Armaroli / Balzani / Serpone Powering Planet Earth

Energy Solutions for the Future
1. Auflage 2012
ISBN: 978-3-527-66741-3
Verlag: Wiley-VCH
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 240 Seiten, E-Book

In their book Nicola Armaroli, Vincenzo Balzani and Nick Serpone uncover the background details associated with a transition to sustainable energy production that are routinely swept under the table in public discussions. They are not only concerned with the (alleged) advantages
and disadvantages of any one energy generation technology from a technical viewpoint, but also with the ecological, economic, political and social consequences of an inevitable transition. In a highly readable manner aimed at an international audience, the authors introduce the often misused and sometimes abused term 'energy' and give a lucid account of the development of energy production from timber to nuclear energy and renewable energies. They compare various energy generation methods with respect to their efficiency and practicability for large-scale implementation and examine if, and how, these methods live up to the expectations and promises their proponents make. In addition, the authors juxtapose the political and economic prerequisites in different regions of the world that advance, or hinder, an energy turnaround. They round off their book by debunking the seventeen most popular myths often cited in discussions on energy issues. As a result, the authors provide ammunition for debate, underpin (and unsettle) opinions using facts, and challenge comfortable and popular chains of reasoning.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Armaroli, Nicola

Balzani, Vincenzo

Serpone, Nick

Weitere Mitwirkende

Serpone, Nick

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction
What is energy?
Yesterday and today
How much energy do we waste?
Energy in the starship's hold
Collateral damage
Energy of the atom
Energy from the Sun
Energy from air, water, and land
Fukushima and the future of nuclear energy
Spaceship Italy
Spaceship Canada
Spaceship USA
Spaceship United Kingdom
Global trends
Scenarios for a possible future
Epilog - 18 myths to undo
Maybe you didn't know
Bibliography
Useful Websites
Bibliographical sources
Analytical index

PREFACE

WHAT IS ENERGY?

Energy and Related Terms

From One Energy Form to Another

Sources of Energy

The Pillars of the Universe

Particles in Motion
Heat (Warmth) - an Exchangeable Energy

You Can't Run Away from Them - the Principles of Thermodynamics
Einstein's Equation: E = mc2
From Kilowatt-hour to the Barrel of Oil
From a Chemical Bond to a Tsunami

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

The Energy Slaves

From Coal to Coal?

Hidden Energy

From Faraday to Blackouts

From Muscle Work to Jet Aircraft

Petroleum to Food

From Fire to Air Conditioning

From Horseback Messengers to E-mails

From Gunpowder to the Atomic Bomb

Emerging Issues

HOW MUCH ENERGY GOES TO WASTE?

The Largest Explosion of All Time

Obese and Miserable

Fruits Out of Season

From Whale Oil to Pollution by Light

At Full Throttle

A Desperate Case - the Transportation System

Let's Get a Move on

ENERGY IN THE SPACESHIP?S HOLD

Crude Oil

Peaking of Oil Production?

Natural Gas

Coal and CO2 Rise
The Most Traded Commodities

The Hidden Treasure

Energy Also Travels

Costly Energy Invoices

Alliances, Tensions, Wars

COLLATERAL DAMAGE

The Planet Overheats
Agreements and Disagreements

Jailing the Offender?

A Subtle Danger

Rain Is No Longer What It Used to be

Financial Compensation

Minimize! Save the Planet

ENERGY FROM THE ATOM

Splitting the Atom

Nuclear Accidents

An Inconvenient Legacy

Where Do We Store Nuclear Wastes?

We'll Settle the Bill Later

Current Nuclear Power Plants

Tomorrow's Nuclear Power Plants (Maybe)

The Harsh Reality of the Marketplace

Solution or Problem?

Nuclear Fusion: if Not Roses . . . Then What?

ENERGY FROM THE SUN

Conversion and Exploitation of Sunlight

From Light to Heat

From Light to Electricity

Concentrating Sunlight

Light to Chemical Energy - Natural Photosynthesis

Light to Chemical Energy - the Sunshine Vitamin

Biomass and Biofuels: Yes, but . . . !

Artificial Photosynthesis

The Hydrogen Myth

ENERGY FROM AIR, WATER, AND LAND

Wind Changes

Wind Farms

Water - between Past and Future

Geothermal Energy

Sea Power

FUKUSHIMA AND THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

What Happened at Fukushima Daiichi?

The Consequences for the Population

A Lesson from the Fukushima Disaster

What Is Today's Cost of Nuclear Energy?

Should Italy Go Back to Nuclear Energy?

The Fate of Nuclear Energy

Global Expansion of Nuclear Power?

Is It Worthwhile to Get Energy Using Technologies Exposed to Great Risks?

ENERGY ITALY

Stop Navigating Blind

Conserve Energy! Where? How?

Italy - a Country with an Abundance of Sunlight

Wind, Geothermal Energy, Biomass

Conservation and Renewables - a Summary

ENERGY CANADA
Primary Energy Resources

Oil Sands or Tar Sands?

Oil Sands and Their Environmental Impact

Water Usage

Natural Gas Usage
Greenhouse Gases

Coal in Canada

Natural Gas

Nuclear Energy and Electricity

Electricity

Renewable Energy - Wind Power

Renewable Energy - Solar Power

Renewable Energy - Biomass Energy

Renewable Energy - Geothermal Energy

Renewable Energy - Sea Power

Canada and Energy - Doing More

ENERGY USA

Primary Energy Resources

Coal - Supply and Demand

Natural Gas - Supply and Demand

Nuclear Power

Historical Notes
Present Situation

Nuclear Renaissance
Water Usage in Nuclear Reactors

Plant Decommissioning

Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy - Wind Power

Renewable Energy - Solar Thermal Power

Renewable Energy - Solar Photovoltaic

Renewable Energy - Geothermal Energy

Renewable Energy - Biomass

Renewable Energy - Biofuels

ENERGY UK

Primary Energy Resources

Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels - Coal

Fossil Fuels - Natural Gas

Nuclear Power

Nuclear Waste Management and Disposal

Windscale Fire and Decommissioning

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy - Wind Power

Some Historical Notes

Renewable Energy - Solar Power

Renewable Energy - Geothermal Energy

Renewable Energy - Wave and Tidal Power

Renewable Energy - Biofuels

Electricity in the United

Über Autor(innen)

Nicola Armaroli got his PhD in chemistry in 1994 from the Uni-versity of Bologna. After post-doctoral work in the U.S. and Italy, in 1997 he joined the Italian National Research Council (CNR), where he became Research Director in 2007. His activity is concerned with the photochemistry and photo-physics of molecules and materials targeted at lighting devices and solar energy conversion. He has published 3 books and over 150 papers and is a consultant on the issues of energy and natural resources. He is chairman of the Working Party on Chemistry and Energy of the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EUCheMS).

Vincenzo Balzani is Professor Emeritus at the University of Bologna where has been doing research and teaching in chemistry since 1973. He was visiting Professor in Canada, Israel, France and Belgium, headed various scientific committees and institutes and has held over 300 lectures worldwide. Alongside his membership of several editorial boards, Vincenzo Balzani has six books and more than 500 papers to his name. His research interests include photochemistry, photophysics, supramolecular chemistry, electron transfer reactions, molecular-level devices and machines, molecular nanotechnology, and photochemical solar energy conversion. Nick Serpone is Professor Emeritus and currently a Visiting Professor at University of Pavia, Italy; was also Visiting Professor at Universities of Bologna and Ferrara, EPFL Lausanne, Ecole Centrale in Lyon, and Tokyo University of Science & Technology. He was Program Director at National Science Foundation (USA) and consultant of 3M Company, USA. He has edited over 5 books and published over 400 papers. Research interests focused on photophysics and photo-chemistry of semiconductor metal oxides, photochemistry of sun-screens, heterogeneous photo-catalysis, environmental remedi-ation, and microwave chemistry. He is a Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences (Materials Sciences Division).