Customer Reviews

Beyond Fossil Fools: The Roadmap to Energy Independence by 2040

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This book is something you need to read if you are the least bit concerned about diminishing resources and your life in 10 years. The book addresses a series of concerns - scarce resources, pollution, and costs of energy - that you may have had in the back of your mind, but haven't articulated.
It walks you though what the energy - and that's really our lifeblood if you think about it - outlook is for the next thirty years with some hard data. And the outlook is not pretty as population increases and - even with massive conservation efforts - we'll need more energy than we have now. And the stuff to make energy - oil and natural gas - is running out as current prices seem to demonstrate. And coal is a really really dirty fuel. Did you know for example, that a coal fired power plant gives out many more times nuclear radiation than a nuclear plant does?
The author proposes the means to get to energy independence - or energy neutrality - within 30 years by a combination of wind, solar, and nuclear power that can be done with current technology at relatively little cost. Heck - if we can spend 70 billion on a police action in Iraq, we certainly can do this. The proposal is well researched, and gives facts and figures that make sense.
It's easy to read at any level and amazingly persuasive. Go buy it!

Shuster has hit the nail right on the head! We have to get our heads out of the Arabian sand as quickly as possible. This book is the alarm clock ringing a wake up call to Americans specifically, but to all humanity in general. It should be a must read for all our political leaders.

He succinctly describes our current energy consumption problems, describes "clean" and "popular" alternatives, explains why these will not and can not play more than a minor role in our energy independence and then talks in detail about THE solution.

THE solution is nuclear power. Not the nuclear power that the media likes to demonize but new, safer technology using Fast Neutron Reactors. Reactors which use existing nuclear waste as fuel and are 99% efficient rather than "Light Water Reactors" which are only 1% efficient, virtually eliminating the existing waste. These reactors also emit NO carbon dioxide, mercury, nitrogen oxides or other harmful pollutants. He also brings to light the important new agency called the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) which has as it's agenda the nonproliferation of weapons grade nuclear material and the sharing of Fast Neutron Reactor material for power generation.

He offers a "timeline" and costs for implementation, which always seems to be missing in books of this nature. The sources and details are very well researched and documented. The bibliography reads like a "Whose Who" of the scientific and engineering world.

A remarkably important book arriving exactly at the right time. Read it. Call your Congressional Representative or Senator and demand a nonpartisan "Call to Arms," for the sake of our country and its future.

I"m a little intimated to follow Mr. Dal's treatise but what the heck. I am compelled to share my enthusiasm for this important, profound book. Not least because it is a fast, relatively easy and often humorous read. To find a non fiction book that is so timely, educational and enjoyable is rare.

Mr. Shuster makes a compelling case for how energy truly is at the heart of all of the US problems. I would highly recommend BFF to any one who is looking for a thorough understanding of the energy crisis we are facing. Especially as we watch the debates and evaluate who will be the next president, I have been grateful to have such a detailed understanding of what is at stake and what our options are.

No, WE CANNOT "DRILL BABY DRILL" OUR WAY OUT OF THIS CRISIS. It is irresponsible for certain political leaders to suggest we can. After reading BFF, I realize that such simplistic solutions are short sighted and idiotic.

I am also thrilled - THRILLED - that at last Mr. Shuster has written a thorough overview on energy for the every day consumer who hears so many conflicting messages shoveled by mainstream media that are often served up as truth. Indeed, one of BFF's great strengths is that it acknowledges and examines the MANY different points of view surrounding this subject (including a host of scientists, political and business leaders) and while it offers the author's opinions, the reader is also invited to think for herself and told plainly what is certain vs what is speculation or opinion.

Overall, it is a HUGE wake up call. One can hardly believe the govt - both dems and republicans - have allowed the US to get into such a ridiculous crisis. it's hardly snuck up on us.

But given the current financial crisis we are in, I am convinced that it really is as bad as Mr. Shuster predicts - that the govt has been asleep at the wheel, has truly been negligent and incompetent - and that URGENT action is required. Mr. Shuster does a good job being non partisan and assigning equal blame.

Thankfully he is not just a doomsayer but offers up some very exciting solutions. in fact, as an entrepreneur, i am excited to see that not only can we get out of this energy crisis, but that we can use it as a source of growth, strength and innovation. with strong leadership, successfully solving the energy crisis is within our grasp.

but we can't simply rely on our govt to get the message on its own. if enough of us make enough noise, the media will get it and eventually the govt will too. plus there is plenty that private individuals and enterprise can do that will make a big difference. while it will ultimately require govt action, govt action is not sufficient. its in our individual interest to take steps now - from turning off lights to driving less to investing in alternative fuels etc.

I have also bought several copies of this book and sent them to friends, as well as NGOs, energy professionals and media personnel.

Read and heed this book!!

Beyond Fossil Fools was a very interesting read on the topic of energy supply and demand and long term solutions. It delves more into the demographics of the problem and technical solutions. While it does sideswipe certain political messages, it does not dwell there, as it aims to solve a problem driven by global demand and finite resources. While one may not agree with all of the solutions proposed, it is a very good proposal, especially in light of the lack of a solid energy plan for the US and the world at large. We must begin to take actions soon to avoid a train wreck down the road.

This book is informative and ENTERTAINING- And when you close the last page, you are INFORMED. Now I listen to the so-called experts and I have a BS meter to evaluate what they are telling me. Our leaders will have to take a hard look at energy policies & solutions once this contentious election is over- this book clarifies confusing issues so that you can be intelligently involved in the dialogue and actions that will effect all of us.

This book should be required reading for all legislators, senators, congressmen, etc. Better yet by all voters. Our leadership has been asleep at the oil company wheel while we have missed opportunity after opportunity to lead on the issue of energy production. Thomas Friedman has recently updated his forward-thinking book "The World is Flat" and is now more direct in his criticism of our current President and his administration. Read these books then pass them on. If they don't make you mad and scared, then hopefully they will make you look for opportunity.

This book by Joe Shuster says it all! Read it and use it for a reference. Get 2 copies and pass one on!

This book is comprehensive in its scope and provides a good solution which will work if we get some things changed in congress soon.

We need to get the fast neutron reactors on line ASAP! This will work!

Pass it Forward!

M. Allison
Lakeville, MN

The function of imagination is not to make strange things settled, so much as to make settled things strange.

-- G. K. Chesterton


"Yes, it is possible," says Joseph M. Shuster. Mr. Shuster is a chemical engineer, a successful entrepreneur, and a grandfather. The latter led him to write the book Beyond Fossil Fools: The Roadmap to Energy Independence by 2040 (Beaver's Pond Press, Inc. 2008).

Mr. Shuster approaches the goal of energy independence the way a good engineer would: By studying how our current energy practices will quickly bankrupt us if projected forward, by choosing an alternate path that is realistic and doable, and then showing us that it will be very profitable to do so.

There are many ways to reach the goal of energy independence. Some of them are less controversial than the path proposed by Mr. Shuster, but they will take longer, and be more costly. There is a heavy emphasis on nuclear energy in Mr. Shuster's proposal, and my state of Minnesota has prohibited any nuclear expansion of its power needs since 1994. So this book more relevant for the 49 other states that can act on his proposal.

Mr. Shuster begins with the obvious: Sooner or later, we'll run out of all fossil fuels. All fossil fuels: Oil, gas, coal, tar sands, oil sands -- you name it, and Mr. Shuster will tell you that nothing can stop its depletion. Conservation just postpones the reckoning. So do more efficient cars, better coal- and gas-powered plants, improved appliances and more comprehensive public transportation systems. For the world, he estimates that oil and gas will last less than fifty years, and coal less than seventy-five - forecasts that assume very modest economic growth. The more we procrastinate with changing our energy sources, he writes, the higher the cost will be.

What will be the quickest, cheapest and most sustainable strategy? It will be the one that will not run out, will produce few or no toxic emissions, and will be safe.

Wind is included in Shuster's plan, although he points out that windmills work only 35% of the time, requiring a backup system.

Solar is included as well, but the sun does not shine at night; thus, solar power, too, requires a backup system.

The 24/7/365 backup system he recommends is nuclear energy.

Currently only 6% of U.S. energy comes from renewable sources. Biomass is the greatest of these, providing more than all 75,000 U.S. hydroelectric power plants put together. Together, biomass and hydro produce 92% of all renewable energy (but only 6% in all, as noted in the chart below), hydro providing 2.6% of total U.S. energy usage.

All other potential renewable energy sources cannot contribute much to solving our immediate energy problem, but may eventually become part of a long-lasting solution -- in places where they can safely be exploited. Hydrogen is a special case, but currently costs more to produce and store than the energy it delivers.

Mr. Shuster covers all known energy options in his book: Solar, wind, bio fuels, hydro, tidal, waves, geothermal, hydrogen, oil, oil shale, oil sands and other forms of energy generation. Each approach is carefully considered in light of the urgency of the problem, the cost of conversion, and the potential damage to the environment. He deals with potential nuclear contamination in depth, and I urge you to read about it.

He describes the sources of energy for the U.S.:

U.S. Energy Inputs from All Sources (2002)

% of Total
Energy Generated % of Total Electricity Generated
Nuclear 8.2 21.3
Hydro 2.6 6.6
Biomass and Other Bio 3.3 2.4
Coal
Domestic 22.8
Imported 0.4 23.2 52.5
Natural Gas
Domestic 19.7
Imported 3.6 23.3 14.9
Oil
Domestic 15.0
Imported 24.4 39.4 2.3
TOTAL 100.0 100.0


How our energy is used:

Residential/Commercial 27.6%
Industrial 26.8%
Non-fuel 8.3%
Transportation 37.3%
TOTAL 100.0%

And how much is lost in the system:

61.5%

Currently, satisfying our demand for energy draws 85.9% from fossil fuels. These are the fuels that will either be depleted (oil and gas) or cause massive environmental damage through pollution and greenhouse gasses if they remain our focus for energy generation.

Building upon that set of premises, Mr. Shuster proceeds to electrify the economy through nuclear energy, solar and wind in order to reach his goal of energy independence in 2040. He suggests that the other energy sources like bio-fuels, tides, waves, geothermal and hydrogen may be part of the solution to varying degrees, but not within the time or cost frame that we must follow if we want to avoid early catastrophic results.

Here is what Mr. Shuster thinks we can achieve by 2040 -- and what it will cost:

Transition Capital Costs through 2038

Source % of Total U.S. Energy Production Cost
(in 2008 Dollars)
Nuclear 80 $1.1 trillion
Wind 10 $0.5 trillion
Solar 10 $1.7 trillion
Transportation N/A $0.5 trillion
TOTAL 100 $3.8 trillion

He proposes collecting surcharges on the use of fossil fuels and electricity amounting to $4.8 trillion over 30 years, leaving a surplus of $1 trillion for investment or refund.

What will be the payback to the American people over the 30-year transition from the investments in all renewable energy?

Mr. Shuster calculates fuel savings and electricity savings of $8.3 trillion, which leaves a net benefit of $3.5 trillion from an investment of $4.8 trillion -- a return of 72.9%.

To that he adds a cleaner environment, stable energy prices with savings projected at $500 billion per year, an improved balance of payments, a resurgent dollar, and a prosperous and sustainable economy.

If this plan is extended to the world, he sees that oceans will recover, mercury will dissipate, acid rain and toxic gasses will disappear, and human-caused global warming will no longer be an issue.

Finally, he suggests that an energy-independent world will have lost a major cause of conflict, violence and war.

This is Mr. Shuster's plan. I applaud his initiative, although I know it will be a controversial proposal. And it is true that there are many alternative routes towards a self-renewing energy solution for the U.S. Here are some thoughts about these opportunities:

* I have seen a Russian gamma ray reactor that supposedly could reduce the half-life of nuclear waste to twenty-five days. Nuclear energy produces no CO2 greenhouse gasses. If nuclear waste can be stored safely or rendered harmless, nuclear energy can meet all of our baseload energy needs for more that 100 thousand years.

* In South Africa, the most advanced, and most safe nuclear reactor is being built, using small spheres of uranium oxide and graphite. Put enough spheres together and a chain reaction will start. Safety is assured in that the system shuts itself down if it overheats.

* I've listened to researchers who believe that the oil economy could be replaced by a glucose economy. The U.S. could harvest plant matter in the amount of 1.3 billion tons peer year without affecting food production. That is enough to replace 65% of current petroleum consumption. Add algae and new and more genetically appropriate plants and better technology, and tropical countries could join us in the next industrial revolution.

* I've seen the potential of geothermal in Iceland. It is an invisible form of energy, ready for the taking, and my late friend, Dr. Curt Nicolin, heated his home and pool with it in southern Sweden.

* Windmills were virtually absent a decade ago -- soon they will supply up to 25% of the energy of a state or a country. They dot the landscape of the Midwest "wind tunnel." Using intelligent grids and intelligent user technology, the variations in supply may be accommodated so that demand and supply are a seamless fit.

* Solar power technology improves every day -- now a system of concentrated sun energy applied to solar cells has driven costs down to 5¢ per kilowatt hour -- matching the cost of the use of coal in energy production.

* Geographic luck offers certain locations special energy advantages. Waves and tides supply coastal homes in Norway with energy. Abundant waterfalls drive turbines throughout that mountainous country. And under Norway's continental shelf, there are considerable reserves of oil and gas.

* In the Sahara, they have just begun to harvest energy from the sun; the deserts of New Mexico are perfect for solar farms. And Saudi Arabia is sometimes referred to as the "Saudi Arabia" of solar energy.

Those who would like another route to energy independence should propose a plan that will be better than Mr. Shuster's plan. That may not be easy, because I think Mr. Shuster may have underestimated the possible savings from his approach, extraordinary as even those numbers may seem.

Here is why: The moment the U.S. commits to this plan, OPEC will know that oil and gas will be marginalized as future sources of energy. Energy independence is the greatest threat to the power of the cartel.

Immediately, oil prices will start to fall as oil producers scramble to compete for diminishing demand, both current and projected. There are about one trillion barrels of known reserves in the ground; if you were holding them, what would you do between now and 2040?

Prices will need to fall in order to sell the overhang of excessive supply of oil in a rapidly energy converting world.

But, the U.S. must tax gasoline in a more imaginative way than what Mr. Shuster suggests. He proposes a 50¢ tax per gallon of gasoline. A better way will be to guarantee a $3.00 price of gasoline, and pocket the difference between what is likely to be a $1.00 per gallon (or less) market price and the $3.00 guaranteed price. The difference will then finance the conversion costs of changing to an energy-independent economy instead of fueling the profits of oil companies and the OPEC cartel.

The falling market price is likely to generate $280 billion per year in surcharges on gasoline. Add this to the other fees on electricity production (2.5¢ per kilowatt), coal ($50 per ton), gas ($1 per 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas burned) and gas guzzlers, and the annual take will be $450 million per year - enough to finance the entire cost of conversion in only 7.2 years.

I don't know if it is possible to build 277 nuclear power plants per year over those 7.2 years, or 361 thousand 2-megawatt windmills, or the equivalent in solar energy plants. Engineers will have to come up with drawings, technologies and time lines to make it happen.

I do know that it would be the kind of effort that could define our generation. I believe that leadership and steadfastness will be the critical factors in such a gargantuan project, and I believe that we can do it.

I am a grandfather, too.

I read Mr. Shuster's persuasive and brilliant book with a critical eye. I am not a nuclear scientist. I know nothing about fast neutron reactors or the reasons why they are considered to be environmentally sound.

But I know that the ideas underlying the book are simply derived by applying the principles of productivity to perhaps the most challenging problem of our time. And because I know productivity, I took the liberty to speed up the transformation by 22.8 years (317%).

Even I am probably underestimating the gains from succeeding in this extraordinary quest; the returns from having our children grow up in a clean, safe and just world, a world in which they are educated and cared for, will exceed any projections Mr. Shuster and I could dare offer.

Mr. Shuster is 74 years of age. Consider his perspective when he sat down to write this book. He wrote it as a message to a future that he thought he would never know but that his grandchildren would. And that fueled his efforts.

Now, we both might live to see it.

Will the leader of this all-important energy quest please step forward?

This book reviews in some detail the various energy options available to the USA and the world. It makes a series of positive can-do recommendations and highlights one that should be able to provide for the world's electrical energy needs for thousands of years. It also highlights the aggressive approach being pursued by China and India to reduce CO2 emissions Beyond Fossil Fools: The Roadmap to Energy Independence by 2040 and provide sustainable power for their populations (while the USA debates the issue interminably). Presents both the negative and positive but makes best choice recommendations for solving the energy crisis for billions of people.