Description
Product Description: Blackout
Blackout. “Blackout is an important and timely book. In the form of this compact volume, one of the best and most productive peak oil authors working today has turned his customary scholarhsip, wisdom, wit and writing prowess to some of the most ciritical issues now unfolding on our planet. “- Frank Kaminski, Energy Bulletin
Coal fuels about 50% of US electricity production and provides a quarter of the country’s total energy. China and India’s ferocious economic growth is based on coal-generated electricity. Coal currently looks like a solution to many of our fast-growing energy problems. However, while coal advocates are urging full steam ahead, increasing reliance on the dirtiest of all fossil fuels has crucial implications for climate science, energy policy, the world economy, and geopolitics. Drawbacks to a coal-based energy strategy include:
Scarcity, new studies prove that the peak of usable coal production may actually be less than two decades away. Cost–the quality of produced coal is declining, while the expense of transport is rising, leading to spiralling costs and potential shortages.
Climate impacts, our ability to deal with the historic challenge of climate change may hinge on reducing our coal consumption in future years.
Blackout, goes to the heart of th,e tough energy questions that will dominate every sphere of public policy throughout the first half of this century, and it is a must-read for planners, educators, and anyone concerned about energy consumption, peak oil, and climate change.
Author: Richard Heinberg
Publisher: New Society Publishers
Number of pages: 208.
>Format: Paperback
Publication date: 30th July 2009
Dimensions: 232 mm x 155 mm x 15 mm
Weight: 327 grams
ISBN: 9780865716568
