‘No one produces energy. No one consumes energy. The amount of energy in the whole universe remains the same.’ This book, written by a physicist with 35 years’ experience in the energy industry, reminds us repeatedly of the First Law of Thermodynamics, points out the sloppy use of language that has crept into the energy-using sector and shows convincingly how that has led to mindsets that are unhelpful.
Walt Patterson has produced a very readable, engaging book which draws the reader into his philosophy on energy conversion and use. He is happy to challenge the use of terms such as ‘energy policy’ when we mean ‘fuel and electricity policy’. He draws a sharp distinction between the priorities that pertain to prudent use of finite fossil fuel resources as compared with the priorities that might pertain to effective conversion of resources which are continuously replenished and are in a sense free.
Some of the basic propositions in the book are that: we should stop treating electricity as a commodity (since, unlike normal commodities, it cannot in general be stored and then sold when the price is right); we should see electricity as a process that is occurring instantaneously throughout an interconnected system including end-use equipment; and that the thing to concentrate on is investment in infrastructure.
The first quarter of the book sets the scene by looking at the broader topic of energy. Here the author provides a fascinating historical perspective on the evolution of the concept of energy, hammers home the immutable laws of physics that are often misunderstood by policy-makers and introduces a very new way of looking at energy conversion and use. He provides a brief history of the science of measurement and links this to the emergence of the term ‘energy’, the link between energy and work, and the critical difference in quality between different forms of energy. He looks back to the earliest attempts by mankind to harness and use ‘ambient energy’, moves on to the history of ‘fuel energy’, running on through the industrial revolution through the oil crisis of the early 1970s and on to the present day. He also takes a critical look at taxation policy and its impact. The remainder of the book then builds on the implications of all of this in the specific area of electrical energy.
Chapter 4 charts the history of electricity from the earliest distributed systems through the development of large integrated electricity grids and back to distributed generation again. Chapter 5 draws a distinction between ‘fuel electricity’ and ‘infrastructure electricity’ (where a new physical asset converts ‘free’ ambient energy into electricity) with some challenging ideas on pricing policy and portfolio price risk.
The next three chapters look at the competition between electric light and gas light, leading to larger generators for economy of scale, the emergence of large AC grids, the advent of monopolies, and the development of consequent plans, policies and pricing regimes whose present-day appropriateness he questions hard. Recognising the wide variation today in requirements for electricity quality and reliability (depending on end use), he develops some innovative ideas for alternative networks and the best way of handling less sensitive loads. He also presents a strong challenge to the accounting conventions that lie behind the price comparisons that are frequently made between established and emerging electricity supply technologies, speculating as to what may occur in fast-emerging economies that do not share the same legacies.
The final chapters draw the various strands together, consider the built environment in more detail, speculate about possible future developments in urban and rural environments, and return to the proposition that tax-efficient investment in infrastructure may be a better way forward than the continued charging for units of electricity as if it were a commodity.
Overall, the book is challenging, thought-provoking and very readable. It has been compiled from papers and lectures delivered by the author over an extended time period. As a result, many of the chapters make perfect sense when read in isolation. A drawback is that some readers may be a little frustrated by some of the repetition. Perhaps this is just a comment on the author’s evangelistic style – rooted, of course, in sound science.
