When we were in Christchurch we were as well visiting some of the very interesting second hand bookshops. In one of them I found the mentioned book dealing with, obviously, the energy question. It is a Pelican paperback from the year 1976. Crazy, I was three years old when this book was printed. But I was surprised: It was not the feeling to read an very old classic. Normally you smile when you read the expectations centuries old. Not in this book. The basic approach to explain everything from the energy point of view gives You a very good idea with what we are dealing here and that everything is connected with energy. Very nice for example are the numbers of the reflected and used solar energy of our homeplanet earth. The only energy input (despite the negligable thermal energy) is solar energy. This energy is first needed to keep the biosphere earth working. The generation of temperature, clouds, winds, waves, currents, and so on needs energy and this energy is coming from our nearest star - the sol. The numbers give you an idea how much is used for evaporating the water which is later condensated again and what we expiriencing as rain. This loop is the major energy consumption. The for us so important photosyntheses is one of the smallest part of the used solar energy. The second biggest part of it is reflected immediately. The biggest part is used to heat up the earth. The games with the numbers give you a good expression with how much energy we are dealing here. This is not childs play. This is the very big thing. And if you imagine how small our planet is yoou get a very good idea how much energy our sun generates and how less we are able to use of it. It is interesting: After the first reat pages you will recognize that you are is a solar vehicle. It drives with solar energy. Energy which was the result of composting sea inhabitants which were feeded by the sun. This process took a real long time. We burn the stuff in seconds.
The second part of the book deals with the various energy sources we are able to use now or which are proposed for future use. It is very interesting that the most stuff (including the nowadays "modern" fuel cell) what we use and try to use today is mentioned in the text. So you can easily compare the difficulties in the 70's of the last century and today. For example you get a good impression why photovoltaic was no option in these days (there you see for sure a change). But you see as well that all the difficulties with nuclear fission power were points of discussion. So they knew the problems with the waste since a long time and some scientists tried to stop further development to check out if we can deal with the side effects. Unfortunately mankind was again thinking not so far and nowadays the problem is getting bigger and bigger. For the farmers it is quit interesting to read (beside the fact that the book is giving a energy point of view about the food production) about the biogas. In these times there were already farms equipped with devices to use it. So there must be today a great source of information about it.
The third part is the weakest of all. But this is not surprising. It deals with the futures and we know were we are today. It looks like that mankind has still not reached the point where the energy consumption will be not increasing anymore. The car production is still high and the gap between US and Europe concerning the energy consumption per capita is still big. The energy restriction is still no point of discussion. Only in some countries like (I'm showing some proudness here, I know) Germany attempts were made to rise the energy value. This is (I know some people don't want to hear this) essential and we are not allowed to stop. This is one of the futures of our country. Sophisticated technology is needed to use alternative energies and to reduce the consumption of the fossil ones. Here is our chance. And the eco tax is a good beginning. So, I think I have now some foes more but please before sending me a bomb think! Even in Germany there are not much places where you can drive 200km/h. So why have a car which maakes 300? Or 200? This makes no sense. This is stupid. We need cars making the best of their fuel and which makes 100 max. This means saving money, effectively. Even without the eco tax. Who cares about your car. If you have problem when why use a car to compensate it. The training looks different (I will say some words about the Kiwis and their cars in a different article - it is quit funny).
One of the effects on me is that soon I will need a new job. Burning gas to create electricity is more or less equal stupid than the 300km/h car. I must say this because it iis true. And anyway - three years are enough. Time for new challenges.