The Hydrogen Economy: The Creation of the Worldwide Energy Web and the Redistribution of Power on EarthThe message of "The Hydrogen Economy" is resoundingly simple: The earth is depleting its oil reserves and even the most generous estimates show oil reserves peaking in about forty years. The specter of global warming and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the oil-rich regions of the earth worsen the problem considerably. The answer, asserts Rifkin, is to embrace a new energy source that is just now gaining public attention: hydrogen. This abundant element, found everywhere on earth including in air and water, can be transformed, using sustainable methods, into a potentially limitless form of clean-burning fuel. But this potential will founder unless we act now to create the necessary global infrastructure before the factors above overtake us. If we embrace this momentous opportunity, Rifkin says, we will also be able to reinvent the global economy as one in which an inexpensive energy grid provides affordable, efficient fuel for virtually everyone on earth. If we fail, our current economic regime-built exclusively on fossil fuels-will collapse. As the concept of a hydrogen-based future grows in the news, "The Hydrogen Economy" will lead the way. |
Contents
BETWEEN REALITIES | 1 |
VULNERABILITIES | 7 |
ENERGY AND THE RISE | 37 |
Copyright | |
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The Hydrogen Economy: The Creation of the Worldwide Energy Web and the ... Jeremy Rifkin Limited preview - 2002 |
The Hydrogen Economy: The Creation of the World-wide Energy Web and the ... Jeremy Rifkin No preview available - 2002 |
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20th century agricultural American Arab available energy barrels of oil become bell curve billion barrels centralized cheap crude oil civilization CO₂ coal commercial communities consumed continue cooperatives cost countries created crude oil culture decade decline distributed distributed-generation Earth economic electricity emissions energy companies energy regime engine entropy environment estimates existing flow fossil fuels fuel cells fuel-cell fundamentalists future gasoline geologists geopolitical global oil production Global Warming grid Gulf harnessed human hydrogen economy hydrogen energy Ibid increase industry infrastructure Institute Islamic Kuwait land living maintain Middle East military mobility modern Muslim nations natural gas oil companies oil fields oil prices OPEC organism percent Petroleum pipelines political population power plants refineries rise Saudi Arabia says September 11th attacks social society tar sand technologies thermodynamics tion ultimately recoverable United University users Wahhabi Western world markets World Oil York Youngquist