A brief primer on sustainable energy

[Hawkwings]

The title is somewhat sarcastic since it's not really that brief. But then again, the topic is so huge that any one publication would barely scratch the surface.

Here it is: Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air

This is a completely free book that looks at just about every aspect of sustainable energy, and chock full of charts, diagrams, and analysis. The author uses Great Britain as an extended case study through the entire book, though the material itself is applicable worldwide. I honestly haven't read much of it yet, but the parts I have read over seem to be quite well done, and I will definitely be referring to this as a source whenever the topic of renewable energy comes up.

[madd0ct0r]

I've read it, and can heartily recommend it.


Simple, concise, very clear about his methods (and their problems).

Great for anyone who's a fan of back of the envelope calculations.
One particualy good bit that sticks in my mind was his assessment of tidal lagoons:

"Let's pretend we turn the entire baltic sea into a tidal lagoon. We can't, becuase of timing differentials and other issues, but for the sake of argument..."

[Old Peculier]

Got it in dead wood. My local bookshop had it, only place I've seen it in print.

It's nice to read because of its informal tone, but it doesn't hold back with the maths (focusing on the heavier stuff in the second half of the book). Thanks to its 'back of the envelope' style, if you disagree with any of the assumptions then you can easily adapt his calculations for your own use, to see how much difference it makes.

Oh, and I believe 'Without the Hot Air' refers to its lack of bullshit, and use of 'numbers, not adjectives'. He's not pretending that the book is brief.

[adam_grif]

Hah, a wikipedia citation on page 59

Good read though.