Power Density: A Key to Understanding Energy Sources and Uses (Mit Press)

Power sources with high, medium, and low energy density each have an important role. The low energy density sources -- solar, wind, biofuels/forests/greenhouses, pumped hydro, lake water for efficiencies in heating and cooling -- are safe and easy to use, but expensive to develop. High energy density sources like nuclear are great at powering cities and factories. Building power lines and pipelines to transmit and transport electricity, oil, gas, hydrogen and commodities creates a network where rural areas can supply the cities and suburbs, unless power stations are near the cities (p. 12).As climate changes and people move to the upper latitudes which lack extensive power lines and pipelines, new construction projects will become necessary. Faster and safer methods of construction may be valuable in ways that aren't yet appreciated. In other regions, power lines and pipelines are subject to wildfires, coastal erosion, other weather extremes, and in the worst case scenarios, disruptions amid military conflict. Power density and the technology to balance the supply and demand may thus need considerations outside the usual scientific and technical matters for a final decision and long-term funding by governments.

Good interesting book. Shows nuclear power is the only realistic way forward during the transition as fossil fuels get more expensive to extract. Solar and wind are just a piece of the puzzle but may not be a realistic answer.

Vaclav Smil manages to convince you that the main criteria that determines the value of energy sources is their power density. We consider crude oil so valuable because we can power the entire world while using only a small fraction of land for it's extraction. But what if crude oil was spread over large areas and we could extract only one glass per square meter? Then we wouldn't bother extracting it.

The author's book explains the concept of power density quite well, for both non-technical and technical readers.

Smil provides a framework to integrate the challenges of climate change with energy supply and its impact on society. A must read for anyone seriously interested in the problem.

Gets the point across!

Very much worth the effort! Makes me wonder about the whole renewable energy thing.

Great!

Le meilleur livre de Monsieur Smil selon moi. Cet ouvrage traite du critère le plus important qui soit pour concevoir un réseau électrique fiable et développé a l'échelle d'un pays qui est la densité de puissance. Livre unique de par sa thématique très précise et la profondeur avec laquelle il traite son sujet. Pas une lecture facile et grand public cependant, à lire petit a petit en prenant des notes voir en refaisant quelques calculs pour les faire sien.A noter que ce livre méritera une mise à jour dans quelques années si possible pour adapter les calculs au développement technologique des nouvelles énergies renouvelables même si les conclusions de l'auteur resteront probablement les mêmes.Un excellent livre en complément de celui-ci est le célèbre Sustaible Energy Without The Hot Air de David MacKay, disponible gratuitement dans plusieurs langues sur son site internet dédié, ou relié dans une édition de trés bonne qualité.

I liked the factual basis for the information that was pressented

Energy research

My favourite book by Smil thus far