Powering the Future: A Scientist's Guide to Energy Independence
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pollution. See environmental effects
Portugal, solar energy production, 148
Potential Gas Committee, estimate of U.S. natural gas reserves, 42
PowerLight Corporation, xx, 149
Progress Energy Florida, 178
Progress Energy Inc., 178
projected energy consumption in 2050, 246-247
if per-capita use drops 50%, solar/wind provides two-thirds, 255-257
if U.S. energy use remains unchanged, 248-250
proposed energy program for federal and local governments, 269-271
proven oil reserves, 25
Q-R
Q Microbe (Clostridium phytofermentans), 188
quad (quadrillion BTUs), 11
radiant heating, 233-234
radiation. See nuclear power
radioactive waste, 97-103
railroads
benefits of, 219
costs of, 216-218
lack of government funding for, 218-219
reactors. See also nuclear power
breeder reactors, 92, 112
conventional nuclear reactors, 112
fusion reactors, 112
passively safe reactors, 113
reducing per-capita energy use, 263
by improving transportation energy efficiency, 264-266
with passive solar energy, 266
with social/economic incentives, 266-269
Reid, Harry, 101
renewable energy sources
biofuels
area efficiency, 182
biofuel crops, 179-180
biofuel from microorganisms, 186-188
competition with agrifuels, 180-181
cost efficiency, 182, 190
current energy production of, 177-178
effect of subsidies on biofuel popularity, 191-192
energy efficiency, 182-186
environmental effects, 189
fuel from waste, 178-179
future of, 193-195
greenhouse gas, 189
increasing interest in, 177
key facts, 174
limitations of biofuel technology, 192-193
wood for home heating, 174-177
discussed, 115-117
geothermal energy, 239-243
ocean power
case study: La Rance power plant, 166-167
key facts, 163-164
potential energy production from, 164-165
power from ocean waves and currents, 168-169
thermal energy, 169-171
tidal power, 166-168
solar power
active solar energy, 144
costs, 157-158, 253-255, 259
current solar energy production, 148-149
energy storage, 159-160
environmental effects, 161
key facts, 141-142
manufacturing limits, 159
off-the-grid solar energy, 153
on-the-grid solar energy, 152
passive solar energy, 144, 266
potential solar energy production, 149-152, 259-260
solar electric generators, 147-148
solar energy parks, 148
solar power entrepreneurs, 155-156
solar thermal generators, 145-146
solar-powered cars, 142-143, 156
space travel and, 157
water power
case study: Edwards Dam, 74-76
case study: Three Gorges Dam, 80-81
energy provided by dams, 77-78
environment and social effects of dams, 79
future of, 81-82, 273-274
hydrokinetic devices, 82
key facts, 74
potential energy production, 83-84
U.S. energy use 2007, 15
U.S. hydroelectric power capacity, 76-77
wind power
aesthetic concerns about wind turbines, 136-137
birds and wind turbines, 137-139
case study: MV Beluga SkySails, 121-123
costs of, 253-255, 259
environmental issues, 136-139
global wind energy capacity, 127-128
history of, 120
key facts, 119-120
modern wind machines, 128-132
potential energy from, 259-260
for rural areas, the poor, and less-developed nations, 133-136
top ten wind power states, 132
U.S. wind energy potential, 123-127
U.S. Wind Resources Map, 131
restricting energy use, 245
Revkin, Andrew, 62
Richardson, Bill, 205
Rifkin, Jerry, 210
Righter, Dale, 53
Rome, historical energy use in, 12
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 78, 267
Roscoe Wind Farm (TX), 130
RSPB (British Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), endorsement of wind power, 139
Rudolph, Paul, 236
rural areas
off-the-grid solar energy, 153
wind power in, 133-136
S
SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users), 218
Saleri, Nansen G., 26
San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm (CA), 132
Saulny, Susan, 179
saving energy. See energy conservation
SCE (Southern California Edison) Mojave Power Station, 64
Schindler, David, 32
Schwarzenegger, Arnold, 212, 219
Scott, Matt, 155
Scudder, Ted, 79, 82
Seeger, Pete, 88
SEGS (Solar Energy Generating Systems), 148
shale-bed methane, 46-49
shearers, 62
Sierra Club
analysis of air pollution resulting from burning coal as fuel, 62
lawsuit against Mojave Power Station, 64
Sinding, Kate, 48
smart grid, 207-209
smart meters, 207
Smith, Alfred, 180
social/economic incentives for reducing per-capita energy use, 266-269
soil, effects of biofuels on, 189
Solar Challenger, 156
Solar Cookers International, 153
Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS), 148
Solar One, 145-146
solar power
active solar energy, 144
costs, 157-158, 253-255, 259
current solar energy production, 148-149
energy storage, 159-160
environmental effects, 161
key facts, 141-142
manufacturing limits, 159
off-the-grid solar energy, 153
on-the-grid solar energy, 152
passive solar energy, 144, 266
potential energy from, 259-260
potential solar energy production, 149-152
solar electric generators, 147-148
solar energy parks, 148
solar power entrepreneurs, 155-156
solar thermal generators, 145-146
solar-powered cars, 142-143, 156
space travel and, 157
U.S. energy use 2007, 15
Solix Fuels, 187
Southern California Edison (SCE) Mojave Power Station, 64
Southern Ute Indian Tribe, 187
space travel and solar energy, 157
Spain
solar energy production, 148-149
wind power in, 132
steel production, 56
Stiglitz, Joseph E., 126, 158
storage of solar energy, 159-160
strip mining, 57-60
Subbituminous coal, 54
subsidence, 60
subsidies, xix, 191-192
sugarcane, producing biofuel from, 189
Suncor oil sands, 31
SunEco Energy, 187
Suntory Mermaid II, 164
Surface Mining Law, 65
Syncrude oil sands, 31
T
; Talbot, Lee, 79
tar sands, 30-32
Taylor, Nick, 267
Tehachapi Wind Farm (CA), 123-124, 132
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), 78
Terao, Yutaka, 164
Testar all-electric car, 212
Texas
Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, 125
Roscoe Wind Farm, 130
The Woodlands suburb, 238
Three Gorges Dam, 80-81
Three Mile Island, 105
tidal power, 166-168
Trans-Alaska Pipeline, 36
transportation systems
future of, 275
key facts, 212
transporting energy
electrical grid systems, 205-210
improving efficiency of, 264-266
key facts, 200
pipelines, 200-205
transporting people/cargo
air travel, 220
bicycle-friendly cities, 222-225
demand for energy-saving cars, 212-213
energy efficiency of transportation, 214-216
mass transportation, 221-222
pedestrian-friendly cities, 223-225
railroads, 216-219
Tropsch, Hans, 70
Turkey Point nuclear power plant, 96
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), 78
U-V
U.S. SunPower Corp., 149
U.S. Windpower, 128
Ukraine, Chernobyl nuclear disaster, 106-108
underground mining, 60-62
United States Geological Survey, estimated uranium ore deposits, 91
uranium
estimated uranium ore deposits, 90-92
geographic distribution of uranium ore deposits, 94
uranium-234, 112
uranium-235, 111
uranium-238, 112
Veblen, Tom, 266
Verdant Power, 82
vitrified waste, 102
W
Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS), 104-105
waste, fuel from, 178-179
water power
hydroelectric power
case study: breaching of Edwards Dam, 74-76
case study: Three Gorges Dam, 80-81
energy provided by dams, 77-78
environment and social effects of dams, 79
future of, 81-82, 273-274
hydrokinetic devices, 82
key facts, 74
potential energy production, 83-84
U.S. energy use 2007, 15
U.S. hydroelectric power capacity, 76-77
ocean power
case study: La Rance power plant, 166-167
future of, 273
key facts, 163-164
potential energy production from, 164-165
power from ocean waves and currents, 168-169
thermal energy, 169-171
tidal power, 166-168
Watt, James, 60
watts, 11
Waubra Wind Farm (Australia), 132
Willson, Bryan, 187
wind power
aesthetic concerns about wind turbines, 136-137
birds and wind turbines, 137-139
case study: MV Beluga SkySails, 121-123
costs of, 253-255, 259
environmental issues, 136-139
global wind energy capacity, 127-128
history of, 120
key facts, 119-120
modern wind machines, 128-132
potential energy from, 259-260
for rural areas, the poor, and less-developed nations, 133-136
top ten wind power states, 132
U.S. wind energy potential, 123-127
U.S. energy use 2007, 15
U.S. Wind Resources Map, 131
WISE (World Information Service on Energy), 102
WNA (World Nuclear Association), 98
wood for home heating, 174-177
The Woodlands (Houston, Texas), 238
world energy use by fuel type, 116
“The World Has Plenty of Oil” (Saleri), 26
World Information Service on Energy (WISE), 102
World Nuclear Association (WNA), 98
WPPSS (Washington Public Power Supply System), 104-105
Wrage, Stephan, 123
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 236