Energy for a sustainable world: from the oilage to a sun-powered future / by Nicola Armaroli and Vincenzo Balzani

preface part i: living on spaceship earth--
1.The energy challenge our spaceship earth an unsustainable growth in an unequal world energy and climate crisis dealing with change unavoidable questions concepts and misconcepts the elusive definition of energy a taste of basic principles converting primary energy into useful energy it takes energy to make energy: the eroi embodied energy energy units and conversions the immense energy and power scales some energy key parameters energy pervasiveness versus energy illiteracy key numbers: an abacus for energy literacy energy in history historia magistra vitae animal power human slaves and energy slaves waterwheels and windwheels from wood to coal steam-powered machines road vehicles aircraft conventional engines jet engines electricity early development from wayfarers to ict –
part ii: Fossil fuels oil what is oil oil history, exploration, drilling, production oil transportation oil refining oil storage unconventional oil petrochemicals oil as a fuel america's addiction to oil oil price oil peak and reserves natural gas what is natural gas and where it comes from gas properties and definitions brief historical notes on gas exploitation gas production, consumption, and reserves liquefied natural gas (lng) natural gas processing transport, storage, and distribution gas uses: energy and feedstock unconventional gas coal what is coal coal extraction coal transportation and industrial uses coal gasification coal production, consumption, and reserves carbon capture and sequestration (ccs) integrated gasification combined cycle (igcc) fossil legacy the energy dark sides alteration of the carbon cycle by fossil fuel combustion anthropogenic climate change air pollution and global warming counterbalancing our climate influence putting a limit to co2 air pollution and human health land and water degradation so, what? –
part iii: Nuclear energy nuclear energy principles of nuclear fission and fusion power from nuclear fission civilian use of nuclear fusion? part iv: renewable energies solar energy basics the origin of sunshine solar radiation and attenuation abundant, fairly distributed, vital sun's limits: dilution and intermittency the conversion of solar energy: heat, fuels, electricity solar heat and electricity passive solar harnessing in buildings thermal conversion: unconcentrated solar flux thermal conversion: concentrated solar flux the birth and rise of photovoltaics inorganic photovoltaics: key principles silicon solar cells thin film solar cells organic solar cells concentrated photovoltaics and other innovative concepts photovoltaics: global installation and market trends solar energy: sustainable and affordable solar fuels introduction natural photosynthesis biomass and biofuels future options for transportation fuels artificial photosynthesis dye-sensitized solar cells the solar fuel challenge other renewables hydroelectric energy wind energy ocean energies geothermal energy part v: energy carriers electricity basic concepts illumination traditional power generation traditional electricity grid power generation from new renewables energy storage for electricity supply networks plugging-in transportation smart grid towards an electricity powered world hydrogen introduction properties and industrial uses hydrogen as an energy carrier: the scale of the task methods for producing hydrogen hydrogen storage hydrogen transportation and distribution end uses of hydrogen fuel hydrogen powered vehicles towards a hydrogen economy? part vi: scenarios for a sustainable future the challenge ahead reflection on the state of our planet: now we know energy demand and supply energy and the quality of life saving the climate phasing out fossil fuels avoiding nuclear energy ecological sustainability why we need to develop renewable energies conclusion appendix did you know that...?

"This book surveys the energy issue from a broad scientific perspective while considering environmental, economic, and social factors. It explains the basic concepts, provides a historical overview of energy resources, assesses our unsustainable energy system based on fossil fuels, and shows that the energy crisis is not only a tough challenge, but also an unprecedented opportunity to become more concerned about the world in which we live and the society we have built up. By outlining the alternatives for today and the future, it gives an extensive overview on nuclear energy, solar thermal and photovoltaics, solar fuels, wind power, ocean energies and other renewables, highlighting the increasing importance of electricity and the long-term perspectives of a hydrogen-based economy"--Back cover.