Energy at the Crossroads

Energy at the Crossroads is an objective, comprehensive, and accessible examination of today's most crucial problem: preserving the environment in the face of society's insatiable need for energy. With this book, author Vaclav Smil offers a comprehensive, accessible guide to viable methods to reduce energy consumption and find alternative sources of power production in the twenty-first century. After a century of unprecedented production growth, technical innovation, and expanded consumption, the world faces a number of critical energy challenges arising from unequal resource distribution, changing demand patterns, and environmental limitations.