Critical Perspectives on Energy and Power

I recently read Critical Perspectives on Energy and Power a full length book published by Scientific American. It consist of articles pertaining to creating today's energy to possibility's for tomorrows energy. To start the debate the book starts off by displaying the downsides to using fossil fuels and remind us of their dwindling quantities. A major component of our energy crisis linked to fossil fuels is the greenhouse effect. A greenhouse gas traps heat in the earth's atmosphere carbon dioxide is a primary greenhouse gas. Fossil fuels are known as hydrocarbons meaning that they are composed of hydrogen and carbon, when burned the carbon will lose hydrogen atoms and bond with free oxygen atoms in the air. This forms carbon dioxide when any fossil fuel is burned. With carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere on the rise the planet is begging to show the effects of fossil fuel use. Global temperatures are steadily rising and form a direct link to fossil fuels. Worst yet, it's no secret that fossil fuels are expendable as we see today with rising gas prices and conflicts over remaining reserves in the middle east.

The most common alternate form for generating power has long been in use but still remains controversial. Nuclear energy has been powering our cities for decades while only emitting water vapor into the atmosphere. However, as Three Mile Island and Chernobyl have shown they have to potential to cause destruction on a massive scale. This is due to the radioactive breakdown of uranium isotopes, when in fuel grade around 3%-4% of the U235 isotope create manageable levels of heat that can be controlled. The heat from this reaction creates the steam to turn turbines in a nuclear plant. If for any reason the cooling process that keeps the uranium from acuminating heat its subject to a meltdown. A meltdown will result in containment failure and radioactive particles can inundate hundreds of square miles.

Lastly, the book takes focus on the future and our options for creating new forms of energy. "Every year the earth surface receives about 10 times as much energy from sunlight as is contained in all the known reserves of coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium combined."(Scientific American 162) Solar energy has been utilized since the 1950's but remains largely untapped for one reason, they are much more expensive than conventional methods and produce low yields of electricity only during the day. However, solar panels aren't the only way to harness the power of the sun large fields of motorized mirrors can focus the sun on one spot creating intense heat. The medium for holding this heat is molten salt, the salt can be then used to power steam turbines. Due to the high density of molten salt the system can run both day and night while only capturing new heat during the day. Other methods include methods for splitting water and using the hydrogen as a method of energy storage, wind farms, and bio fuels.

This book was extremely important to in understanding the need for practical and consistent forms of alternate energy. I believe most people agree renewable energy is needed but when it comes to the power bill and filling up the car people will do what comes cheapest. Therefore when it comes to implementing new forms of energy they must be cost efficient and able to compete with the relative inexpensive fossil fuel alternative.

"Scientific American ." Critical Perspectives on Energy and Power. New York, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group , 2007. Print.