Energy: Sources, Utilization, Legislation, Sustainability, Illinois as Model State, G. Ali Mansoori, Nader Enayati, and L. Barnie Agyarko, World Scientific, 2016. $214.00 (812 pp.). ISBN 978-981-4704-00-7
On 12 December 2015, nearly 200 countries adopted the historic Paris Agreement, negotiated at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21). The accord aims to limit, or even halt, global warming through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Any discussion of greenhouse gas reduction must factor in energy management. A new book by G. Ali Mansoori, Nader Enayati, and L. Barnie Agyarko, published shortly after COP21, aims to provide students, policymakers, and the general public with an understanding of the various factors related to that complex issue. In addition to addressing the topics in its subtitle, Energy: Sources, Utilization, Legislation, Sustainability, Illinois as Model State discusses energy storage and conversion methods, environmental concerns, and the economics and future trends of energy-conversion technologies.
Energy includes many illustrations, flow charts, tables, and graphs—both descriptive and quantitative. Even though it contains a great deal of science and engineering in the form of equations, the book is written in a language that is easy to understand. It covers all the major energy sources—fossil fuels, nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass—and provides real examples and illustrations of energy-conversion and storage methods.
On the societal side, Energy gives examples of how private businesses and federal, state, and local governments have gotten involved to promote energy efficiency and environmental protection; many of those efforts demonstrate the effectiveness of collective action. For example, several states and the federal government offer tax incentives to commercial, industrial, and residential sectors for installation of solar panels and other renewable-energy systems.
Illinois, one of the more progressive US states, is moving toward energy self-sufficiency and a clean environment; some of its efforts make it possible for the state to reduce its dependency on coal and other fossil fuels. This book contains several case studies showing how that is being achieved. For instance, by the end of 2013, 91 towns in Illinois had purchased 100% renewable electricity. Also, Illinois residents can use their bulk purchasing power to solicit bids from electricity providers. And because the state’s weather is highly variable, the government has invested in geothermal- and seasonal-energy storage systems.
Many books cover energy, but this book has it all. It treats all the major energy sources, and it also discusses carbon dioxide. Along with its real-world examples and illustrations of energy-conversion and storage methods are discussions of the sustainability of renewables. The concluding material features a well-put-together glossary of energy-related terms.
Every chapter presents various ways for a country, state, or community to achieve and sustain energy sufficiency and a clean environment. Chapter 2, for example, discusses the use of advanced clean-coal technology projects that can reduce environmental pollution, a topic that should interest those in coal-producing and coal-burning states. And on the national level, chapter 6 discusses investments being made in fusion-energy research and in planning for safe storage of nuclear wastes.
Energy is essentially a recipe for energy and environmental sustainability and a guidebook for the implementation of COP21. I recommend it for engineering and science students, energy researchers, policymakers, legislators, environmentalists, and any other individuals interested in energy studies. It is a great book and I expect it will have a tremendous impact.
Renat Letfullin is a professor in the department of physics and optical engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. He is also a fellow of SPIE and an editor for the International Journal of Theoretical Physics, Group Theory, and Nonlinear Optics.
