Energy revolution

Solutions for limited resources, political dependence and climate change.

The Netherlands depends for 95 percent of its energy needs on fossil fuels. It’s common knowledge that these resources are finite. Also, their use increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, resulting in a forced greenhouse effect and man-made climate change. So, should we gather wood for burning and read at candlelight? Or should we get close with statest that own large fossil reserves? Science writer Jos Wassink doesn’t think so. He shows in his book Energierevolutie (only in Dutch, sorry) that the solutions are on the shelf for the most part. What’s needed is an scaling up that is beyond our current imagination.

The book has three parts. In the first part Wassink analyses the three drivers that (will) force an energy revolution: the lacking production capacity of fossil fuels at the growing global demand; climate change and the oppressing dependence of fossil energy giants like Russia or Saudi Aarabia.

The second part explores several forms of sustainable energy in the Netherlands like wind, power from manure fermentation, nuclear energy, power from salt and sweet water, solar energy and biofuels. Wassink interviews experts and finds out the potentials, the (dis) advantages and the costs.

Part three describes the opposing energy scenarios from Greenpeace and KiviNiria, the engineers association. Wassink invites his readers to take a wider view and come up with their own choices and build a scenario.

The book is not a scary story. On the contrary, it pays honour to man’s ingenuity. Hope instead of doom: if we take our responsibility, we can make an energy revolution happen in our time.

Energierevolutie has been published by Veen Magazines in Amsterdam in 2007. The book is sold out, but can be downloaded here.