Energy

by Joseph M. Dukert

Overview

Energy: We want it affordable, we want it available in ample quantities and from reliable sources, and we want it to be produced and used in ways that are safe and environmentally benign. In other words, we want plenty of energy too cheap to meter and with no impact on the environment. Ha! With a refreshing lack of bias, this book dissects all major sources of energy, from oil and coal to renewables like solar and wind power. In an easy, understandable style, energy expert Joseph Dukert explains how each fits into the overall global energy mix that powers everything from automobiles and appliances to assembly lines and space stations.

As Dukert details, all energy sources have pluses and minuses. Those who champion any single energy source (or even energy efficiency by itself) as the sole answer to our energy problems are off track, he argues, as are the cynics who condemn one source or another or pooh-pooh the threat of global warming. In short, we need every significant source of energy we have today, while also making greater efforts to improve the efficiency of energy production and energy consumption.

Dukert also explores the choices made by individuals, businesses, and society as each group juggles conflicting, interconnected factors: affordability, reliability, adequacy of supply, environmental concerns, and time. In explaining why there's no magic bullet solution to the energy crisis, the author blends simple technical descriptions, economics, and real-world politics. Besides providing a cogent overview of a huge—and hugely important—industry, this short, comprehensive volume helps readers decide for themselves which choices are in their best interest. As Dukert suggests, energy independence is probably not a realistic goal for any country, but the search for a dynamic, practical energy balance can nonetheless result in a wiser national energy policy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313348778
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/30/2008
Series:	Greenwood Guides to Business and Economics
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Joseph M. Dukert, PhD, a political economist, has been an independent energy analyst and consultant for more than forty years. He is regarded widely as the outstanding authority on interdependence in the North American energy market. His expertise covers both technical developments and economics in all energy sources as well as energy efficiency. A Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, he was named several years ago as a Senior Fellow of the U.S. Association for Energy Economics and is President of that 1000-member organization for 2009. He has also served as Senior Advisor to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation and as a consultant to the International Energy Agency of the OECD.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword
Preface
Chapter 1. Energy in the Balance
Chapter 2. How Much Is Enough?
Chapter 3. How Much Does It Cost?
Chapter 4. Reliability of Supply
Chapter 5. Environmental Factors
Chapter 6. Time, the Often Overlooked Factor
Chapter 7. Energy Policy and Its Economic Implications
Chapter 8. Looking Ahead to Sustainable Development
Glossary

What People are Saying About This

Branko Terzic

"Joe Dukert's Energy fills the critical gap between highly technical but difficult texts and popular but inaccurate non-fiction books on the critical issue of the role of energy into the future. Timely, informative and concise Energy should be required reading for both the energy policymaker and the informed citizen. Dukert really understands energy and explains clearly how it affects business, the economy and the average citizen."

William F. Martin Former US Deputy Secretary of Energy and President of the United Nations Universit

"Joe Dukert is one of the outstanding energy economists of our era. In this precise, easy to read volume, Dr. Dukert grounds the reader in understanding the energy situation, letting the reader draw their own conclusions. Read it and come away with a deeper understanding of the complexities of energy security, environment, geo-political challenges and economic sustainability."

Adam E. SieminskiChief Energy Economist

"Joe Dukert has managed to demystify energy-telling a sophisticated story in language that is both understandable and entertaining. Energy explains why simple questions can end up having such complex answers and highlights the role of economics in getting to the right solutions."

Michael L. Telson

"Joe Dukert is a veteran of Washington's energy policy scene. He was involved in editing or writing most of the major energy policy reports released by the U.S. Department of Energy by the four administrations during the 1980-1994 period. He quickly saw that energy policy-making requires many tradeoffs among objectives, and that the American public generally did not understand the need for, or the nature of, balancing among these objectives. Dukert decided to write his book as a primer for the public. Dukert's book has a unique focus—he tries to lead the ordinary citizen through the morass that accompanies the making of energy policy. I recommend his book to any citizen who wants to become more active in the setting of our future energy policies."

William F. MartinFormer US Deputy Secretary of Energy and President of the United Nations University

"Joe Dukert is one of the outstanding energy economists of our era. In this precise, easy to read volume, Dr. Dukert grounds the reader in understanding the energy situation, letting the reader draw their own conclusions. Read it and come away with a deeper understanding of the complexities of energy security, environment, geo-political challenges and economic sustainability."

Michael L. Telson Former Chief Financial Officer

"Joe Dukert is a veteran of Washington's energy policy scene. He was involved in editing or writing most of the major energy policy reports released by the U.S. Department of Energy by the four administrations during the 1980-1994 period. He quickly saw that energy policy-making requires many tradeoffs among objectives, and that the American public generally did not understand the need for, or the nature of, balancing among these objectives.

'Dukert decided to write his book as a primer for the public. Dukert's book has a unique focus--he tries to lead the ordinary citizen through the morass that accompanies the making of energy policy. I recommend his book to any citizen who wants to become more active in the setting of our future energy policies."

Prof. Wilfrid Kohl Johns Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

"This is a sophisticated analysis by a veteran energy consultant, full of interesting insights. Dr. Dukert's book will be particularly valuable as a supplemental reading in an energy-environment course or as a reference/refresher for the general reader with some energy background."

Adam E. Sieminski Chief Energy Economist

"Joe Dukert has managed to demystify energy-telling a sophisticated story in language that is both understandable and entertaining. Energy explains why simple questions can end up having such complex answers and highlights the role of economics in getting to the right solutions."

Prof. Wilfrid KohlJohns Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

"This is a sophisticated analysis by a veteran energy consultant, full of interesting insights. Dr. Dukert's book will be particularly valuable as a supplemental reading in an energy-environment course or as a reference/refresher for the general reader with some energy background."

Branko TerzicFormer Commissioner

"Joe Dukert's Energy fills the critical gap between highly technical but difficult texts and popular but inaccurate non-fiction books on the critical issue of the role of energy into the future. Timely, informative and concise Energy should be required reading for both the energy policymaker and the informed citizen. Dukert really understands energy and explains clearly how it affects business, the economy and the average citizen."

Editorial Reviews

Dukert's book stands out as an authoritative, wide-ranging treatment of energy, well suited as a core resource for undergraduate courses or general audiences. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All collections.” —Choice

“In view of the tumultuous history of energy prices, the growth in energy demand in emerging markets, rising geopolitical resource nationalism, the perceived conflicts between energy security and environmental concerns, the need for such a book is a no-brainer. Dukert pushes the reader to explore the thought process and tradeoffs that underlie the statement of such goals as 'we want affordable energy to be available in ample quantities from reliable sources that are safe and environmentally benign when we want it.'” —The Energy Jourbanal

From the Publisher