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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
You should read this book. It's a fascinating exploration of how electricity works (and doesn't) on a national scale. you'll learn the historical context that gave us the electrical system we have today, in terms of technology, politics and culture. Bakke explains the promise and challenge of integrating green energy into the electrical system, and proposes several things that must be done to make the problem more tractable.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
challenging
informative
slow-paced
I have a professional interest in this subject, which probably influences my rating, but... I really appreciated this book. Perhaps I didn't quite enjoy it - not a pleasurable read, it's dense - but this book made me think, worry, learn, despair, reflect, and hope.
Yep, hope. Because our grid is going to change, whether we want it to or not, whether we guide it's development in sensible, far-thinking directions or not. And I do suspect (I hope this isn't optimism speaking) that many "distributed power plants" run by algorithms - and powered by renewables - is part of that inevitable change.
Highly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in renewable energy, a natural history of our society's relationship with electricity, or the current trend toward the electrification of everything.
Yep, hope. Because our grid is going to change, whether we want it to or not, whether we guide it's development in sensible, far-thinking directions or not. And I do suspect (I hope this isn't optimism speaking) that many "distributed power plants" run by algorithms - and powered by renewables - is part of that inevitable change.
Highly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in renewable energy, a natural history of our society's relationship with electricity, or the current trend toward the electrification of everything.
For any fellow nerd who is invested in a sustainable energy future and resilient grid, this is a comprehensive read. I learned a great deal about the history of the grid and the challenges renewables present to utilities.
After reading this book, I understand the nuisances of the topic in ways I had never imagined.
After reading this book, I understand the nuisances of the topic in ways I had never imagined.
Every once in a while you get a behind the scenes look at the vast machine that holds our lives together. This book illuminated the other half of a puzzle so daunting that it will take all of our flexibility, resilience and foresight to create a system that will last the next few hundred years. Is you are interested in renewable energy, in the inevitable shift away from fossil fuels, or just the future of power and transportation which will govern the shape of the future, then you absolutely must read and understand this foundational and severely neglected piece of our society.
Good review of the challenges of our energy future: renewables, smart grid and the degree of reliability we all need
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I have a hard time reviewing this book. It's an incredibly important topic, that isn't as thoroughly investigate as it should be. While I admire the task that Bakke undertook in writing this book,it just doesn't go into the detail I feel it could have used.
Bakke does a great job investigating the human and technological side of the Grid, diving into the history of it's inception and the various laws that have affected it since then. She provides good insight into why the system is the way it is, and why it is so hard to change. Bakke spends a good deal of time stating why we can't just start installing renewable energy everywhere at the speeds we'd like considering the technology as it stands and the political barriers we encounter. She clearly went through great pains to find relatable stories to highlight the struggles across the nation. There are great anecdotes about the smart grid, and tons of small stories about power outages unearthed in this book.
However, I feel like better editing could have helped bring out the best that this book has to offer. Without a really clear motive, beyond informing the public about the nature of our energy system, a lot of the book meanders. There isn't a clear chronological outline, nor do the themes of each section standout. Ultimately, the conclusion suffers because it all feels like it boils down to "this is a big mess, and we can't just start from scratch". If a little more focus was brought to each section, and a little more purpose brought to each chapter, this book could have gone a lot further to educate the reader on the Grid.
Instead I feel slightly more educated about a subject I'm greatly interested in without much of a direction on how to fix it. Just that it needs to be fixed, and it's going to take a lot of effort.
I recommend this book to people who have an interest in the subject, but barely any knowledge of it. More enthusiastic people looking for a more dedicated book technically and politically will probably have to look elsewhere.
Bakke does a great job investigating the human and technological side of the Grid, diving into the history of it's inception and the various laws that have affected it since then. She provides good insight into why the system is the way it is, and why it is so hard to change. Bakke spends a good deal of time stating why we can't just start installing renewable energy everywhere at the speeds we'd like considering the technology as it stands and the political barriers we encounter. She clearly went through great pains to find relatable stories to highlight the struggles across the nation. There are great anecdotes about the smart grid, and tons of small stories about power outages unearthed in this book.
However, I feel like better editing could have helped bring out the best that this book has to offer. Without a really clear motive, beyond informing the public about the nature of our energy system, a lot of the book meanders. There isn't a clear chronological outline, nor do the themes of each section standout. Ultimately, the conclusion suffers because it all feels like it boils down to "this is a big mess, and we can't just start from scratch". If a little more focus was brought to each section, and a little more purpose brought to each chapter, this book could have gone a lot further to educate the reader on the Grid.
Instead I feel slightly more educated about a subject I'm greatly interested in without much of a direction on how to fix it. Just that it needs to be fixed, and it's going to take a lot of effort.
I recommend this book to people who have an interest in the subject, but barely any knowledge of it. More enthusiastic people looking for a more dedicated book technically and politically will probably have to look elsewhere.
Wow. We have some work to do here in the U.S. For all the work we've done to improve energy efficiency and incorporate clean energy sources, the ball has dropped, rolled off the edge, and fallen down a crevice of (nearly) no return. Our energy grid is the bottleneck that this book clearly explains.
Not a page turner but definitely a must read.
Not a page turner but definitely a must read.