Power from the Waves by David Ross download ebook FB2, PDF, TXT
9780198565116 English 0198565119 Capturing the energy of waves could provide more than 20 per cent of the UK's electricity needs by the year 2025. There would be no environmental damage and no use of finite fossil fuel resources. This is a clean, renewable and non-damaging power source. This book explains how it could work, how experimental stations do work and the politics and vested interests that have hindered and continue to hinder it. This text is for environmentalists interested in alternative energy and as background reading on environmental engineering, offshore engineering and renewable energy courses., Foreword by Dr D. A. Elliott, Open UniversityOver the last decade or so, renewable energy technology has moved from themargins to the mainstream. Whereas once it was the dream of utopians, now wehave British Trade and Industry Ministers talking of L2.5 billion market for theUK renewable energy industry and the government's Renewable Energy AdvisoryGroup estimating that the renewable sources could contribute perhaps 20 per centof the UK's electricity requirement by the year 2025.Although some work had been done earlier, the UK entered the renewable energyfield seriously in 1974, following the first oil crisis. A total of some L230million has been spent on a range of research and development projects. Wavepower was initially seen as one of the front runners and some L15 million wasspent on it before the "deep sea" wave programme was wound up in 1982. Thedecision to abandon deep sea wave power was the focus for much debate in whichthe author, David Ross, took a vigorous part. His book, Energy From the Waves,first published in 1979, provided unique coverage for the general reader, aswell as for students of renewable energy, of the technology involved incapturing the energy of the waves and of the historical and politicaldevelopment of this novel technology. He has since followed the twists and turnsof the debate over wave power and, while his investigative journalism andcampaigning style have not endeared him to the energy establishment, hisenergetic exploration of the policy issues has provided us with a fascinatingaccount of decision-making processes.The policy issues are now, if anything, more urgent than ever. With nuclearpower widely seen as an unviable option, the development of renewable energytechnologies, along with conservation techniques, are one way in which we canrespond to the threat of global warming and other environmental problems.Clearly, some of his analysis is contentious. But then the topic iscontroversial, with interpretations of facts often still being in dispute. Forexample, in terms of the economics, all we have are estimates of likely costs.often based on purely conceptual systems, framed in contemporary short-termfinancial accounting contexts which usually ignore wider environmentalconsiderations. Given this situation, it would probably be impossible to producea totally independent and impartial review of the issues, or a "finalconclusion" on wave power. The jury is still out.Accepting this limitation, although he is clearly a partisan for wave energy,Ross provides us with a unique insight into the issues of the technologicaldecision-making process, an insight which may help us decide on the issuesourselves. Over the last decade or so, renewable energy technology has movedfrom the margins to the mainstream. By the year 2025 capturing the energy ofwaves could provide more than 20 per cent of the UK's electricity needs. Andthis clean, renewable power source would cause no environmental damage and nouse of finite fossil fuel resources.This book explains how it could work, how experimental stations do work, andthe politics and vested interests that have hindered and continue to hinderit., Over the last decade or so, renewable energy technology has moved from the margins to the mainstream. Where it was once a utopian dream, British experts now talk of a huge market for the UK renewable energy industry, and the government's Renewable Energy Advisory Group estimates that renewable sources could contribute as much as 20% of the UK's electricity requirement by the year 2025. The UK first entered the renewable energy field in 1974, after the first oil crisis. Since then, a total of 230 million pounds has been spent on research and development projects. Wave power was one of the front runners; millions were spent on it before the "deep sea" wave program folded in 1982. The decision to abandon the program was the focus for many debates in which the author took a vigorous part. His book, Energy From the Waves , first published in 1979, provided unique coverage for the general reader, as well as for students of renewable energy. He has since followed the twists and turns of the debate over wave power, not exactly endearing himself to the energy establishment, but providing readers with many fascinating accounts of decision-making processes. This is a continuation of the study of power waves, and because the issues it touches upon are more urgent than ever, it should interest not only engineers and environmentalists, but the general public as well.
9780198565116 English 0198565119 Capturing the energy of waves could provide more than 20 per cent of the UK's electricity needs by the year 2025. There would be no environmental damage and no use of finite fossil fuel resources. This is a clean, renewable and non-damaging power source. This book explains how it could work, how experimental stations do work and the politics and vested interests that have hindered and continue to hinder it. This text is for environmentalists interested in alternative energy and as background reading on environmental engineering, offshore engineering and renewable energy courses., Foreword by Dr D. A. Elliott, Open UniversityOver the last decade or so, renewable energy technology has moved from themargins to the mainstream. Whereas once it was the dream of utopians, now wehave British Trade and Industry Ministers talking of L2.5 billion market for theUK renewable energy industry and the government's Renewable Energy AdvisoryGroup estimating that the renewable sources could contribute perhaps 20 per centof the UK's electricity requirement by the year 2025.Although some work had been done earlier, the UK entered the renewable energyfield seriously in 1974, following the first oil crisis. A total of some L230million has been spent on a range of research and development projects. Wavepower was initially seen as one of the front runners and some L15 million wasspent on it before the "deep sea" wave programme was wound up in 1982. Thedecision to abandon deep sea wave power was the focus for much debate in whichthe author, David Ross, took a vigorous part. His book, Energy From the Waves,first published in 1979, provided unique coverage for the general reader, aswell as for students of renewable energy, of the technology involved incapturing the energy of the waves and of the historical and politicaldevelopment of this novel technology. He has since followed the twists and turnsof the debate over wave power and, while his investigative journalism andcampaigning style have not endeared him to the energy establishment, hisenergetic exploration of the policy issues has provided us with a fascinatingaccount of decision-making processes.The policy issues are now, if anything, more urgent than ever. With nuclearpower widely seen as an unviable option, the development of renewable energytechnologies, along with conservation techniques, are one way in which we canrespond to the threat of global warming and other environmental problems.Clearly, some of his analysis is contentious. But then the topic iscontroversial, with interpretations of facts often still being in dispute. Forexample, in terms of the economics, all we have are estimates of likely costs.often based on purely conceptual systems, framed in contemporary short-termfinancial accounting contexts which usually ignore wider environmentalconsiderations. Given this situation, it would probably be impossible to producea totally independent and impartial review of the issues, or a "finalconclusion" on wave power. The jury is still out.Accepting this limitation, although he is clearly a partisan for wave energy,Ross provides us with a unique insight into the issues of the technologicaldecision-making process, an insight which may help us decide on the issuesourselves. Over the last decade or so, renewable energy technology has movedfrom the margins to the mainstream. By the year 2025 capturing the energy ofwaves could provide more than 20 per cent of the UK's electricity needs. Andthis clean, renewable power source would cause no environmental damage and nouse of finite fossil fuel resources.This book explains how it could work, how experimental stations do work, andthe politics and vested interests that have hindered and continue to hinderit., Over the last decade or so, renewable energy technology has moved from the margins to the mainstream. Where it was once a utopian dream, British experts now talk of a huge market for the UK renewable energy industry, and the government's Renewable Energy Advisory Group estimates that renewable sources could contribute as much as 20% of the UK's electricity requirement by the year 2025. The UK first entered the renewable energy field in 1974, after the first oil crisis. Since then, a total of 230 million pounds has been spent on research and development projects. Wave power was one of the front runners; millions were spent on it before the "deep sea" wave program folded in 1982. The decision to abandon the program was the focus for many debates in which the author took a vigorous part. His book, Energy From the Waves , first published in 1979, provided unique coverage for the general reader, as well as for students of renewable energy. He has since followed the twists and turns of the debate over wave power, not exactly endearing himself to the energy establishment, but providing readers with many fascinating accounts of decision-making processes. This is a continuation of the study of power waves, and because the issues it touches upon are more urgent than ever, it should interest not only engineers and environmentalists, but the general public as well.