LEADER 03169oam 2200613K 450 001 9910823964203321 005 20240219153151.0 010 $a9780262326926$belectronic bk. 010 $a0262326922$belectronic bk. 010 $z9780262029148 010 $z0262029146 010 $z026202914 035 $a(CKB)3860000000003488 035 $a(CaBNVSL)mat07120891 035 $a(IDAMS)0b000064848c682c 035 $a(IEEE)7120891 035 $a(OCoLC)927400712$z(OCoLC)926098378 035 $a(OCoLC-P)927400712 035 $a(MaCbMITP)10046 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC5891215 035 $a(PPN)262293145 035 $a(EXLCZ)993860000000003488 100 $a20151103d2015 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aur|n||||||||| 181 $2rdacontent 182 $2isbdmedia 183 $2rdacarrier 200 10$aPower density $ea key to understanding energy sources and uses /$fVaclav Smil 210 1$aCambridge, Massachusetts :$cThe MIT Press,$d[2015] 215 $a1 PDF (ix, 306 pages) $cillustrations 311 $a0-262-02914-6 311 $a0-262-32692-2 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index. 330 $aIn this book, Vaclav Smil argues that power density is a key determinant of the nature and dynamics of energy systems. Any understanding of complex energy systems must rely on quantitative measures of many fundamental variables. Power density -- the rate of energy flux per unit of area -- is an important but largely overlooked measure. Smil provides the first systematic, quantitative appraisal of power density, offering detailed reviews of the power densities of renewable energy flows, fossil fuels, thermal electricity generation, and all common energy uses. Smil shows that careful quantification, critical appraisals, and revealing comparisons of power densities make possible a deeper understanding of the ways we harness, convert, and use energies. Conscientious assessment of power densities, he argues, proves particularly revealing when contrasting the fossil fuel--based energy system with renewable energy conversions. Smil explains that modern civilization has evolved as a direct expression of the high power densities of fossil fuel extraction. He argues that our inevitable (and desirable) move to new energy arrangements involving conversions of lower-density renewable energy sources will require our society -- currently dominated by megacities and concentrated industrial production -- to undergo a profound spatial restructuring of its energy system. 606 $aEnergy level densities 606 $aEnergy auditing 606 $aRenewable energy sources 606 $aPower resources 610 $aENVIRONMENT/Energy 610 $aENVIRONMENT/General 610 $aPHYSICAL SCIENCES/General 615 0$aEnergy level densities. 615 0$aEnergy auditing. 615 0$aRenewable energy sources. 615 0$aPower resources. 676 $a333.79 700 $aSmil$b Vaclav$0140188 801 0$bOCoLC-P 801 1$bOCoLC-P 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910823964203321 996 $aPower density$93924085 997 $aUNINA