Renewable: The World-Changing Power of Alternative Energy

Science writer Shere presents a refreshing yet serious look at alternative energy sources. Most books on the topic are written with an agenda of proving (or disproving) the merits of one or another source. Rather than aiming to convert readers to one point of view, Shere simply seeks to inform them of the realities of his subject. He invites readers to tag along on his journey of discovery as he visits particular locales, interviews today's experts, and tours renewable energy facilities. Five types of renewable energy are explored in the book: ethanol, solar, wind, geothermal, and water. For each of these, Shere discusses the history of our use of it as an energy source and charts the current landscape of the technology. He notes barriers to each source's acceptance, its relative growth as it has developed the necessary technology for use, and whether it shows promise as a viable economic alternative to the use of fossil fuels. Shere does all this without getting bogged down in scientific details and jargon.