Wind + Sun + Nuclear
Wind + Sun + Nuclear
$6.99 Kindle $30.80 Paperback
Combining historical analysis, scientific rigour, and political critique, the book offers a bold vision for Australia’s energy transition, calling for a departure from ideological commitments to renewables in favour of a diversified and dependable approach to addressing the climate crisis.
Description
Since Joseph Black’s discovery of carbon dioxide in 1754, humanity has grappled with the implications of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Yet, despite centuries of scientific progress, the reality of climate change faced denial and resistance. In 2006 Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth starkly revealed the role of human-driven CO2 emissions in global warming, helping spark a new round of global policy responses.
For Australia, deeply reliant on fossil fuels, climate change was more than inconvenient; it ignited a fierce ‘climate war’ that would topple five prime ministers in just fifteen years.
With a detailed review of the political and societal obstacles to nuclear energy adoption in Australia, this book exposes the historical biases and legislative barriers preventing its inclusion. It advocates for a pragmatic ‘Plan B’ that incorporates nuclear technology alongside renewables to ensure a secure, sustainable and reliable energy future.
Combining historical analysis, scientific rigour, and political critique, the book offers a bold vision for Australia’s energy transition, calling for a departure from ideological commitments to renewables in favour of a diversified and dependable approach to addressing the climate crisis.
Additional Information
- Publisher : Sid Harta` (21 March 2025)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 116 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1923439901
- ISBN-13 : 978-1923439900
- Dimensions : 13.97 x 0.71 x 21.59 cm
Reviews
Andrew Karam, PhD
Climate change and energy policy are easy to take a position on, but they’re harder to actually understand and discuss knowledgeably because the science behind them is challenging. Even more so for the potential solutions – especially with regards to nuclear energy and “renewables” – where the science is sometimes hard to grasp and where it’s all too easy for the facts to take a back seat to what people wish or feel to be the case. As a scientist with direct personal experience operating nuclear reactors as well as an understanding of the roles and limitations of renewable energy sources, it’s nice to read a book by someone who actually understands the science and technology behind this important debate and who can write knowledgably and authoritatively on the subject. David Wilson understands energy and he understands the tradeoffs we need to make to pursue sources of energy that will help us to enjoy the benefits without cooking us all. In the area I know best – nuclear energy – it’s nice to see someone who gets the hard parts right and can suggest a clear-headed path that will give us the power we need to keep our civilization going without the many downsides of continuing our dependence on fossil fuels. Potential readers should note that there are numbers here – but that they are necessary, well-explained, and not particularly frightening!
Judith Flitcroft
Author, David Wilson has given us a well- researched, calm, landmark book – Wind Plus Sun Plus Nuclear. The opening chapters give us a short history of how our planet evolved, and took us straight to the guts of the matter of energy for the future. The array of succeeding scientists from the eras of “The Dark Satanic Mills” of the early industrial scene to today, give us the background for a calm discussion on the future makeup of energy for Australia and indeed the world. “Earth’s atmosphere impedes escape of heat much like a blanket.” The makeup of the upper atmosphere is crucial. It is what keeps the Earth warm so life can survive. Scientist Eunice Newton Foote working in the 1860’s, conducted experiments showing that a bottle of air placed in the sun rose 5.6 degrees, and a bottle of Carbon Dioxide rose 16.7 degrees. Therein lies the problem we are faced with today – too much heat caused by Carbon Dioxide. Perhaps the major surprise to me in the book is ocean acidification, and the effect on marine ecosystems, including our magnificent Barrier Reef. Calcium Carbonate is needed for the building of skeletons in marine animals and corals and does not work well when the oceans become acidified trying to absorb Green House Gases. “The need to eliminate fossil fuels for everything but the most essential use” is suggested. “Net Zero is not good enough – real zero is the only way to avoid acidification” -A mixture of Wind Plus Sun Plus Nuclear. A “must read” dissertation.