Book Review - The Solar Economy

Collect Free Energy

"The Solar Economy"
is written by Hermann Scheer.
Alternative or renewable energy will replace our fossil fuel consumption, whether it is via the forces pushing to reverse the climate change, or the plain fact that we will run out of fossil fuels, sooner than we expect. This book describes the many technologies currently available for renewable energy applications. However, the author goes much further than the presentation of technologies. They are just a means to an end. The world economy will have to change in order to solve the fossil fuel problem, or will anyway change as a result of the renewable energy tools being deployed. After reading the book one becomes very optimistic about the alternatives to fossil fuels as well as the positive side effects on society.

The author Hermann Scheer is a member of parliament in Germany. He has been the driving force behind the campaign for implementation of solar energy tools in Germany. This subsidized program is achieving two goals: 1. Reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and 2. Creating a new industry in the former DDR part of the country. The program is very successful and has made Germany one of the largest users and producers of solar technology. Mr Scheer has collected a tremendous amount of knowledge of the renewable energy and the impact on society and economy. He developed a detailed view of how the future will unfold as a result of the replacement of fossil fuel by renewable energy.

The consumption of fossil fuels has grown to enormous proportions and so has the dependence on them. Fossil fuels have become one of the most important sectors of the world economy. As a consequence fossil fuels are a dominating political item, the ownership of the resources as well as the need for a continuous supply. And let's not forget a source of income for governments, either directly from fuel mining or a source of taxation. The oil and gas companies, the mining companies and the electricity suppliers have all become huge corporations and their interest are defended with almost any means. Until their sources run dry they will do anything to stop the conversion to renewable energy. The recent cross-border mergers of electricity companies in Europe make them more powerful and will make it more difficult to reduce their control.

Renewable energy is available in unlimited quantities. Solar energy may be collected via solar panels based on multiple technologies. Agricultural energy products are also a form of solar energy; after all it is the sun that generates the plant material. Biomass can also be the source of plastics and other "artificial" materials. Biomass can be produced by a wide variety of plant material, which can grow in many different climate zones. Positive side effect is the fact that these types of plastics are bio-degradable, unlike their oil-originated plastic sister products. Most of the current environmental problems will be solved by the use of solar products. Many solar production technologies are available and ready to be applied on a large scale.

Renewable energy can be generated locally. Either direct solar energy collection or energy generation from biomass can be done all over the world. This energy does not have to be hauled over thousands of miles like oil. It does not require hundreds of miles of high tension cables to bring solar energy from the Sahara to the cities in Europe. Energy generation and consumption can be done locally, reducing the need for transportation of the source material or the energy product.

The economic system will be adapted to the different sources and flow of energy products. The local production of energy and other products will reduce the transportation cost as well as the need for energy to carry out the transportation. In energy terms there will no longer be have and have not's. Developing countries can generate their own energy and have the opportunity to build their own industries and become exporters.

Energy and industrial production can be regionalized. This means countries will be more in control of their own destiny, which will promote the democratic process. People will once again feel empowered and in charge of their community. Farming communities will be flourishing again; they will be the source of energy and chemical materials as well as food. The new economy will repopulate and revitalize the countryside.

I highly recommend "The Solar Economy". This is an optimistic book about solutions to serious problems of our time.

The reviewer Marinus M. Grootenboer is a consultant and program/project manager with extensive international experience.

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