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Vaclav Smil
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Power Density: A Key to Understanding Energy Sources and Uses (Mit Press) Paperback – September 2, 2016

by Vaclav Smil (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 107 ratings
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The first systematic, quantitative appraisal of power density, offering detailed reviews of power densities of renewable energy flows, fossil fuels, and all common energy uses.

“There's no author whose books I look forward to more than Vaclav Smil.”
—Bill Gates

In this book, Vaclav Smil argues that power density is a key determinant of the nature and dynamics of energy systems. Any understanding of complex energy systems must rely on quantitative measures of many fundamental variables. Power density—the rate of energy flux per unit of area—is an important but largely overlooked measure. Smil provides the first systematic, quantitative appraisal of power density, offering detailed reviews of the power densities of renewable energy flows, fossil fuels, thermal electricity generation, and all common energy uses.

Smil shows that careful quantification, critical appraisals, and revealing comparisons of power densities make possible a deeper understanding of the ways we harness, convert, and use energies. Conscientious assessment of power densities, he argues, proves particularly revealing when contrasting the fossil fuel–based energy system with renewable energy conversions.

Smil explains that modern civilization has evolved as a direct expression of the high power densities of fossil fuel extraction. He argues that our inevitable (and desirable) move to new energy arrangements involving conversions of lower-density renewable energy sources will require our society—currently dominated by megacities and concentrated industrial production—to undergo a profound spatial restructuring of its energy system.

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  1. Print length
    318 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    The MIT Press
  4. Publication date
    September 2, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    6.06 x 0.64 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780262529730
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0262529730
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Vaclav Smil is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba. He is the author of forty books, including Energy and Civilization, published by the MIT Press. In 2010 he was named by Foreign Policy as one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers. In 2013 Bill Gates wrote on his website that “there is no author whose books I look forward to more than Vaclav Smil."

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0262529734
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The MIT Press; Reprint edition (September 2, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780262529730
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0262529730
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.06 x 0.64 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 107 ratings

About the author

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Vaclav Smil

Vaclav Smil

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Vaclav Smil is currently a Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. He completed his graduate studies at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Carolinum University in Prague and at the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences of the Pennsylvania State University. His interdisciplinary research interests encompass a broad area of energy, environmental, food, population, economic, historical and public policy studies, and he had also applied these approaches to energy, food and environmental affairs of China.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Science Academy) and the first non-American to receive the American Association for the Advancement of Science Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology. He has been an invited speaker in more than 250 conferences and workshops in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa, has lectured at many universities in North America, Europe and East Asia and has worked as a consultant for many US, EU and international institutions. His wife Eva is a physician and his son David is an organic synthetic chemist.

Official Website: www.vaclavsmil.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
We don’t use a simple average to calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star. Our system gives more weight to certain factors—including how recent the review is and if the reviewer bought it on Amazon. Learn more
107 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Chad M
5.0 out of 5 stars Integrating the different sources of energy through power lines and pipelines
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2021
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Power sources with high, medium, and low energy density each have an important role. The low energy density sources -- solar, wind, biofuels/forests/greenhouses, pumped hydro, lake water for efficiencies in heating and cooling -- are safe and easy to use, but expensive to develop. High energy density sources like nuclear are great at powering cities and factories. Building power lines and pipelines to transmit and transport electricity, oil, gas, hydrogen and commodities creates a network where rural areas can supply the cities and suburbs, unless power stations are near the cities (p. 12).

As climate changes and people move to the upper latitudes which lack extensive power lines and pipelines, new construction projects will become necessary. Faster and safer methods of construction may be valuable in ways that aren't yet appreciated. In other regions, power lines and pipelines are subject to wildfires, coastal erosion, other weather extremes, and in the worst case scenarios, disruptions amid military conflict. Power density and the technology to balance the supply and demand may thus need considerations outside the usual scientific and technical matters for a final decision and long-term funding by governments.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Dry, but informative.
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2019
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Gets the point across!
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Radu Antoniu
5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful!
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2017
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Vaclav Smil manages to convince you that the main criteria that determines the value of energy sources is their power density. We consider crude oil so valuable because we can power the entire world while using only a small fraction of land for it's extraction. But what if crude oil was spread over large areas and we could extract only one glass per square meter? Then we wouldn't bother extracting it.
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Patti S
3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of apparent and serious typos in the Kindle version, at least.
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Lots of apparent typos in the Kindle version, at least. For instance, in the 2nd chapter it states hydrocarbon liquits have an energy density of 32-39 MJ/m^3. In the very next paragraph he says, "...methane's energy density is 35 MJ/m^3, amounting to less than 1/1,000 the energy density of gasoline." The only way to have this contradiction make sense is to assume that the "MJ" for methane should have been "kJ" - but we're left hanging. This happens a bit too often. Maybe whomever created the Kindle version did a very bad job - in physics you just can't make these kinds of mistakes - units are just too important. Guess I'll have to buy the paper book to see if the editor(s) actually screwed up. Or maybe it was a rushed publication, as so many are these days?
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars 2030 goals unrealistic for solar/wind. Need nuclear too.
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2019
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Good interesting book. Shows nuclear power is the only realistic way forward during the transition as fossil fuels get more expensive to extract. Solar and wind are just a piece of the puzzle but may not be a realistic answer.
4 people found this helpful
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Urs Bolt
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for everyone interested in energy
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2015
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This is a very dense reading. Vaclav Smil covers the spatial dimension of all major energy sources. The comparison helps to understand the gigantic challenge to transition todays primarily fossil fuel-based energy systems to renewable energy systems.
Any sceptics of the book should keep in mind that this topic is extremely complex and needs to be viewed from many dimensions. Openmindedness is key to learn most from it. This book is a must read for everyone interested in energy.
8 people found this helpful
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MacroMan
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2019
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Smil provides a framework to integrate the challenges of climate change with energy supply and its impact on society. A must read for anyone seriously interested in the problem.
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Stephen C. Baer
2.0 out of 5 stars International big shots avoid humble answers
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
Power density is an unbalanced appraisal of prospects for oil, gas, coal, nuclear, wind and solar energy. Smil fails to acknowledge humble traditional uses of solar energy, no clotheslines, windows or bicycles. Smil rides along with the technical stampede hardly mentioning decreased population and consumption. Smil’s latest is ideal reading for idiot savants, it bulges with statistics. How can the MIT press publish a book that shows energy equal to power? (Page 250) The great shame is you can’t find better. Smil’s is the best voice of international expects. Were he to preach what he practices, one child, small car, super insulated house, would he be rated one of the 100 most influential world thinkers, would he keep flying around the world to meetings? Read his many other books, not this one.Power density is an unbalanced appraisal of prospects for oil, gas, coal, nuclear, wind and solar energy. Smil fails to acknowledge humble traditional uses of solar energy, no clotheslines, windows or bicycles. Smil rides along with the technical stampede hardly mentioning decreased population and consumption. Smil’s latest is ideal reading for idiot savants, it bulges with statistics. How can the MIT press publish a book that shows energy equal to power? (Page 250) The great shame is you can’t find better. Smil’s is the best voice of international expects. Were he to preach what he practices, one child, small car, super insulated house, would he be rated one of the 100 most influential world thinkers, would he keep flying around the world to meetings? Read his many other books, not this one.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Paul H.
5.0 out of 5 stars clearly explains complex subjects
Reviewed in Canada on February 25, 2022
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dispassionate separation of fact from fiction with respect to green energy and net zero rhetoric
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Giorgia
5.0 out of 5 stars Ottimo libro!
Reviewed in Italy on December 28, 2023
Verified Purchase
Libro illuminante sulla transizione energetica, anche se ormai incomincia ad avere qualche anno. Potrebbe risultare eccessivamente tecnico in alcuni punti, però nel complesso offre ottimi spunti.
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Alan
5.0 out of 5 stars Le meilleur livre de Vaclav Smil
Reviewed in France on April 25, 2021
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Le meilleur livre de Monsieur Smil selon moi. Cet ouvrage traite du critère le plus important qui soit pour concevoir un réseau électrique fiable et développé a l'échelle d'un pays qui est la densité de puissance. Livre unique de par sa thématique très précise et la profondeur avec laquelle il traite son sujet. Pas une lecture facile et grand public cependant, à lire petit a petit en prenant des notes voir en refaisant quelques calculs pour les faire sien.

A noter que ce livre méritera une mise à jour dans quelques années si possible pour adapter les calculs au développement technologique des nouvelles énergies renouvelables même si les conclusions de l'auteur resteront probablement les mêmes.

Un excellent livre en complément de celui-ci est le célèbre Sustaible Energy Without The Hot Air de David MacKay, disponible gratuitement dans plusieurs langues sur son site internet dédié, ou relié dans une édition de trés bonne qualité.
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gary jones
5.0 out of 5 stars The basic physical laws that govern Energy
Reviewed in Canada on June 8, 2019
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I liked the factual basis for the information that was pressented
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Kent Hawkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Who author is
Reviewed in Canada on May 10, 2019
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Energy research
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