Energy: The Master Resource
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2004
Pages: 254
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Energy, the master resource, is uniquely essential to modern life and human progress. This publication describes how the ultimate resource, the human mind, has harnessed energy to meet the world’s increasing needs. The authors persuasively argue that given the right incentives in a free market, inventive people will make energy’s future even brighter than its past.
1. THE BASICS
INTRODUCTION
WHAT is ENERGY?
WHERE DOES ENERGY COME FROM?
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ENERGY
PATTERNS IN HISTORY
2. USING ENERGYPUTTING ENERGY TO WORK
ELECTRICITY
Coal-fired Plants
Nuclear Fission
Natural Gas Plants
Hydroelectric Plants
Oil-Fired Plants
Wind Power
Geothermal Energy
Microturbines
Solar Power
Biomass
Tidal Power
Fuel Cells
Nuclear Fusion
Comparative Generation Costs
Power Transmission TRANSPORTATION.
Internal Combustion Engine
Electric Cars.
Hybrids. ALTERNATIVE FUELS
LPG and C/VG®
Ethanol
Methanol
Hydrogen
3. EFFICIENCY-TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FIRST AND SECOND LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY ECONOMICS
MARKET PRICING
THE BIG PICTURE
INSTITUTIONS AND ENERGY
THE ENERGY INDUSTRY
ECONOMICS AND POWER CONSUMPTION
4. WILL WE RUN OUT OF ENERGY? THE PERILS OF PREDICTION
THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE
DISSENTING VOICES
CREATING ONE CRISIS. . .AFTER ANOTHER. . .AND ANOTHER
ENERGY SECURITY
5. ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
DEFINING POLLUTION
INEFFICIENCY, WASTE, AND POLLUTION 119 OUR IMPROVING ENVIRONMENT
SOME COMPARISONS
RETHINKING THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
ARE REGULATIONS NECESSARY?
SETTING MEANS. . .OR SETTING GOALS
CAP-AND-TRADE
HOW GREEN IS "GREEN?"
6. ENERGY CLIMATE CHANGE
FUEL TO BURN?
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
GREENHOUSE GASES
Carbon Dioxide (COZ)
Water Vapor (H2O)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrogen Oxides (NO2)
CFCs
IS THE CLIMATE WARMING?
HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER CHANGES?
ARE PEOPLE CAUSING THESE CHANGES?
COMPUTER MODELING
WARMING DISTRIBUTION
SOLUTIONS
TRADE-OFFS
WHAT ABOUT POORER COUNTRIES?
BUILT-IN BIASES
WHERE DOES ALL THIS LEAVE US?
7. ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE
LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.
LOOKING AHEAD
SHORT-TERM FORECAST
MID-TERM U.S. FORECAST
MID-TERM GLOBAL FORECAST
LONG-TERM FORECAST
ENERGY AND POVERTY
ENERGY AND WEALTH
ENVIRONMENT
RESOURCES
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY INTERDEPENDENCE
TECHNOLOGY
Two PATHS
APPENDIX A Energy Timeline
APPENDIX B The Heritage Foundation's Index, of Economic Freedom APPENDIX C The Butterfly Effect
APPENDIX D Oil Production from 1970 Through 2003 APPENDIX E Units (Conversions, Prefixes, and Heat Contents)APPENDIX F Complete Figure Sources
INDEX
Robert L. Bradley Jr. is CEO and founder of the Institute for Energy Research. Richard W. Fulmer is a writer and educator who is retired from the energy industry.
Energy, the master resource, is uniquely essential to modern life and human progress. This publication describes how the ultimate resource, the human mind, has harnessed energy to meet the world’s increasing needs. The authors persuasively argue that given the right incentives in a free market, inventive people will make energy’s future even brighter than its past.
1. THE BASICS
INTRODUCTION
WHAT is ENERGY?
WHERE DOES ENERGY COME FROM?
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ENERGY
PATTERNS IN HISTORY
2. USING ENERGYPUTTING ENERGY TO WORK
ELECTRICITY
Coal-fired Plants
Nuclear Fission
Natural Gas Plants
Hydroelectric Plants
Oil-Fired Plants
Wind Power
Geothermal Energy
Microturbines
Solar Power
Biomass
Tidal Power
Fuel Cells
Nuclear Fusion
Comparative Generation Costs
Power Transmission TRANSPORTATION.
Internal Combustion Engine
Electric Cars.
Hybrids. ALTERNATIVE FUELS
LPG and C/VG®
Ethanol
Methanol
Hydrogen
3. EFFICIENCY-TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FIRST AND SECOND LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY ECONOMICS
MARKET PRICING
THE BIG PICTURE
INSTITUTIONS AND ENERGY
THE ENERGY INDUSTRY
ECONOMICS AND POWER CONSUMPTION
4. WILL WE RUN OUT OF ENERGY? THE PERILS OF PREDICTION
THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE
DISSENTING VOICES
CREATING ONE CRISIS. . .AFTER ANOTHER. . .AND ANOTHER
ENERGY SECURITY
5. ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
DEFINING POLLUTION
INEFFICIENCY, WASTE, AND POLLUTION 119 OUR IMPROVING ENVIRONMENT
SOME COMPARISONS
RETHINKING THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
ARE REGULATIONS NECESSARY?
SETTING MEANS. . .OR SETTING GOALS
CAP-AND-TRADE
HOW GREEN IS "GREEN?"
6. ENERGY CLIMATE CHANGE
FUEL TO BURN?
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
GREENHOUSE GASES
Carbon Dioxide (COZ)
Water Vapor (H2O)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrogen Oxides (NO2)
CFCs
IS THE CLIMATE WARMING?
HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER CHANGES?
ARE PEOPLE CAUSING THESE CHANGES?
COMPUTER MODELING
WARMING DISTRIBUTION
SOLUTIONS
TRADE-OFFS
WHAT ABOUT POORER COUNTRIES?
BUILT-IN BIASES
WHERE DOES ALL THIS LEAVE US?
7. ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE
LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.
LOOKING AHEAD
SHORT-TERM FORECAST
MID-TERM U.S. FORECAST
MID-TERM GLOBAL FORECAST
LONG-TERM FORECAST
ENERGY AND POVERTY
ENERGY AND WEALTH
ENVIRONMENT
RESOURCES
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY INTERDEPENDENCE
TECHNOLOGY
Two PATHS
APPENDIX A Energy Timeline
APPENDIX B The Heritage Foundation's Index, of Economic Freedom APPENDIX C The Butterfly Effect
APPENDIX D Oil Production from 1970 Through 2003 APPENDIX E Units (Conversions, Prefixes, and Heat Contents)APPENDIX F Complete Figure Sources
INDEX
Robert L. Bradley Jr. is CEO and founder of the Institute for Energy Research. Richard W. Fulmer is a writer and educator who is retired from the energy industry.