EAN: 9781541757141

A QUESTION OF POWER - ROBERT BRYCE TASCHENBUCH

If  in the ancient world  it was guns and germs and steel that determined the fates of people
and nations  in modern times it is electricity. No other form of power translates into
affluence and influence like it. Though demand for it is growing exponentially  it remains one
of the most difficult forms of energy to supply and to do so reliably. Storage is even harder.
This paradox has shaped global politics  affected the outcome of wars  and underlies the
growing chasm between rich and poor  educated and uneducated. It is changing the game for
business  and the requirements of national defence. It is altering the landscape and
complicating the task of dealing effectively with climate change. In this book  Robert Bryce
explains the unique nature of electricity as a commodity. He draws on stories from history to
illustrate the stunning impact of our quest to harness it  illuminates exactly what is required
to successfully sustain it  and explores the impact on societies and individuals when it
collapses. As billions of people around the world still live in darkness  the gap between the
electricity haves and have-nots widens  with profound political and ethical consequences.
Modern life  even civilisation  has become ever more dependent on a source of energy that must
be produced locally and in the moment  in a reliably steady stream at particular wattage 
conveyed on wires strung on poles or threaded through pipes. If the lights go out  so does our
manner of living  with potentially devastating consequences.

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