Power Plays [electronic resource] : Energy Options in the Age of Peak Oil  /
Rapier, Robert.author.
Many people wonder: Are we really running out of oil, or is it all a ruse to drive prices up? Is nuclear power safe and economical? Is solar energy really the key to providing plenty of carbon-free energy? Do we have enough natural gas or coal to make any loss of oil production irrelevant? In Power Plays: Energy Options in the Age of Peak Oil, energy expert Robert Rapier helps readers sort through energy hype, doom and gloom, and misinformation to understand what really matters in energy, and how it impacts individuals, investors, businesspeople, and policy makers worldwide. The book covers the overall global energy situation, the particular risks for the U.S. with its present energy mix, the energy outlook for the developed world and emerging economies like China and India, what peak oil really means, and the present and likely future of natural gas, coal, oil, nuclear power, and alternative energy sources. The book also addresses common misconceptions. For instance, most readers are likely unaware that the U.S. is the third-largest oil producer in the world. Or that Canada leads the U.S. in per capita oil consumption. It will also highlight interesting facts—for example, China has solved part of its energy challenge by mandating solar hot water systems in all new construction. Most importantly, the book will provide specific energy insights unavailable elsewhere and help individuals and business planners chart future actions and decisions. With the disaster at Fukushima, the discovery of the Marcellus shale natural gas deposits, the increasing efficiency of solar electricity installations, and the unsustainable supply of oil, the energy outlook has changed greatly over the last couple of years. What’s now required is just what this book delivers: a sober, even-handed account of our energy resources, present and future, that will help people plan for a world without cheap energy.
Description based upon print version of record.
Title Page; Copyright Page; Table of Contents; About the Author; Acknowledgments; Preface; CHAPTER 1 All About Energy Dependence and Disconnect; The Perfect Drug?; Energy and the Global Economy; Energy and Politics; Energy and You; Energy Misconceptions; Why You Should Care; References; CHAPTER 2 Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power Powering Modern Civilization; Forms of Energy; Primary Energy; Secondary Energy; Electricity Production; Hydrogen Production; Nonrenewable Primary Energy Sources; Petroleum; Coal; Natural Gas; Nuclear Power; Summary; References
CHAPTER 3 Renewable Energy Energy of the Past and the FutureTransition to Sustainability; Renewable Primary Energy Sources; Traditional Biomass; Hydroelectricity; Wind Power; Solar Power; Solar Photovoltaics; Concentrating Solar Power; Solar Heating; Solar Trade-offs; Geothermal Power; Ocean Energy; Summary; References; CHAPTER 4 Energy Production From the Source to the Consumer; Coal Production; Forms of Coal; Coal Mining; Coal Consumption; Safety and Environmental Considerations; Oil Production and Refining; Discovery and Extraction; Conventional Oil Production
Unconventional Oil ProductionOil Refining; Safety and Environmental Considerations; Natural Gas Production; The Shale Gas Revolution; Environmental Implications of Fracking; Fracking Trade-Offs; Summary; References; CHAPTER 5 Global Warming How Do You Stop a Hurricane?; What Is Global Warming?; The Controversy; Understanding the Skepticism; Obstacles to Action; Case Study: United States; Emerging CO2 Emitters; Emissions and GDP; Mitigation Options; Summary; References; CHAPTER 6 Peak Oil Myth or Threat to Civilization?; What Is Peak Oil?; The Scientific Study of Peak Oil
Peak Oil Consequences"Peak Lite"; The Long Recession; Peak Oil Misconceptions; Resource vs. Reserve; Civilization Will Collapse; Peak Oil: Merely a Theory; Peak Oil: Oil Company Manipulation; Oil Companies: Peak Oil Deniers; Peak Oil Criticisms; Summary; References; CHAPTER 7 Nuclear Power Practical Solution or Environmental Disaster?; A Nuclear Renaissance; Assessing Risk; Disaster and Aftermath in Japan; Renaissance Interrupted; Why the World "Needs" Nuclear Power; The Path Forward; Summary; References; CHAPTER 8 Risk and Uncertainty Energy Security Challenges; OPEC; Developing Countries
Declining EROEIUnderstanding EROEI; EROEI Caveats; Miscellaneous Threats; Summary; References; CHAPTER 9 Reducing the Risks Policies to Enhance Energy Security; Defining Common Ground; Shifting Taxes from Income to Consumption; Targeting Discretionary Consumption; More Choice in Taxation; Addressing Common Objections; Benefits of the Proposal; Additional Considerations; Drill-and Use the Proceeds to Curb Oil Demand; Ensuring Energy Supplies During the Transition; Using Government Windfalls Wisely; Open Fuel Standard; Summary; References
CHAPTER 10 Investing in Cleantech A Guide to Technical Due Diligence
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Many people wonder: Are we really running out of oil, or is it all a ruse to drive prices up? Is nuclear power safe and economical? Is solar energy really the key to providing plenty of carbon-free energy? Do we have enough natural gas or coal to make any loss of oil production irrelevant? In Power Plays: Energy Options in the Age of Peak Oil, energy expert Robert Rapier helps readers sort through energy hype, doom and gloom, and misinformation to understand what really matters in energy, and how it impacts individuals, investors, businesspeople, and policy makers worldwide. The book covers the overall global energy situation, the particular risks for the U.S. with its present energy mix, the energy outlook for the developed world and emerging economies like China and India, what peak oil really means, and the present and likely future of natural gas, coal, oil, nuclear power, and alternative energy sources. The book also addresses common misconceptions. For instance, most readers are likely unaware that the U.S. is the third-largest oil producer in the world. Or that Canada leads the U.S. in per capita oil consumption. It will also highlight interesting facts—for example, China has solved part of its energy challenge by mandating solar hot water systems in all new construction. Most importantly, the book will provide specific energy insights unavailable elsewhere and help individuals and business planners chart future actions and decisions. With the disaster at Fukushima, the discovery of the Marcellus shale natural gas deposits, the increasing efficiency of solar electricity installations, and the unsustainable supply of oil, the energy outlook has changed greatly over the last couple of years. What’s now required is just what this book delivers: a sober, even-handed account of our energy resources, present and future, that will help people plan for a world without cheap energy.
Business.
Management science.
Business and Management, general.