Energy is truly the world's most vital commodity. It makes modern societies possible, and the decisions made regarding it have far-reaching repercussions. Every day stories about the price of oil, the resurgence of nuclear power, or the latest clean energy alternative can be found in mainstream news outlets across the country. Yet despite its high profile, energy remains largely misunderstood. People are confused, intimidated and generally discouraged from learning about energy, partly because the topic is so large and opaque, but also because the resources that do exist fail to provide an overall picture the average reader can understand. Here, in easily accessible language accompanied by simple illustrations of difficult concepts, the authors lay out the basics of energy in a palatable and refreshing way. Readers are treated to a vivid presentation of the basics of energy science, alongside the politics, economics, and social issues that impact its harnessing, distribution, and use. Anyone interested in how energy truly works will find answers in these pages that shed light on the past, present, and future of world energy.
1 Volume I: Conventional Energy 2 Preface - A call for Energy Literacy 3 Part 1: The World of Energy 4 Chapter 1: Why is this Topic so Important Now? 5 Chapter 2: A Brief History of Energy 6 Part 2: Oil, Oil Everywhere: The World of Oil 7 Chapter 3: Black Gold: A Brief History of Oil 8 Chapter 4: The Science and Technology of Oil 9 Chapter 5: Refining and Distribution 10 Chapter 6: How do Gasoline Prices Work? 11 Chapter 7: Peak Oil: How Much Do We Have Left? 12 Chapter 8: OPEC and the Role of the Oil Cartel 13 Chapter 9: Oil and the Environment 14 Chapter 10: The Future of Oil 15 Part 3: Fuel From Fossils 16 Chapter 11: King Coal 17 Chapter 12: Natural Gas 18 Chapter 13: Global Warming 19 Part 4: Power Up! The Incredible World of Electricity 20 Chapter 14: What is Electricity? 21 Chapter 15: Power Generation 22 Chapter 16: Transmission and Distribution 23 Chapter 17: Our Electric System 24 Part 5: Energy Policy 25 Chapter 18: Energy Policy at Home and Abroad 26 Chapter 19: Energy Market Regulation 27 Chapter 20: Deregulation 28 Volume II: Alternative Energy 29 Part 1: Renewable Energy 30 Chapter 1: Wind Energy 31 Chapter 2: Solar Energy 32 Chapter 3: Tidal Energy 33 Chapter 4: Biomass Energy 34 Chapter 5: Geothermal Energy 35 Chapter 6: Bottle That Electron! (Energy Storage) 36 Part 2: Energy and Transportation 37 Chapter 7: Land, Sea and Air - Energy in Transportation 38 Chapter 8: Fuels From Fossils (Revisited) 39 Chapter 9: Biodiesel 40 Chapter 10: Ethanol 41 Chapter 11: Hybrids, Plug-ins and Electric Vehicles 42 Chapter 12: Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 43 Chapter 13: The Road Ahead 44 Part 3: Energy Security 45 Chapter 14: Security, Reliability, Diversity and Independence 46 Chapter 15: Our Aging Power Grid 47 Chapter 16: Nuclear Energy 48 Chapter 17: The Geopolitics of Oil 49 Part 4: Energy Efficiency 50 Chapter 18: Reducing Energy Wastage 51 Chapter 19: Energy Efficiency Begins at Home 52 Chapter 20: Green Living 53 Chapter 21: Energy Efficiency on a Broader Scale 54 Part 5: A New Energy Economy 55 Chapter 22: Clean Tech Investments 56 Chapter 23: Energy, Economy, Jobs and Education 57 Chapter 24: The Coming Energy Revolution 58 Epilogue
