Table Of Content

Spine: .76 Science/Energy Making Everything Easier!™ Get the truth about alternative energy and a t i ve n make it part of your life A l t e r A Open the book and find: l (cid:127) T he pros and cons of alternative Want to utilize cleaner, greener types of energy? This t energy plain-English guide clearly explains the popular forms of e g y alternative energy that you can use in your home, your (cid:127) A review of the current world r E n e r car, and more. Separating myth from fact, this resource energy economy n explores the current fossil fuel conundrum, the benefits of (cid:127) T he problems with fossil fuels, a alternatives, and the energy of the future, such as hydrogen from smog to global warming t and fuel cell technology. (cid:127) Advantages of alternative energy i v (cid:127) The ABCs of alternative energy — what it is, how it works, and (cid:127) Practical results of alternatives you e what the real costs are can use in daily life (cid:127) Where we are now — learn where our current energy comes from E (cid:127) Guidelines for investing in and how much longer it will last alternative energy vehicles n (cid:127) Take the first step — see how energy efficiency and conservation (cid:127) Ten ways you can bring about e can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels change right now r (cid:127) Grasp the alternatives — from nuclear power to geothermal g (cid:127) Insight into the future of energy energy to wood burning, understand the benefits that production — and how you can y alternative energy can have on the nation invest in it (cid:127) Apply alternative fuels to transportation — from biofuels to exotic propulsion to electricity, see how they are best used and how hybrid, all-electric, and fuel cell–powered vehicles work Learn to: (cid:127) Get a peek into the future — see what the outlook holds for each Go to dummies.com® (cid:127) Evaluate the various forms of alternative form of alternative energy discussed for more! energy (cid:127) Understand the science behind future energy options (cid:127) Sort through the political hype (cid:127) Grasp your options for alternative-fuel cars $21.99 US / $25.99 CN / £15.99 UK Rik DeGunther holds a BS in Engineering Physics and a dual Masters ISBN 978-0-470-43062-0 degree in Applied Physics and Engineering Economic Systems. He is a Rik DeGunther design engineer and the founder of Efficient Homes, an energy auditing Author, Solar Power Your Home For and consulting firm. Dummies and Energy Efficient Homes DeGunther For Dummies 0011__443300662200--ffffiirrss..iinndddd iivv 44//11//0099 1100::0088::2299 PPMM Alternative Energy FOR DUMmIES ‰ by Rik DeGunther 0011__443300662200--ffffiirrss..iinndddd ii 44//11//0099 1100::0088::2299 PPMM Alternative Energy For Dummies® Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http:// www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/ or its affi liates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. 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Library of Congress Control Number: 2009925036 ISBN: 978-0-470-43062-0 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0011__443300662200--ffffiirrss..iinndddd iiii 44//11//0099 1100::0088::2299 PPMM About the Author Rik DeGunther attended the University of Illinois as an undergraduate and Stanford University as a graduate student, studying both applied physics and engineering economics (some of this education actually stuck). He holds several United States patents and has designed a wide range of technical equipment including solar energy platforms, military-grade radar jammers, weather-measurement equipment, high-powered radar vacuum tubes, com- puterized production hardware, golf practice devices, digital and analog electronic circuits, unmanned aerial vehicles, guitars and amplifi ers, microwave fi lters and mixers, automatic cabinet openers, strobe light communications systems, explosive devices (strictly on accident), cloud-height sensors, fog sensors, furniture, houses, barns, rocket ships, dart throwers, fl ame throwers, eavesdropping devices, escape routes, and you name it. He’s one of those nerdy guys who likes to take things apart to see how they work and then put them back together and try to fi gure out what the leftover parts are for. Rik is CEO of Effi cient Homes, an energy-effi ciency auditing fi rm in Northern California. He is actively engaged in designing and developing new solar equipment, including off-grid lighting systems and off-grid swimming pool heaters. He writes weekly op-ed columns for the Mountain Democrat, California’s oldest and most venerable newspaper. He has also written a highly acclaimed golf book (on putting) and spends most of his free time attempting to improve his relatively impressive but objectively droll golf handicap, usually to no avail. Sometimes the urge strikes him to play a very loud guitar, of which he owns a collection with far more intrinsic quality than the playing they receive. His hearing has been faltering the last few years, so he rebuilt his amplifi er to go up to 11. 0011__443300662200--ffffiirrss..iinndddd iiiiii 44//11//0099 1100::0088::2299 PPMM 0011__443300662200--ffffiirrss..iinndddd iivv 44//11//0099 1100::0088::2299 PPMM Dedication Of course this book is dedicated to Katie, Erik, and Ally, the only energy sources that truly matter in my life. I would never choose any other alternative than what I have right now. Acknowledgments Many thanks to all those who have contributed to the material in this book, whether wittingly or not. Dick and Betty DeGunther; Professor Mitchell Weissbluth; Professor A.J. Fedro; John Lennon; Paul McCartney; Leland Stanford; Mike Pearcy; Jordan Cobb; Carl Marino; Eric Micko; Vikki Berenz; Connie Cowan; Betsy Sanders; Jim DeGunther; Sarah Nephew; Freddie Mercury; Dave and Perla DeGunther; Brad, Melinda, Samantha, and Emily Schauer; Chuck Albertson; Tilly and Evonne Baldwin; Joe and Marcia Schauer; and Kim and Gary Romano of Sierra Valley Farms. Thanks to Dr. Keith Kennedy and Watkins-Johnson Company for showing restraint above and beyond the call of duty. Thanks to John Steinbeck for making me understand what’s important and what’s not, and in the same vein, Derek Madsen. Thanks to the excellent crew at Wiley: Mike Baker, Tracy Barr, and Jennifer Connolly. And thanks to my technical reviewer, Greg Raffi o. Readers of this book will be amazed at how well it’s written . . . it’s not really my fault — I have the editors to thank for that. And thanks to Stephany Evans at FinePrint Agency for getting all the ducks in a row. Thanks to all the For Dummies fans out there who have made the series what it is today. 0011__443300662200--ffffiirrss..iinndddd vv 44//11//0099 1100::0088::2299 PPMM Publisher’s Acknowledgments We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Composition Services Development Project Coordinator: Katie Key Development Editor: Tracy Barr Layout and Graphics: Samantha K. Allen, Project Editor: Jennifer Connolly Reuben W. Davis, Sarah Philippart, Melissa K. Smith, Christin Swinford, Acquisitions Editor: Mike Baker Christine Williams Copy Editor: Jennifer Connolly Proofreaders: Amanda Graham, Assistant Editor: Erin Calligan Mooney Shannon Ramsey Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen Indexer: Anne Leach Technical Editor: Gregory Raffi o Senior Editorial Manager: Jennifer Ehrlich Editorial Supervisor: Carmen Krikorian Editorial Assistants: Jennette ElNaggar and David Lutton Cover Photos: © iStock Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com) Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel Publishing for Technology Dummies Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User Composition Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services 0011__443300662200--ffffiirrss..iinndddd vvii 44//11//0099 1100::0088::2299 PPMM Contents at a Glance Introduction ................................................................ 1 Part I: The Basic Facts of Energy Life ........................... 9 Chapter 1: What a Mess! .................................................................................................11 Chapter 2: What Energy Is and How It’s Used (Politically and Practically) .............25 Chapter 3: Putting Together Each Piece of the Energy Puzzle ..................................37 Part II: Digging Deeper into the Current State of Affairs ........................................ 57 Chapter 4: Developing a Snapshot of Fossil Fuel Use and Availability .....................59 Chapter 5: Burning Up with Conventional Energy Sources ........................................73 Chapter 6: The First Alternative-Energy Sources: Effi ciency and Conservation......95 Chapter 7: Understanding the Demand For Alternatives .........................................113 Part III: Alternatives — Buildings ............................ 127 Chapter 8: Going Nuclear ..............................................................................................129 Chapter 9: Harnessing the Sun with Solar Power ......................................................151 Chapter 10: Treading Water with Hydropower ..........................................................177 Chapter 11: Blowing Away with Wind Power .............................................................191 Chapter 12: Digging into Geothermal ..........................................................................207 Chapter 13: Exploring Biomass ....................................................................................221 Chapter 14: Burning Wood ...........................................................................................235 Chapter 15: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies ...........................................................249 Part IV: Alternatives — Transportation ..................... 261 Chapter 16: Alternative Transport Technologies ......................................................263 Chapter 17: Alternative-Fuel Vehicles .........................................................................271 Chapter 18: Plugging In: Electric Vehicles ..................................................................283 Chapter 19: Hybrid-Electric Vehicles ..........................................................................297 Chapter 20: Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles ............................................................307 Chapter 21: Exotic Propulsion Systems ......................................................................315 Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................... 325 Chapter 22: Ten or So Myths about Energy................................................................327 Chapter 23: Ten-Plus Ways to Invest in an Alternative-Energy Future ...................335 Index ...................................................................... 343 0022__443300662200--ffttoocc..iinndddd vviiii 44//11//0099 1100::0088::5566 PPMM 0022__443300662200--ffttoocc..iinndddd vviiiiii 44//11//0099 1100::0088::5566 PPMM