Alternative Energy For Dummies

Get the truth about alternative energy and make it part of your life Want to utilize cleaner, greener types of energy? This plain-English guide clearly explains the popular forms of alternative energy that you can use in your home, your car, and more. Separating myth from fact, this resource explores the current fossil fuel conundrum, the benefits of alternatives, and the energy of the future, such as hydrogen and fuel cell technology. The ABCs of alternative energy — what it is, how it works, and what the real costs are Where we are now — learn where our current energy comes from and how much longer it will last Take the first step — see how energy efficiency and conservation can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels Grasp the alternatives — from nuclear power to geothermal energy to wood burning, understand the benefits that alternative energy can have on the nation Apply alternative fuels to transportation — from biofuels to exotic propulsion to electricity, see how they are best used and how hybrid, all-electric, and fuel cell–powered vehicles work Get a peek into the future — see what the outlook holds for each form of alternative energy discussed Open the book and find: The pros and cons of alternative energy A review of the current world energy economy The problems with fossil fuels, from smog to global warming Advantages of alternative energy Practical results of alternatives you can use in daily life Guidelines for investing in alternative energy vehicles Ten ways you can bring about change right now Insight into the future of energy production — and how you can invest in it Alternative Energy for Dummies 1 About the Author 5 Dedication 7 Acknowledgments 7 Contents at a Glance 9 Table of Contents 11 Introduction 21 About This Book 21 Conventions Used in This Book 23 What You’re Not to Read 23 Foolish Assumptions 24 How This Book Is Organized 24 Icons Used in This Book 26 Where to Go from Here 27 Part I: The Basic Facts of Energy Life 29 Chapter 1: What a Mess! 31 Understanding Where Society Is and How It Got Here 32 Putting Society Over a (Oil) Barrel: Problems in the Current System 36 Rising to the Challenge: Balancing Fossil Fuel Use with Appropriate Alternatives 39 Chapter 2: What Energy Is and How It’s Used (Politically and Practically) 45 Defining Energy: Grab Your Hats, Folks 45 Trying to Tap into and Refine an Infinite Energy Supply 50 Reshaping Energy Policy to Include Alternatives 53 Chapter 3: Putting Together Each Piece of the Energy Puzzle 57 Wrapping Your Mind Around the Metrics of Energy 58 The Fundamental Laws Governing Energy Consumption 63 Understanding Electrical Energy 69 Tracking the Real Cost of Power 71 Part II: Digging Deeper into the Current State of Affairs 77 Chapter 4: Developing a Snapshot of Fossil Fuel Use and Availability 79 A Quick Look at Fuels from the Fossil Fuel Era and Beyond 79 Energy Consumption Trends 85 Looking at Current Availability and Cost 89 Chapter 5: Burning Up with Conventional Energy Sources 93 Combustion Processes 93 Common Combustion Sources 96 Processing Raw Fuel into Useable Power 103 Chapter 6: The First Alternative-Energy Sources: Efficiency and Conservation 115 Efficiency, Consumption, and the Energy Market 116 Big-Picture Strategies for Reducing Energy Consumption 121 Efficiency and Conservation Changes You Can Make in the Home 128 Chapter 7: Understanding the Demand For Alternatives 133 Environmental Primer 133 Global Warming 135 Other Pollution Problems 139 Increasing Demand and Dwindling Supplies 142 Political Movements and Political Ramifications 143 A Final Thought on Fossil Fuel Use 145 Part III: Alternatives — Buildings 147 Chapter 8: Going Nuclear 149 Getting to Where We Are Now 150 The Fundamentals of Nuclear Power 153 Nuclear Power Today: Fission 156 Hydrogen Fusion: Nuclear Power of the Future 164 Issues Impacting the Move toward Nuclear Energy 167 Chapter 9: Harnessing the Sun with Solar Power 171 Turning Sunlight into Energy: The Basics of Solar Technology 172 Challenges Facing Solar Power 176 The Economics of Solar Power 182 Government Incentives for Solar Power 186 Looking at the Full Range of Practical Solar Options 189 Future Prognosis of PV 194 Chapter 10: Treading Water with Hydropower 197 The Hydropower Story 197 Impoundment Systems — The Big Kahuna 201 Small-Scale Hydropower Generators 205 Oceanic Energy Sources 207 Chapter 11: Blowing Away with Wind Power 211 The Back Story of Wind Power 211 Growing Markets for Wind Energy 212 Wind Farms: Utility Scale Electrical Production 216 Small-Scale Wind Power 223 Chapter 12: Digging into Geothermal 227 Geothermal Energy Basics 227 Creating Electrical Power with Geothermal Sources 231 Using Geothermal Energy Directly: Heat Pumps 234 Chapter 13: Exploring Biomass 241 Biomass Basics 241 Large-scale Biomass Power 247 Biomass Fuels 249 Small-scale Biomass for the Masses 252 Chapter 14: Burning Wood 255 What the Blazes! Cleaner and More Efficient Ways to Burn Wood 256 Open Fireplaces: Cozy and Costly 257 Wood-burning Stoves: An Efficient Alternative to Fireplaces 258 Important Points about Burning Wood Efficiently 261 Stove Safety Guidelines 265 Chapter 15: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies 269 The Basics of Hydrogen Technology 269 Practical and Pie-in-the-Sky Applications 274 The Future of Fuel Cells 279 Part IV: Alternatives — Transportation 281 Chapter 16: Alternative Transport Technologies 283 Turning the Pages of Alternative Vehicle History 283 Evolving from Mechanical to Electrical 286 Coming Full Circle — and Back to Electric 289 Chapter 17: Alternative-Fuel Vehicles 291 Natural Gas in the Tank 291 Flex Fuels for Vehicles 295 Clean Diesel and Biodiesel Vehicles 298 Chapter 18: Plugging In: Electric Vehicles 303 A Drive Down Memory Lane 304 Basic Operation of an Electric Vehicle 308 Batteries 309 Practical Concerns of Electric Cars 310 Chapter 19: Hybrid-Electric Vehicles 317 History of Hybrids 317 Two Key Hybrid Features 320 Hybrid Technologies: Series and Parallel 321 Driving and Owning a Hybrid 323 Chapter 20: Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles 327 Fuel Cell Fundamentals and Challenges 328 Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles 330 A Hydrogen Future 332 Chapter 21: Exotic Propulsion Systems 335 Supercapacitors 335 Solar-Powered Vehicles 336 Flywheels 338 Hydraulic Accumulators 339 Magnetic Levitation Trains 339 Nuclear-Powered Ships 342 Part V: The Part of Tens 345 Chapter 22: Ten or So Myths about Energy 347 The World Is Doomed to a Gloomy Future 347 We Can Legislate Our Way Out of the Mess 348 The Electric Car Was Deliberately Killed 349 Conservation and Efficiency Can Save the World 349 There’s an Energy Shortage 350 Nuclear Power Plants Are Ticking Time Bombs 350 Electric Cars Will Displace All Others 351 Anything Labeled “ Green” Is Green 351 Waste is Bad 352 Solar Power Can Provide All Our Electrical Needs 353 Burning Wood is Bad For the Environment 353 If Global Warming Isn’t Our Fault, We’re Off the Hook 354 Chapter 23: Ten-Plus Ways to Invest in an Alternative-Energy Future 355 Performing an Energy Audit of Your Home or Business 355 Installing a New Stove 356 Using Solar 357 Using Biofuels to Power Your Car 358 Driving a Hybrid 359 Installing a Geothermal Heating and Cooling System in Your Home 359 Driving with Diesel (Without the Stink) 360 Installing a Windmill in Your Own Backyard 360 Moving into a Smaller, Energy-Efficient Home 361 Living in an Urban Environment 361 Investing in Energy Stocks 362 Driving Less 362 Index 363 From the Publisher: Get the truth about alternative energy and make it part of your life. Want to utilize cleaner, greener types of energy? This plain-English guide clearly explains the popular forms of alternative energy that you can use in your home, your car, and more. Separating myth from fact, this resource explores the current fossil fuel conundrum, the benefits of alternatives, and the energy of the future, such as hydrogen and fuel cell technology. The ABCs of alternative energy-what it is, how it works, and what the real costs are. Where we are now-learn where our current energy comes from and how much longer it will last. Take the first step-see how energy efficiency and conservation can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels. Grasp the alternatives-from nuclear power to geothermal energy to wood burning, understand the benefits that alternative energy can have on the nation. Apply alternative fuels to transportation-from biofuels to exotic propulsion to electricity, see how they are best used and how hybrid, all-electric, and fuel cell-powered vehicles work. Get a peek into the future-see what the outlook holds for each form of alternative energy discussed. Open the book and find: The pros and cons of alternative energy - A review of the current world energy economy - The problems with fossil fuels, from smog to global warming - Advantages of alternative energy - Practical results of alternatives you can use in daily life - Guidelines for investing in alternative energy vehicles - Ten ways you can bring about change right now - Insight into the future of energy production - and how you can invest in it The book is very sloppy in both content and style. There were paragraphs that I had to read seven or eight times to try and figure out what part of the message the author left out. There are "facts" included in the text that don't even pass the giggle test. It appears there are many key words that are missing, little clues that might indicate a number represents "millions" of tons, and not tons. Of course the correct answer might be "billions", the text offers no clue. The author begins the book by stating that he will be "neutral" on the issue of anthropogenic global warming, and then throughout the book takes every opportunity to link alternative energy to AGW -- focusing on carbon emissions, which he always refers to as "greehouse gases". I love the DUMMIES series, and have well over a dozen in my library. This is the first one that really disappointed me. A decent editor with knowledge of the subject could have fixed it. The myths and facts about alternative fuelsand how they impact our lives As the price of energy continues to soar, so too has the demand for alternative energy. But there's no clear "winner" in the race to replace fossil fuels. Alternative Energy For Dummies explores the current fossil fuel conundrum and society's growing need for more and more energy. Cutting through the competing claims, this book offers a multifaceted examination of alternative energy, including solar, wind, nuclear, biomass, geothermal, biofuel, and other sources. Each alternative scenario is compared to current fossil-fuel intensive practices in the scientific, environmental, social, political, and economic realms. Readers also gain insight into the future of energy production. An introduction to alternative energy options and their related issues clarifies hype-style claims to provide straightforward comparisons of the full range of potential scenarios from solar and nuclear to biomass and geothermal, in a resource that also addresses scientific, political, and economic factors.