About the book
Energy scientist Vaclav Smil takes on claims about the energy future that the media, politicians, activists, business leaders and even scientists often repeat as fact. He sets each myth against the evidence: that new technologies will replace fossil fuels within a few decades, that carbon sequestration will solve climate change, that electric cars will soon push aside combustion engines, and that oil is about to run out. He also weighs how far nuclear power, ethanol and wind can go. Smil argues that energy transitions take generations, cost a great deal and depend on new infrastructure, while older fuels and technologies will stay in use through the change. AEI Press published the book.
Bill Gates, who calls Smil probably his favorite living author, recommended it to the TED audience for its rational framework for judging energy promises, while warning that its realism may unsettle anyone expecting easy fixes.
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This book has 1 recommendation
Bill Gates (CEO/Microsoft)
Vaclav Smil is probably my favorite living author. If you care about energy issues, I recommend this volume, though its unvarnished look at the realities of energy use and infrastructure may be disconcerting to anyone who thinks solving our energy problems will be easy. Smil provides a rational framework for evaluating energy promises and important lessons to keep in mind if we’re to avert the looming climate crisis.
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