文档介绍：Biofuels, Solar and Wind as Renewable
Energy Systems
David Pimentel
Editor
Biofuels, Solar and Wind
as Renewable Energy
Systems
Benefits and Risks
123
Editor
Dr. David Pimentel
Cornell University
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
stock Hall
Ithaca, NY 15850
USA
******@
ISBN: 978-1-4020-8653-3 e-ISBN: 978-1-4020-8654-0
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008931413
Chapter 5 c The Authors
c 2008 Springer Science+Business Media .
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Cover Images
Dutch windmill (Courtesy of Schoen Photography, )
c Schoen Photography, Colorado, USA
Wind turbine c 2008 JupiterImages Corporation
Printed on acid-free paper
987654321
Preface
The petroleum age began about 150 years ago. Easily available energy has sup-
ported major advances in agriculture, industry, transportation, and indeed many
diverse activities valued by humans. Now world petroleum and natural gas sup-
plies have peaked and their supplies will slowly decline over the next 40–50 years
until depleted. Although small amounts of petroleum and natural gas will remain
underground, it will be energetically and economically impossible to extract. In the
United States, coal supplies could be available for as long as 40–50 years, depending
on how rapidly coal is utilized as a replacement for petroleum and natural gas.
Having fortable with the security provided by fossil energy, especially
petroleum and natural gas, we appear to be slow to recognize the energy crisis in the
. and world. Serious energy conservation and research on viable renewable en-
ergy technologies