Category Archives: Energy

Book review of “Too Hot to Touch: The Problem of High-Level Nuclear Waste”

Posted on November 8, 2013 by

A book review by Alice Friedemann of: Too Hot to Touch: The Problem of High-Level Nuclear Waste by William M. Alley & Rosemarie Alley. 2013. Cambridge University Press. Introduction to Nuclear Waste Disposal After Yucca Mountain was thrown out as … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, Nuclear, Nuclear, Nuclear | 4 Comments

Déjà vu – Lessons learned from the “Peak Oil” crises of 1973 & 1979

Posted on October 22, 2013 by

A book review by Alice Friedemann of: Howard Bucknell III.  1981.  Energy and the National Defense.  University of Kentucky Press. About the author: Bucknell was once the director of the energy and national security project at Ohio State University.  At … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Energy | Comments Off

The Race to Adapt, a book review of Klare’s “The Race for What’s Left”

Posted on October 6, 2013 by

A book review by Alice Friedemann of Michael Klare’s “The Race For What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources”  Coltan mining We’re about to invade the last areas on earth to drill for oil and mine ore … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, Expert opinions, Important Minerals | 2 Comments

Tilting at Windmills, Spain’s disastrous attempt to replace fossil fuels with Solar Photovoltaics

Posted on August 17, 2013 by

Book review of “Spain’s Photovoltaic Revolution. The Energy Return on Investment”, by Pedro Prieto and Charles A.S. Hall. 2013.  Reviewed by Alice Friedemann, www.energyskeptic.com Olmedilla, Spain 60MW Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant. Source: SolarNovus Large Solar Installations around the world. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Bankruptcy, Electric Grid, Energy, EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, Photovoltaic Solar, Solar | 5 Comments

Hirsch predicts Oil Shocks by 2017, panic, and stock market crash

Posted on July 13, 2012 by

I believe oil shocks could lead to a FAST CRASH Robert L. Hirsch was the author of the first US government report on peak oil in 2005, which recommended taking action to mitigate Peak Oil at least 20 years before … Continue reading →

Posted in By People, Energy, Oil Shocks, Peak Oil | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Energy Security experts count how many angels can dance on the head of a pin

Posted on November 18, 2011 by

Sovacool, Benjamin (editor). 2011. The Routledge Handbook of Energy Security.  Routledge. I’m feeling very insecure if the discussions and conclusions in this book at all represent the latest thinking of scholars on energy security. They remind me of the recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Energy | Tagged | Comments Off

The electric grid: fragile, filthy, poorly managed, polluting, inefficient, corrupt

Posted on October 23, 2011 by

Most forms of alternative energy depend on the electric grid (nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower). But the Grid is falling apart. A book review of: Munson, Richard.  2008. From Edison to Enron: The Business of Power and What It Means … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Blackouts, Books, Electricity, Energy | Comments Off

When Will the Lights Go Out?

Posted on October 23, 2011 by

Alternative energy that generates electricity (wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal, hydropower) depends on the electric grid, which is falling apart because of deregulation already.  In addition it’s also rusting apart at a time when there will be less energy to replace … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Blackouts, Books, Electricity, Energy | Comments Off