 20, 2009 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0954452933 | | Package Length:
| 8.7 inches | | Package Width:
| 7.7 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.6 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.65 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 28 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
FinallyMar 06, 2010
It has been a long awaited asset to have a book that is both scientifically sound and informative about the imminent energy disaster.
If only the managers and politicians of our world would spend the time with this book that would enable them to take a passing exam on the subject we would still have some chances to leave a livable world to our children and grand-children.
I cannot think of a better textbook for these potentially competent lay-people who presently so shamelessly exchange unfounded and misleading sales-arguments about the subject, there where the need to disseminate reality about it is so overwhelmingly urgent.
David JC. MacKay has achieved a monumental help; the outstandingly best I have run into.
Rudolf S. Le Poole
Astronomer, Leiden Observatory, the Netherlands
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Magnificent - a must read.Feb 13, 2010
Climate Change (if it exists) will mean that we will need to eliminate the burning of fossil fuels within the next half century (unless we drown/fry/freeze first). In order to maintain our standard of living, we will need to replace this energy from sustainable sources. This book explores, from basic physics, each of the proposed methods.
First a word about the book - its available free, if you download it; its opinions are clear - it acknowledges the need for more research in areas, but doesn't hide behind this to equivocate. The first part of the book deals in nuggets of information - aeroplanes are highly energy efficient ; the second part deals with the implications of what we need to do if we adopt various energy strategy - e.g. cover a significant part of the countryside in solar panels, a significant amount of the coastline for tidal energy - basically we need country-size solutions for the proposed energy sources (nuclear excepted). The appendices get into more detail on the physics involved in the energy alternatives.
I find it difficult to praise this book highly enough, I think this is public science at its best - clear, measured, free, decisive - it may be wrong in areas but covers the complex ground and establishes understandable conclusions.
Did you know that `zero-emissions' Hydrogen fuel is even more energy-inefficient than Petrol?
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Mandatory readingFeb 06, 2010
I think nobody should talk on renewable energies without having read this book. It should be mandatory for everyone who wants to decide or even speak about energy.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Great book...Jan 04, 2010
... written in terms a layman can understand. Also, this book is available for free in html and pdf on his website withouthotair dotcom.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
concise and in contextDec 16, 2009
So often facts and figures about global warming are thrown at us without any context to a whole country or global situation. In this book Dr. MacKay researches the figures, but most importantly puts them in comparable units so that all manner of energy production - wind, water, solar, biofuels, etc. - can be analyzed, compared and understood. We are shown what we use and what we do and can possibly produce. As a reader of all manner of energy information, this was the one that put it all together for me. Also, easy to read and understand. Not a text, but an explanation.
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