The Powers That Be: Global Energy for the Twenty-first Century and Beyond
Though often densely factual, Montgomery's thorough depiction of our global energy crisis and the ways by which we can correct it...is a must-read for anyone unsure or uniformed about the severity of our fossil-fuel dependence. --Sierra Club"...an unconventional, lucid, pragmatic, and thought-provoking discussion of the present global energy situation...this book stands alone above all other energy books flooding the market...Highly recommended.  All academic, general, and professional readers."  Choice, selected as one of 25 "Outstanding Titles"for 2011Through sixteen chapters, Montgomery has presented a comprehensive review of the current energy situation in the world and our energy options in the coming decades. The book is written in a readable style for the educated public... - Rasoul Sorkhabi,Geo ExProThe Powers That Beis an unconventional, lucid, pragmatic, and thought-provoking discussion of the present global energy situation. The book is written in plain language by a knowledgeable source whose perspective from academia and industry brings new clarity and insights to the table, especially in terms of realistically assessing what is known and not known about how much any energy source, carbon based or not, is likely to deliver in the foreseeable future...Highly recommended. All academic, general, and professional readers.   CHOICE"This is a beautifully written and highly engaging book that tackles nothing less than the general global problem of energy. This question has been examined by many books and articles, both academic and more popular. What is extraordinary about this work is that it takes all of these issues and blends them smoothly into a cohesive, understandable single work. Any reader will put downThe Powers That Beunderstanding how difficult the problems we face are, while also realizing that there is much hope that we will be able to substantially solve many of them. It is a timely voice of reason in our complicated, troubled world."(Daniel Chirot, University of Washington)“Scott brings a much needed element of realism to the discussion of energy in a well-constructed, accessible fashion. In laying out the course from past to present, he gives the reader the ability to envision a reasonable path forward. Importantly, he recognizes the scale of the issues we face today, and, in doing so, provides insightful discussion of controversial issues such as energy independence, peak oil and the long and short run potential of renewable energy technologies.”(Kenneth B.�Medlock III, Rice University)