Power Hungry: The Myths of ''Green'' Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future

The promise of ''green jobs'' and a ''clean energy future'' has roused the masses. But as Robert Bryce makes clear in this provocative book, that vision needs a major re-vision. We cannot - and will not - quit using carbon-based fuels at any time in the near future for a simple reason: they provide the horsepower that we crave. The hard reality is that oil, coal, and natural gas are here to stay. Fueling our society requires more than sentiment and rhetoric; we need to make good decisions and smart investments based on facts. In Power Hungry, Bryce provides a supertanker-load of footnoted facts while shepherding readers through basic physics and math. And with the help of a panoply of vivid graphics and tables, he crushes a phalanx of energy myths, showing why renewables are not green, carbon capture and sequestration won't work, and even - surprise! - that the U.S. is leading the world in energy efficiency. He also charts the amazing growth of the fuels of the future: natural gas and nuclear. Power Hungry delivers a clear-eyed view of what America has ''in the tank,'' and what's needed to transform the gargantuan global energy sector.