Energy Bookshelf: Power Hungry gushing of lies

by A Siegel

On reading the opening paragraphs of Robert Bryce's author's note, I felt a kindred soul:

.. just how lucky I am.  There is no more complex or fascinating topic than energy.  ... the scale of energy use and the complexity and the importance of the energy business are unmatched by any industry.  The study of energy includes physics, geology, chemistry, engineering, metallurgy ... the list goes on and on.  ... no matter how much I study it, I still feel like a rank amateur.  And, yet, if we are to make wise choices about energy policy, it is essential for all of us -- as voters, as owners and managers of businesses, and as policymakers -- to understand what energy is, what power is, how they are measured, and which forms of eneryg and power production make the most sense environmentally and economically.

Sadly, the material that followed this opening shattered the reverie of idyllic bonding.

continued at Daily Kos....

Energy BOOKSHELF: The power of invisible energy

by A Siegel

Efficiency is the ugly stepchild of the energy and climate world.

Recently, I put solar on my roof.  Many neighbors and friends are excited about trying to do the same.  When I hear this from them, the advice: make sure that your home is energy efficient before putting a penny into something like solar power or a generator. One friend's response, "I know that but insulation isn't sexy."

It might not be sexy, but efficiency is powerful.

In Invisible Energy, NRDC's David Goldstein lays out a strong case why our national policy should be that of the home: first, second, and third priority should be energy efficiency and then clean energy (renewable energy) can meet the reduced energy demands.

continued at Daily Kos...