Energy Switch: Proven Solutions for a Renewable Future (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Declining oil supplies and the environmental impact of coal dictate a switch to renewable energy sources for a sustainable future. Written for a popular audience, Energy Switch details this momentous transition and proposes that the remaining non-renewable resources be used to develop a long-term supply of renewable energy.

A renewable energy leader two decades ago, the US now lags behind Germany and Japan. Energy Switch pays special attention to Europe's success, especially that of Germany, exploring what can be learned from their experience. It asks whether a mix of renewables is feasible as a major source of energy, at what cost, with what drawbacks, and in what time period. The book examines:

• The shortcomings and benefits of sources that might constitute a largely renewable energy platform: oil, nuclear, coal, biomass, natural gas, wind, PV, geothermal, hydrogen, wave and tidal power
  Ecological tax reform and tax rebates, quotas and net metering, and the role of privatization
• The success of efficiency measures, the vision of demand management - tailoring power consumption to intermittent supply - and the phenomenon of virtual power plants
• The secret of success being in attitudes and policies, rather than in technology
• How the US could once again become a renewable energy leader

Craig Morris is a journalist and translator specializing in renewable energy. The author of a book in German that presents the rationale behind Germany's turn to renewable energy, he writes on energy policies and lives in Freiburg, Germany's solar capital.

About the Author

Craig Morris is a journalist and translator specializing in renewable energy, IT, and financing. The author of a book he wrote in German that presents the rationale behind Germany's turn to renewable energy, he writes an ongoing series of articles on energy policies and lives in Freiburg, Germany's solar capital.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: New Society Publishers (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865715599
• ISBN-13: 978-0865715592
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #772,051 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive work on future energy sources, April 3, 2009

By	Timothy Hanes "Green Translation" (Erlangen, Germany) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Does nuclear power have a role in the green energy revolution? How about coal? What can we learn from Germany, arguably the world's greatest success story in green power? Morris covers all the bases in Energy Switch: Proven Solutions for a Renewable Future. The author's years of energy reporting for Germany's leading tech publisher have paid off in this book. He gives us a complete and nuanced look at all of the different energy sources -- from biomass, to fuel cells, to photovoltaics, to wind. But Morris, doesn't stop with so-called "alternative" energy sources; he also gives us a detailed look at coal, nuclear, natural gas, and oil, with impartial discussions of both the merits and the pitfalls of each.

The books shifts adroitly from the micro level to the big picture, explaining climate, economic, and social consequences. Morris also interprets the German system of subsidies and political measures in a way that is easy to grasp for American readers. And perhaps the book's greatest contribution is the author's practical recommendations for how America can benefit from some of the strategies that have been so successful in Germany.

Like it or not, energy indepenence and renewable energy is where America is headed. Energy Switch is a must-read book for anybody who wants to understand where the ride is taking us.