Oil and the Future of Energy: Climate Repair * Hydrogen * Nuclear Fuel * Renewable and Green Sources * Energy Efficiency (Paperback)

~ The Editors of Scientific American Magazine (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The most important and accessible science writing on a topic of intense public interest and concern: oil and the future of energy.

From the Back Cover

With their impeccable reputation for top science reporting, the editors of Scientific American present influential information from the most important scientists and science writers in Oil and the Future of Energy. This one volume is an unparalleled resource on fossil fuels and the related geopolitics, climate change and climate repair, and energy options for the future, including hydrogen, nuclear power, renewable resources, and transitional strategies.

 

With contributions from leading writers, including W. Wayt Gibbs and Raymond Socolow, this book brings together the most authoritative and accessible science writing on a topic of intense public interest and concern to businesspeople,
investors, and all who care about the planet.

 

Scientific American, the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States, has been bringing its readers unique insights about developments in science and technology for more than 150 years. The magazine publishes nineteen foreign-language editions and has a total of more than one million copies in circulation worldwide.

 

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; illustrated edition edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599211173
• ISBN-13: 978-1599211176
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #214,106 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Distant solutions to very current problems -peak oil and climate change, July 15, 2007

By	Gail E. Tverberg - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an anthology. Its first major article is one by Colin Campbell and Jean LaHerrere that predicts that a decline in world oil production will begin before 2010. The other major article is one on global warming by James Hansen. The remainder of the book is a collection of articles on topics that offer solutions to these issues, such as hydrogen fuel cells, nuclear energy, or energy efficiency. Even though the title is "Oil (in very large letters) and the Future of Energy", the vast majority of the articles deal with replacements for fossil fuel energy in general, rather than replacements for liquid fuel.

Peak oil is a topic that is not very familiar to most readers, but the topic is not covered very extensively. Besides Campbell and LaHerrere's article, the only other peak oil item is a book review (Hubbert's Peak by Kenneth Deffeyes). It is left to the reader's imagination what impact a decline in oil production, starting about now, might have. The book is not entirely up to date -- it fails to mention that there is already some evidence that world oil production may have started to decline - hence all the concern we keep seeing about oil prices, oil shortages, biofuels, etc.

Clearly, if there is a decline in oil production, starting about now, there is a need to find some sort of liquid fuel replacement. The book says virtually nothing about biofuels (except for a few paragraphs in Daniel Kammen's article). Most of the energy solutions presented would require many years to implement. Since this is an anthology, there is no need to explain this "detail". On a topic of this importance, I would have preferred more narrative, explaining exactly what is happening with respect to peak oil, what the consequences are likely to be, and what solutions that might be expected in particular time frames.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great primer on energy and fuels, January 22, 2008

By	J. Kim "HonestReviews" (Fullerton, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I don't know what the other previous 2 star reviews were complaining about. I received this book yesterday and thought it was a great book for people wanting to learn more about not only oil but other forms of fuels and alternative fuels. This book does talk about bio-fuels as well (under "bio-mass fuels"), contrary to what one reviewer said. The diagrams were great and they even had a section in color with some great computer generated graphics/diagrams. Since it's edited by the people at Scientific American, it is not too simple, yet not too technical either. Actually, I kind of wished they "dumbed it down" for readers who are not as technically familiar with how fuels are processed.
Overall, I thought it was a great primer on fuels and will allow the reader to better understand this topic.

2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Yuk., October 18, 2007

By	Thomas Albert Ray Ramsey "tom" (Eugene) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well, as tempting as the use of the video review option is I am not quite that cruel. This collection of articles from Scientific America was about the dullest piece of work I have ever had the misfortune to be required to read. In addition to the monotonous repetitive bilge that spills from its paper back binding the editors of SA seem to have left out a crucial component to any good scientific publication...references. Yes, it seems that each article is very well written yet void of a reference as to where it came from. Blah Blah Blah...have a nice day.

-tom