Customer Reviews

Energy Autonomy: The Economic, Social and Technological Case for Renewable Energy

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First, why I was compelled to read this book: Spending several months last year in Southern Germany after a 20 year absence, I observed a remarkable shift: unlike the acid-rain torn, brown, industrially wasted place I remembered, the region was greener than I had remembered, decked everywhere with fields of yellow blossoms that I learned were grown for biodiesel. What were mostly concepts of the progressive fringe back home were mainstream realities here, considered normal and desirable even among socio-economic conservative old world businessmen I met--like biodiesel at all the gas stations, solar panels and windmills everywhere. How did all this happen? How did the place get so sensible?

Hermann Scheer is essentially the architect of the shift in Germany--and because of his success, the role model of the planned shift of EU-- toward renewable energy. His latest book is well-written, dense, and compelling. He sums up the major crises arising from dependency on fossil fuels without pulling any punches. He also offers a solution--not one that is simply a theory, an abstract, but one based on policy he has fought for decades to implement and that has begun to be implemented in recent years with great, if hard-won success. He argues that the shift to a 100% renewable energy society is necessary now and possible now. He lays out in detail the historical, present, and probable future obstacles to that happening and calls for a summoning of political and societal courage. He has earned the right--as he has walked the talk.

Energy Autonomy is a refreshing and thorough look at how the traditional fossil energy industry (oil, natural gas, nuclear), with its finite energy availability and its polluting characteristics, uses Mafia tactics to perpetuate its existence, allthewhile trying to keep renewable energy in a cozy, non-threatening corner. I attended a presentation last month by Dr. Scheer in Toronto, and was impressed by his cogent, well-researched argument in favor of promoting renewable energy. As Dr. Scheer said, the price of fossil energy will only go up, going forward, and renewable energy costs will only go down. Anyone who relies on traditional fossil energy does so at their own peril.

Thanks to this book, I am much more optimistic about the energy future for humanity, although there are huge political barriers to overcome, as the lobbyists working for the oil and nuclear industries will never give up their belittling the potential role of renewable energy, and gun-shy governments are fearful of the consequences of cutting off the huge subsidies to the fossil energy industry.

Written by German parliament member, Hermann Scheer, Energy Autonomy makes a strong case for the decentralization of energy production. Scheer was an instrumental part of passing legislation in Germany which has created the solar and wind boom in that country. Clearly writing with a very solid grasp on the politics of renewable energy, Scheer's argument is powerful and cogently presented.

This book is not just for policy wonks, renewable energy advocates, green investors and environmentalists. But the book is also very approachable for those with less background in the science, technology and politics of renewable energy. If you have never heard the term, 'distributed generation' you should read this book because you will find it fascinating. If you already find distributed generation fascinating, YOU MUST read this book because YOU WILL LOVE IT.

It could be caused by the fact that I'm Dutch and not a native English speaker/reader, but this book is really hard to read. I'm working in ICT though, and I'm used to read English books. In this book the text is very official, like I'm reading a governmental report, with very long sentence, several clauses, sometimes comma's are missing, etc. It could be the translator of course. Even I can tell that some lines are broken English.
But Hermann Scheer explains very well why communities needs to get more independent regarding energy production and what options are available to get there.

This is an exciting read. Full of facts about current problems, but also with suggested solutions to these problems. Those solutions are then carefully outlined. Mr. Scheers ideas are genereally not very investor friendly, therfore they do not get their deserved attention. A very important book in my opinion.

The actual book is solidly constructed and looks very nice, but I didn't care much for the words in it. I suppose it may be a 'lost in translation' problem, but the arguments of the author are very hard to follow. It seems like he repeats himself over and over again and doesn't back up his claims. For instance, I never really figured out what the author didn't like about Nuclear energy. Likewise, I didn't really understand the whole case for renewable energy. It seemed unorganized. There are some good points made, but this book is definitely a 'rental'.

I bought this book after hearing an interview with Mr. Scheer on NPR. I must say the interview was much more interesting that the book proved to be.

Mr. Scheer is very thorough in making his arguments and I sure this is necessary to convince government and industry but it sure makes for dry reading for the average lay person.

Hermann Scheer's book is not as much about energy autonomy as it is about battling the fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries.

Scheer pays no attention to the past when Germany used little fossil fuels and no nuclear power. He doesn't mention that many poor countries are still as free from fossil fuels as Germany hopes to become years hence.

Nature, the beauty of sunlight, the excitement of towns, buildings and travels as seasons change, these topics don't come up in Energy Autonomy. Does Scheer notice nature, the sun and the seasons? I think he is too absorbed in battle to consider what the battle is for.

Nevertheless, however focused on a grim cloud bank, Scheer is a smart, stalwart solar advocate with a great deal of combat experience. He has grappled with the most powerful and wiley groups who insist on overfeeding us fossil fuels and nuclear power.

I would have read the entire book just to learn what a quango is (a non governmental organization that has become overwhelmingly and permanently dependant on government money), or to read his thoughts on "proactive neutralization".

Give this veteran an iron cross, and a long vacation in a sunny land. On his next campaign the sun will touch him; he will awake from the German (and American) spell and see the goal is not to be rich and fat, Energy Autonomy and Gluttony, but a new civilization.