ELECTRICITY: HUMANITY'S LOW-CARBON FUTURE

類似書籍推薦給您

Climate change is no longer deniable. Neither is the fact that greenhouse gas emissions due to human activities need to be mitigated. The question is how to rapidly transit to an increasingly low-carbon world while essentially sustaining the quality of life of the fortunate and providing better lives for the less fortunate. The challenge is to decarbonize both energy consumption and production with electricity at the core of energy systems. Perhaps Energia, a fictitious country whose 50 million inhabitants endorse climate change objectives and that embodies the energy mutations proposed by the authors, has the answers. Along with Energia, four families living in Africa, America, Asia and Europe who represent us, the consumer, set the stage for the book's discussions. On the user front, the presentation primarily focuses on energy consumption at home and for transport. On the energy production front, the focus shifts to the integration of renewables with fossil and nuclear energy. The book's coverage includes crucial systemic issues related to energy storage, electric power systems and multi-energy systems. In a dedicated chapter, the authors put forward their energy and environmental public policy observations and proposals, including a carbon fee scheme. Electricity is written for readers interested and concerned by the environmental and energy challenges we face, and who seek to participate, as well-informed citizens, in discussions on future energy-related options. The book provides a balanced, factual and unemotional presentation of readily available energy systems and technologies which, when widely deployed, can contribute, both short and long term, toward a low-carbon and electricity-centered world. Supplementary Materials Companion Document (8MB) Sample Chapter(s) Preamble and Reader‘s Guide Contents: About the Authors With Appreciation Preamble and Reader's Guide Setting the Stage: The Lives of Four Families — An Energy Perspective Energia — A Modern Country with a Long History Energy and Emissions — Where We Are Energy Consumptions and Emissions: Housing — At Home Transport and Travel — Daily Commutes, Travels and Transport Industry and Agriculture — Producing Goods and Food Industry and Services — At the Office and in Public Spaces How Electricity is Produced: Introductory Remarks Hydro Energy — Using Water Combustion Thermal Power Plants — Burning Fossil Fuels Nuclear Thermal Power Plants — Splitting the Atom Solar Energy — Using the Sun Wind Energy — Using Wind Geothermal Energy — Using the Earth's Heat An Ever-more Ubiquitous Electricity: Energy Storage Electric Power Systems — From Power Plants to End-users Multi-Energy Systems Where We Should Be Heading: Public Policy and Carbon Fee Energia's Energy Mutation — Principles and Application To Conclude: Four Families in 2035 Conclusion — We Have the Technologies — Let's All Get Going Annex: Companion Document — Alphabetical Order Units and Reference Values Website Acronyms Selected Electric Energy Installations Mentioned Index Endorsement Readership: Individuals broadly interested in and intrigued by the environmental and energy challenges along with public and private sector leaders who desire to fully apprehend the potential outcomes of various public policy paths pertaining to energy, and who seek to be better prepared when making energy decisions and participating in related political and public policy decision making processes. The reader is assumed to have a university-level general education but may not have a scientific background.