Clean Energy, Climate and Carbon

Outlining the challenge in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions (specifically CO2) given the nature of its industrial and energy base. It will do this in a global context with an emphasis on Australia, New Zealand and the Asia- Pacific Region. It covers the range of technologies involved in geosequestration including costs, what we know, what we don't know, etc. It also considers application of the technology and the control that geology exerts on sequestration options. A key issue is community acceptance of the technology and therefore the risks involved in the technology -- and the risk of doing nothing is discussed. The work contains a large number of diagrams to explain complex ideas and particularly to illustrate the unfamiliar world of the subsurface and how fluids such as CO2 behave in the subsurface. The book is targeted towards a readership of undergraduate students and an interested/informed audience concerned about climate change.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgements 1 The context 2 CO2 and climate change 3 Where and why are we producing so much CO2? 4 Technology options for decreasing CO2 emissions 5 The mitigation mix 6 Where and how can we capture CO2? 7 How can we transport CO2? 8 Storing CO2 9 How do we know CCS will be effective? 10 The cost of clean energy 11 The technology and the politics of clean energy

About the Author :
Professor Peter Cook, CBE, FTSE, is a distinguished earth scientist with an outstanding international reputation and many publications on greenhouse gas, energy and resource issues to his credit, including as a Coordinating Lead Author of the IPCC Special Volume of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage. He was the Director of the British Geological Survey from 1990 to 1998 and until 2011 the CEO of CO2CRC, one of the world’s leading collaborative research bodies focused on greenhouse gas technologies. He is currently a consultant on energy and greenhouse issues, Senior Advisor to CO2CRC and Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Review :
..., the book does provide an uncomplicated discussion of the issues and the various clean energy technologies that can assist in managing carbon dioxide emissions. The book is easy to read with good basic information and some comments and observations that will provoke thought on the issues surrounding clean energy and the costly and relatively unproductive malaise that seems to be our current approach.Frank van Schagen, Editor Energy Generation APT - 1368 Energy Generation April-June 2012 [This is] a book for the general reader who wants to understand the science on this topic through the eyes of an intelligent author with great skills at clarifying exceptionally complex topics. ...the book is certainly not a sterile review of a collection of scientific papers. Indeed, the first two chapters on the climate change topic are filled with easy-to understand diagrams and photographs that clearly and carefully explain the phenomenon. Professor Cook is to be congratulated in writing a book for the general reader who wants to be informed. It is perfect for this audience.John Burgess Chemistry in Australia, July 2012 Cook's writing is eloquent and, to a convert like me, persuasive. I hope that decision-makers will take note of his hard-headed advice about the way to produce deep cuts in our carbon emissionsProfessor Ian Rae FTSE, Honorary Professorial Fellow University of Melbourne Former Technical Director of ATSE, President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2006-08), and technical adviser to the United Nations Environment Program. Focus, No 172 June 2012 – the Journal of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering This is an excellent introduction to many topics in the field of climate change, with a particular focus on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.Paul Fennell, chemistryworld, 9 October 2012 ..., the book does provide an uncomplicated discussion of the issues and the various clean energy technologies that can assist in managing carbon dioxide emissions. The book is easy to read with good basic information and some comments and observations that will provoke thought on the issues surrounding clean energy and the costly and relatively unproductive malaise that seems to be our current approach.Frank van Schagen, Editor Energy Generation APT - 1368 Energy Generation April-June 2012 [This is] a book for the general reader who wants to understand the science on this topic through the eyes of an intelligent author with great skills at clarifying exceptionally complex topics. ...the book is certainly not a sterile review of a collection of scientific papers. Indeed, the first two chapters on the climate change topic are filled with easy-to understand diagrams and photographs that clearly and carefully explain the phenomenon. Professor Cook is to be congratulated in writing a book for the general reader who wants to be informed. It is perfect for this audience.John Burgess Chemistry in Australia, July 2012 Cook's writing is eloquent and, to a convert like me, persuasive. I hope that decision-makers will take note of his hard-headed advice about the way to produce deep cuts in our carbon emissionsProfessor Ian Rae FTSE, Honorary Professorial Fellow University of Melbourne Former Technical Director of ATSE, President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2006-08), and technical adviser to the United Nations Environment Program. Focus, No 172 June 2012 – the Journal of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering This is an excellent introduction to many topics in the field of climate change, with a particular focus on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.Paul Fennell, chemistryworld, 9 October 2012