How to kick the fossil fuel habit
Last updated Jul 1, 2009 — 464 views
A new book by University of Cambridge Prof. David J. C. MacKay aims to provide a roadmap for kicking our fossil fuel habit. “Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air” is available for free download in PDF form and is released under a Creative Commons license.
Along the way, MacKay demolishes “codswallop” arguments on both sides of the debate, and explains why tripling electricity demand is the solution. In MacKay’s holistic approach, transportation and space heating move from fossil fuels to renewable electricity. The beauty of consuming very large amounts of extra electricity for transport and heating is that these two forms of demand are “easily-switch-off-and-on-able,” he says. A smart grid that controls vehicle charging and pumping into heat-stores matches demand to renewables’ fluctuating supply, overcoming one of their biggest drawbacks, according to MacKay.
A recent review in Science magazine (PDF download) calls the book “a must-read analysis” and “found MacKay’s book by turns exhilarating and terrifying.”
Download MacKay’s book in PDF format, here. MacKay is Professor of Natural Philosophy in the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. His personal webpage is here.
[Thanks to Martin Hellman for contributing to this story.]
So far I have read only small portions of the book by Prof. David J. C. MacKay and I have to say there are some very valid points and it is, as said exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Seems there are very valid points that hopefully get picked up but I am not sure that I can agree with all statements, however still more to read!
Recommend Sustainable Energy without the Hot Air to others who have an interest in perhaps a change in how we do what we do now!
Regards
Adirec
Hot Air” is available for free download in PDF