Inhalt: | Energy and human civilization -- Fundamental concepts of energy -- Energy-the dark side! -- The next wave -- Status and opportunities -- Renewable energy resources -- Technologies -- Storage systems -- The grid or the "mesh" -- Concluding remarks. Sometime around three million years ago, the first hominid walked on this planet. In the time which has elapsed since then, the descendant of this biped has evolved to reach the top of the food chain. Furthermore, it has manipulated other lifeforms and Earths resources in a manner that makes these entirely subservient to only one species, homo sapiens sapiens. In a period less than 0.007% of Earths age, man has dramatically altered both the biosphere and the climate. This text argues that intelligent manipulation of energy is at the heart of human supremacy. Energy is intertwined in an intricate manner with everything that happens around us. From the very beginning, nearly three million years ago, up until today, the human race has evolved and progressed by gaining mastery and control over energy. This book presents an insightful description of the evolution of human civilization from an energy perspective, showing that energy is the vehicle that has catapulted the human race to a commanding position on Earth. From rudimentary Stone Age tools to classical physics, from animal power to the steam engine, and from relativity and quantum theory to geo-politics and climate change, drawing upon multiple disciplines, it weaves a fascinating story of the history of energy in human civilization. It also discusses the dark side of energy, exemplified by climate change, pollution, and deforestation, which is compelling modern human civilization to once again go into an energy transition mode, as well as those forms of energy which can counteract such forces: renewable and smart energy and their associated innovations |
