Fueling the planet : the past, present, and future of Energy

This work presents fundamental facts about energy and climate, and makes surprising but convincing projections on future energy. McElroy's observations closely agree with what I have seen during 30+ years in the energy business. I enjoyed the discussion of history. The evaluation of energy from biomass hits the mark exactly. I would have gone farther: There is absolutely nothing good about the US ethanol mandate, which gives incentives to corn growers increase CO2 emissions, drain aquifers, and drive up food prices. We are in effect burning food and burning water in our automobiles at a cost of $6 billion per year. Already, increased availability of natural gas is decreasing coal consumption. I was not aware of the magnitude of available wind energy. I checked McElroy's facts, and indeed windmills in the US Midwest could provide 100% of the electricity now used in the whole country. Better: wind energy makes money without subsidies. Having worked in hydrogen energy at the Oak Ridge National Lab, I am skeptical about using hydrogen in automobiles. Hydrogen-powered vehicles have been built and they work, but storage and fueling problems remain. All in all, as the title says, this work gives a splendid introduction to the past, present, and future of energy and the environment.