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Beginner's Guide (Oneworld Publications)
Energy: A Beginner's Guide
As Einstein pointed out in his famous equation, E=MC2, all matter can be described as energy. It is everywhere; it is everything. In this engaging book, prolific author and academic Vaclav Smil provides an introduction to the far-reaching term and gives the reader a greater understanding of energy's place in both past and present society. Starting with an explanation of the concept, he goes on to cover such exciting topics as the inner workings of the human body, and the race for more efficient and environmentally friendly fuels. With global warming becoming a mainstream political issue, this guide will help shed light on the science behind it and efforts to prevent it, and how our seemingly insignificant daily decisions affect energy consumption. Whether you're after insight or dinner table conversation, "Energy: A Beginner's Guide" will amaze and inform, uncovering the science behind one of the most important concepts in our universe.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
709 people are currently reading
7274 people want to read
About the author
Vaclav Smil
69 books4,372 followersVaclav Smil is a Czech-Canadian scientist and policy analyst whose work spans energy, environment, food, population, economics, history, and public policy. Educated at Charles University in Prague and later at Pennsylvania State University, where he earned his Ph.D. in geography, Smil emigrated from Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1969 following the Soviet invasion, before beginning his long academic career at the University of Manitoba in 1972. Over the decades he established himself as a leading voice on global energy systems, environmental change, and economic development, with particular attention to China. Smil has consistently argued that transitions to renewable energy will be gradual rather than rapid, emphasizing the persistence of coal, oil, and natural gas and highlighting the difficulties of decarbonizing critical industries such as steel, cement, ammonia, and plastics. He has also been skeptical of indefinite economic growth, suggesting that human consumption could be sustained at much lower levels of material and energy use. Widely admired for his clear, data-driven analyses, Smil counts Bill Gates among his readers, while colleagues have praised his rigor and independence. Known for his reclusiveness and preference for letting his books speak for him, he has nonetheless lectured extensively worldwide and consulted for major institutions. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a member of the Order of Canada, Smil remains a highly influential public intellectual.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
May 27, 2016
Hugely educational if you have the energy to dive through the content. It's definitely not a beginner's guide but covers a lot of ground from:
- How much of the sun's energy reaches various parts of the earth vs. getting reflected away (about half)
- How much of that is transformed into plant and later animal energy (very little)
- How plant and animal energies are transformed into fossil fuels and how efficient the various types of machines are that consume them (best generators are still only ~40% efficient)
- How geothermal, wind, & dams convert to electricity and whether they can help with global warming (most damable rivers are already harnessed in the west, elsewhere folks don't like the people displacement problems from dams so won't be much more investment there)
- History of how we've tried to harness various forms of energy from oxen plows to horses to steam engines, cars, electric engines, and more
Only read it if you're ok with some dense terms and curious about the topic.
- How much of the sun's energy reaches various parts of the earth vs. getting reflected away (about half)
- How much of that is transformed into plant and later animal energy (very little)
- How plant and animal energies are transformed into fossil fuels and how efficient the various types of machines are that consume them (best generators are still only ~40% efficient)
- How geothermal, wind, & dams convert to electricity and whether they can help with global warming (most damable rivers are already harnessed in the west, elsewhere folks don't like the people displacement problems from dams so won't be much more investment there)
- History of how we've tried to harness various forms of energy from oxen plows to horses to steam engines, cars, electric engines, and more
Only read it if you're ok with some dense terms and curious about the topic.
August 9, 2015
3 -- ... I guess. He does do a good job of tying together a really disparate group of topics. Also, it's hard for me to be a fair judge with such gaps in my scientific knowledge. However, I did find the writing fairly irritating. It's not just the discipline snobbism -- a whole chapter devoted to mocking non-scientific usage of the word "energy" (Hello? It's called metaphor.) It's also the fact that Smil, despite his science background, doesn't write in a very linear manner. I found myself having to parse sentences to understand them; paragraphs seemed to veer abruptly from the content promised by the the topic sentence -- and what is going on with those commas?
Also, this isn't Smil's fault, but the book is a poor choice for A Year of Books because it was written in 2006, and the information dates so quickly. So much has happened -- rise in use of biogas, Tesla, Fukushima...
Also, this isn't Smil's fault, but the book is a poor choice for A Year of Books because it was written in 2006, and the information dates so quickly. So much has happened -- rise in use of biogas, Tesla, Fukushima...
July 31, 2015
Smil has presented a serviceable overview of energy in its manifold forms, from the physical force to metabolic cornerstone to social phenomenon. An enormous amount of factual data is presented with very little connective tissue, leaving the reader to do the heavy lifting of tracking the minutiae and assembling a personal story of what it all means. A useful if unlovely guide to an important topic.
April 4, 2021
Ülivinge ülevaade energia kasutamise ja tootmise ajaloost, mõjust ühiskonnale ja keskkonnale ja millises suunas oleme liikumas. Soe soovitus kõigile, kes tahavad rohkem teada, kuidas meie kodud töötavad, kuidas toiduvalik mõjutab energiatarbimist jpm
March 18, 2020
Overall an OK book covering the past, present and future of energy in different domains. The author has a seeming superiority complex and often goes on a tangent to showcase that. The book is a little short considering the disparity of the topics. However, there is a lot of interesting data and analysis making it an OK read.
July 10, 2021
The love child of Yuval Noah Harari and Steven Hawking. The whole world arranged into beautiful boxes that make intuitive sense, but all arranged with an engineer's world view of key parameters and limiting factors.
A must read if you want to understand the driving forces behind our world's current and future energy upheaval.
A must read if you want to understand the driving forces behind our world's current and future energy upheaval.
October 13, 2018
As someone who's taken chemistry and physics only in Grade 10 highschool, this book is just challenging enough to comprehend.
Vaclav builds a narrative to look at our everyday life from an energy point of view. He even talks about our history/anthropology/culture in that lense (human survival, farming, animal domestication, city development, etc). That was new and eye-opening. It's like learning about economics the first time. Yes, I heard of Elon Musk talking about how energy will be crucial to our civilization. But I never really felt that significance, you know. We have plugs everywhere, and electricity's cheap enough you rarely think about it.
This book makes you realize everything we do is constrained in how much energy we have and how cheap it is. Energy is everywhere and everything.
Vaclav builds a narrative to look at our everyday life from an energy point of view. He even talks about our history/anthropology/culture in that lense (human survival, farming, animal domestication, city development, etc). That was new and eye-opening. It's like learning about economics the first time. Yes, I heard of Elon Musk talking about how energy will be crucial to our civilization. But I never really felt that significance, you know. We have plugs everywhere, and electricity's cheap enough you rarely think about it.
This book makes you realize everything we do is constrained in how much energy we have and how cheap it is. Energy is everywhere and everything.
September 10, 2015
Covers a vast range of topics related to energy and is very informative, but really dry. It's like reading an abridged textbook. My least enjoyable read of Zuck's Year Of Books so far.
December 24, 2019
An excellent survey of the various past, present and future sources of energy. Densely packed with information. Many sentences in this book state facts that must've taken hour to research.
Given my interest in this general area, I couldn't put it down but I can see why it could be a bit dry for others.
Given my interest in this general area, I couldn't put it down but I can see why it could be a bit dry for others.
April 29, 2020
Vaclav Smil is an interesting writer!!! Should be followed if interested in energy!!!
May 8, 2021
Lots of overlap with Gates' latest book, which is in some sense a modern popularization of this book. This book is great, but just dated from 2005
March 24, 2022
Frábær bók til að lesa ef þú vilt byrja að fræðast um orkumál. Vaclav fjallar um fortíð og nútíð orkunotkunar og fjallar örlítið um í hvaða átt við getum farið.
April 26, 2018
From fuel to food.. how energy drives the entire world.. a beginners guide for non engineers on how energy is required to lift an apple to liftoff of space shuttle
August 29, 2020
Ucebnice. Zabavna a poucna, ale porad ucebnice.
August 22, 2024
A good short introduction to the energy needs for humanity and its effects on the planet. This includes a nice short history of how humans harnessed energy. It would be nice if it were updated again, but nothing in it was all that dated despite its information being only to 2015.
October 20, 2024
8/10
my first go at a informational book purely for "pleasure" and the want to understand something I know nothing about. I tried to choice a topic that was relevant, important and complicated. I did have the authors other book in mind but wanted to try this as a sort of introduction.
the author did a great job of making a very complex topic understandable and relevant without that I think i would have given up. The book started with a sort of context and key terms section (which I will revisit again when I don't understand something in the energy field) then went through a sort of history of energy and how it relates to human lfe an society followed by the present state and then possible future.
although I don't think I was able fully grasp everything (which I take full responsibility for) I honestly feel I learned a lot and and have a new thing to think about.
I will defiantly check out the authors other work.
my first go at a informational book purely for "pleasure" and the want to understand something I know nothing about. I tried to choice a topic that was relevant, important and complicated. I did have the authors other book in mind but wanted to try this as a sort of introduction.
the author did a great job of making a very complex topic understandable and relevant without that I think i would have given up. The book started with a sort of context and key terms section (which I will revisit again when I don't understand something in the energy field) then went through a sort of history of energy and how it relates to human lfe an society followed by the present state and then possible future.
although I don't think I was able fully grasp everything (which I take full responsibility for) I honestly feel I learned a lot and and have a new thing to think about.
I will defiantly check out the authors other work.
July 26, 2020
gives a good perspective on the uses of energy now, throughout the history and giving a glimpse into possible energy production and use in the future. Sometimes it feels like an enumeration of facts but is nonetheless worth reading for those interested in this subject.
April 16, 2022
A rating moreso a reflection of the fact I would have frothed this book more in high school when I had the desire and attention span to wade through dozens of numbers explaining the chemistry, biology and physics of the the way energy works in the world around us, than one of the book itself.
Interesting takeaway near the end that essentially all predictions about future energy consumption have been proven wrong. Does this mean I should root heavily against our new hydrogen overlords from swallowing up the dwindling fossil fuel input into our grid? 🤞
Interesting takeaway near the end that essentially all predictions about future energy consumption have been proven wrong. Does this mean I should root heavily against our new hydrogen overlords from swallowing up the dwindling fossil fuel input into our grid? 🤞
December 11, 2019
First, this book is certainly not a beginner's guide as other commenters stated! It is a very interesting book and rich in information which one might need to get back to. Having said this, I found the index to be quite poor in serving this purpose. Some important information might be lost in the pages and it would be difficult to retrieve them back unless you read an entire section.
Second, I find that the author neglected the significant transition into electric vehicles as transportation means specifically within congested cities where internal combustion engines play the major role in GHG emissions.
Other than the above, I recommend reading it.
Second, I find that the author neglected the significant transition into electric vehicles as transportation means specifically within congested cities where internal combustion engines play the major role in GHG emissions.
Other than the above, I recommend reading it.
October 12, 2022
Useful background
This book advertises itself as a beginners guide, but I found it to be a very useful exploration of where we war and how we got here. By covering all aspects of energy, rather than going deep on any single topic, it provides a big picture outlook that few other books provide. Smil’s other book on energy and civilization provides more depth, but I think I’d start with this one. It’s relatively short and has a high information density
This book advertises itself as a beginners guide, but I found it to be a very useful exploration of where we war and how we got here. By covering all aspects of energy, rather than going deep on any single topic, it provides a big picture outlook that few other books provide. Smil’s other book on energy and civilization provides more depth, but I think I’d start with this one. It’s relatively short and has a high information density
Read
October 16, 2022The idea that our fundamental values are driven by the most basic force of all: energy. But what actually is energy? Is it just something you need in order to complete your workout at the gym? Or something having to do with the laws of thermodynamics? Where does energy come from, and how does it ensure our survival? If you’re not quite sure yet, don’t worry – these are exactly the sort of questions that author Vaclav Smil examines in his book Energy. If you want to dive deeper into what energy really is – and how it affects everything around us – head on over to Energy by Vaclav Smil!
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Fossil fuel societies flourished by capturing massive amounts of energy.
Northwest Europe, late seventeenth century. Coal miners have just made a remarkable discovery: coal can be burned to generate energy.
But that’s just the beginning. You can use that energy to power engines that pump water out of the mines, allowing you to dig deeper and discover more coal. And, with this surplus of coal, you can power all sorts of previously-unimaginable things. One of these things would turn out to be the steam engine.
The first efficient steam engine came alive in 1776. In no time, it revolutionized modern life. By 1914, the West had economically dominated the globe and were in control of 84 percent of the planet’s landmass. Fossil-fuel societies had taken center stage.
After the steam engine came a quick succession of other inventions which increased industrial production. Increased production meant that factories were making greater profits, which allowed them to pay their workers higher wages. These wages enticed farmers to move to cities and get jobs in factories, which made the factories even more productive!
Ultimately, this feedback loop caused markets to explode in size. Mass-produced items were made well, and made to be affordable. After all, there was no point in producing huge quantities of goods if no one could buy them. As a result, everyone’s standard of living reached new heights.
After coal’s big moment, fossil-fuel users continued to improve their methods of energy capture. They discovered new energy sources, like hydrocarbons, and new extraction methods, like deep-sea drilling. In the early days of coal, energy capture was around 38,000 kilocalories per day. By the 1970s, that number had shot up to a whopping 230,000 kilocalories per day.
This massive energy boom required new infrastructure to manage it all. New businesses and financial institutions popped up and then became obsolete at a breakneck pace.
But businesses and wealth weren’t the only things growing thanks to fossil fuels – the world’s population was too. In 1800, just 1 billion people inhabited Earth. In 1900, it was 1.6 billion. And in 2000? 6 billion!
So there’s more of us today than ever before. But that’s not all – we’re also healthier. On average, today’s humans are 10 centimeters taller than our great-grandparents, and we live 30 years longer.
---
Fossil fuel societies flourished by capturing massive amounts of energy.
Northwest Europe, late seventeenth century. Coal miners have just made a remarkable discovery: coal can be burned to generate energy.
But that’s just the beginning. You can use that energy to power engines that pump water out of the mines, allowing you to dig deeper and discover more coal. And, with this surplus of coal, you can power all sorts of previously-unimaginable things. One of these things would turn out to be the steam engine.
The first efficient steam engine came alive in 1776. In no time, it revolutionized modern life. By 1914, the West had economically dominated the globe and were in control of 84 percent of the planet’s landmass. Fossil-fuel societies had taken center stage.
After the steam engine came a quick succession of other inventions which increased industrial production. Increased production meant that factories were making greater profits, which allowed them to pay their workers higher wages. These wages enticed farmers to move to cities and get jobs in factories, which made the factories even more productive!
Ultimately, this feedback loop caused markets to explode in size. Mass-produced items were made well, and made to be affordable. After all, there was no point in producing huge quantities of goods if no one could buy them. As a result, everyone’s standard of living reached new heights.
After coal’s big moment, fossil-fuel users continued to improve their methods of energy capture. They discovered new energy sources, like hydrocarbons, and new extraction methods, like deep-sea drilling. In the early days of coal, energy capture was around 38,000 kilocalories per day. By the 1970s, that number had shot up to a whopping 230,000 kilocalories per day.
This massive energy boom required new infrastructure to manage it all. New businesses and financial institutions popped up and then became obsolete at a breakneck pace.
But businesses and wealth weren’t the only things growing thanks to fossil fuels – the world’s population was too. In 1800, just 1 billion people inhabited Earth. In 1900, it was 1.6 billion. And in 2000? 6 billion!
So there’s more of us today than ever before. But that’s not all – we’re also healthier. On average, today’s humans are 10 centimeters taller than our great-grandparents, and we live 30 years longer.
November 5, 2020
Informational and rather comprehensive read on energy, its availability, usage and effects on civilization and everyday life. A bit broader handling of the topic than I expected; at first, it covers the amount of energy available overall (such as solar radiation available, how it transforms to phytomass, and resources in fossil reservoirs), but then goes down what at first seemed mostly like really strange rabbit holes of energy expenditure of a single individual, task, and such.
It did take me a while to pass that first part, as it wasn't apparent how it served the whole, but I'm glad I did. The book started to take a more interesting turn as it looked into the effects energy availability and format has had on humanity, size and capabilities of civilizations and towns/cities, and the limits different energy formats had on community sizes. It made clear, for instance, why settlements served only by biomass cannot grow very large, unless supported by a very vast amount of land dedicated to providing resources, and how inventions in energy processing and different sources initiated profound changes in how our society has functioned. I've seen many explanations for the possible town sizes, from the distance point of view (taking max 1h from end to end) to availability of food; in this book, it all is condensed in single factor, energy expenditure, taking into account both moving, eating and energy needed to specialized activities such as crafting or building and from the resource side the amount of raw land needed to provide each.
All of this is really just a long detailed intro to the next part, which covers in detail each major and up-and-coming energy source. This was more of the part I had been expected, and it dig into detail in both definitions (different types of coals, where they are found and their energy content; oil refinement procedures and the usage for each product from that; energy needed to actually produce and transport energy from each type of energy source; timelines for moving onwards, etc.) All major fossil fuels are covered as well as hydroelectric, solar and wind, each with potential and downsides as well.
If this level of detail is your thing, this is a fine primer to different energy formats, our dependence on them and the potential to change. For some, the detailed style might be more sleep-inducing.... personally, I liked it and will check out other Smil's books for more depth.
It did take me a while to pass that first part, as it wasn't apparent how it served the whole, but I'm glad I did. The book started to take a more interesting turn as it looked into the effects energy availability and format has had on humanity, size and capabilities of civilizations and towns/cities, and the limits different energy formats had on community sizes. It made clear, for instance, why settlements served only by biomass cannot grow very large, unless supported by a very vast amount of land dedicated to providing resources, and how inventions in energy processing and different sources initiated profound changes in how our society has functioned. I've seen many explanations for the possible town sizes, from the distance point of view (taking max 1h from end to end) to availability of food; in this book, it all is condensed in single factor, energy expenditure, taking into account both moving, eating and energy needed to specialized activities such as crafting or building and from the resource side the amount of raw land needed to provide each.
All of this is really just a long detailed intro to the next part, which covers in detail each major and up-and-coming energy source. This was more of the part I had been expected, and it dig into detail in both definitions (different types of coals, where they are found and their energy content; oil refinement procedures and the usage for each product from that; energy needed to actually produce and transport energy from each type of energy source; timelines for moving onwards, etc.) All major fossil fuels are covered as well as hydroelectric, solar and wind, each with potential and downsides as well.
If this level of detail is your thing, this is a fine primer to different energy formats, our dependence on them and the potential to change. For some, the detailed style might be more sleep-inducing.... personally, I liked it and will check out other Smil's books for more depth.
June 1, 2020
Vaclav Smil je najobľúbnejší autor Billa Gatesa, ktorý podľa vlastných slov očakáva každú jeho novú knihu podobne, ako niektorí ľudia čakajú na nový diel Hviezdnych Vojen. Čo sa literatúrý týka, takéto odporúčanie osobne považujem za jednu z najlepších reklám a cítim trochu hanby, že mi trvalo až doteraz dostať sa k prvej zo Smilových kníh. Na druhú stranu, mám pocit, že Billa Gatesa chápem a aj keď chcem od tohto autora prečítať viac, zatiaľ mojím najobľúbenejším autorom nebude - ale to len z čisto estetických dôvodov.
Počas môjho štúdia som absolvoval dva kurzy, ktorých spojením by mohlo vzniknúť niečo ako táto kniha. "Introduction to Energy" má priamejšie spojenie, hovirili sme v ňom o rope, biomase, elektrárňach, magickej energetickej hodnote 42MJ/kg v rope a tak podobne. Inými slovami, rozýšľali sme o tom, kde sa energia berie, ako sa trasnformuje a ako spotrebováva. Tým druhým kurzom bol "Back of the Envelope Physics", kde sme riešili Fermiho úlohy, ktoré fyzikom pomáhajú robiť rýchle odhady komplikovaných veličím pomocou jednoduchších odhadov a jednoduchých princípov ("Koľko stromov je v Brazílii?", "Mohli by všetku energiu ľudstva vyrobiť škrečkovia behajúci v kolesách?", ...). Smil používa podobné postupy na odhad hustoty energie v lesoch a vysvetľuje, prečo v minulosti nemohli existovať veľké mestá. Hovorí o energetickej kapacite hydroelektrární a kde sa môžu budovať a kde už nie. Cez základné pojmy prejde cez biológiu, energetické potreby ľudstva v minulosti a v šúčastnosti a poslednú kapitolu venuje premýšľaniu nad budúcnosťou energeiky.
Celé rozprávanie sa nesie v duch inžinierskej efektivity. Čitateľ sa má dozvedieť informáciu A, B a C, a najlogickejšie je usporiadať kapitolu v poradí B, A a C. Nasleduje ďalšia kapitola. Všettko je rýchle, strohé a bez ozdôb, ideálne pre ľudí, ktorí majú málo času. Z toho tiež pramení môj jediný, "estetický", problém - autor sa mal viac vyhrať s jazykom. Pre tento typ literatúry je to ale nepodstatná výhrada, podobne ako vytýkať Dantemu, že nepísal o tom, ako hnilobné baktérie rozkladajú telo po smrti a namiesto toho písal o akýchsi víziách.
Kníh od Vaclava Smila by som v budúcnosti prečítal určite rád viac.
Počas môjho štúdia som absolvoval dva kurzy, ktorých spojením by mohlo vzniknúť niečo ako táto kniha. "Introduction to Energy" má priamejšie spojenie, hovirili sme v ňom o rope, biomase, elektrárňach, magickej energetickej hodnote 42MJ/kg v rope a tak podobne. Inými slovami, rozýšľali sme o tom, kde sa energia berie, ako sa trasnformuje a ako spotrebováva. Tým druhým kurzom bol "Back of the Envelope Physics", kde sme riešili Fermiho úlohy, ktoré fyzikom pomáhajú robiť rýchle odhady komplikovaných veličím pomocou jednoduchších odhadov a jednoduchých princípov ("Koľko stromov je v Brazílii?", "Mohli by všetku energiu ľudstva vyrobiť škrečkovia behajúci v kolesách?", ...). Smil používa podobné postupy na odhad hustoty energie v lesoch a vysvetľuje, prečo v minulosti nemohli existovať veľké mestá. Hovorí o energetickej kapacite hydroelektrární a kde sa môžu budovať a kde už nie. Cez základné pojmy prejde cez biológiu, energetické potreby ľudstva v minulosti a v šúčastnosti a poslednú kapitolu venuje premýšľaniu nad budúcnosťou energeiky.
Celé rozprávanie sa nesie v duch inžinierskej efektivity. Čitateľ sa má dozvedieť informáciu A, B a C, a najlogickejšie je usporiadať kapitolu v poradí B, A a C. Nasleduje ďalšia kapitola. Všettko je rýchle, strohé a bez ozdôb, ideálne pre ľudí, ktorí majú málo času. Z toho tiež pramení môj jediný, "estetický", problém - autor sa mal viac vyhrať s jazykom. Pre tento typ literatúry je to ale nepodstatná výhrada, podobne ako vytýkať Dantemu, že nepísal o tom, ako hnilobné baktérie rozkladajú telo po smrti a namiesto toho písal o akýchsi víziách.
Kníh od Vaclava Smila by som v budúcnosti prečítal určite rád viac.
December 6, 2025
I realise that I'm not the primary audience for this book, which is a shame, because I genuinely want to learn more about the topic. But I often found Smil’s way of explaining things more difficult than it needed to be. I’d spend ages googling terms or reading certain sentences three times, only to discover he was basically saying something like “it makes the car go forward.” Not that I don’t appreciate a challenge, and isn’t the dream to one day be as comfortable with the vastness of linguistic possibilities as Vaclav Smil himself? :)
My own shortcomings aside, it is definitely a beginner’s guide — just one written by someone who assumes beginners enjoy being thrown in at the deep end. The first chapter on units was useful, but honestly, I wish it had been much longer and far more explanatory. So much of the book depends on understanding those measurements, and I constantly felt like I was juggling kilowatts, joules, calories, and horsepower without enough grounding to keep them straight. That’s not the book’s fault entirely — I am painfully aware of my lack of scientific intuition — but I do think that a more patient introduction to the units would have helped enormously.
Once past the numbers, though, the long historical sweep was genuinely fascinating. History is almost always interesting, and Smil is excellent at showing how human civilizations rose and changed as our ability to capture and convert energy expanded. From muscles and fire to waterwheels, coal, oil, electricity, and the enormous hidden systems that power modern life — it’s an impressively broad and detailed account. Even when I couldn’t follow every calculation, the larger story was gripping.
I also found his cautious, almost abrupt final chapter compelling, though I couldn’t help but wish it were longer. I understand his reluctance to speculate about the future — that’s not the book’s primary purpose — but his realism about physical limits and infrastructural timescales is deeply refreshing. In a world full of grand promises and miracle-fix fantasies, Smil’s message feels grounding: we have to start from what we know, from the realities of physics, from what is actually materially possible. Change takes time, especially when reworking entire energy systems.
My own shortcomings aside, it is definitely a beginner’s guide — just one written by someone who assumes beginners enjoy being thrown in at the deep end. The first chapter on units was useful, but honestly, I wish it had been much longer and far more explanatory. So much of the book depends on understanding those measurements, and I constantly felt like I was juggling kilowatts, joules, calories, and horsepower without enough grounding to keep them straight. That’s not the book’s fault entirely — I am painfully aware of my lack of scientific intuition — but I do think that a more patient introduction to the units would have helped enormously.
Once past the numbers, though, the long historical sweep was genuinely fascinating. History is almost always interesting, and Smil is excellent at showing how human civilizations rose and changed as our ability to capture and convert energy expanded. From muscles and fire to waterwheels, coal, oil, electricity, and the enormous hidden systems that power modern life — it’s an impressively broad and detailed account. Even when I couldn’t follow every calculation, the larger story was gripping.
I also found his cautious, almost abrupt final chapter compelling, though I couldn’t help but wish it were longer. I understand his reluctance to speculate about the future — that’s not the book’s primary purpose — but his realism about physical limits and infrastructural timescales is deeply refreshing. In a world full of grand promises and miracle-fix fantasies, Smil’s message feels grounding: we have to start from what we know, from the realities of physics, from what is actually materially possible. Change takes time, especially when reworking entire energy systems.
June 4, 2022
Dette er ikke en bog, man skal læse for at blive underholdt.
Til gengæld er det en bog, der mangedobler din viden om et emne, du ikke kendte noget til på forhånd. Forfatteren Vaclav Smil fortæller, at energi er ”evnen til at udføre arbejde”, hvorefter han definerer arbejde som hver evig eneste handling, mennesker, dyr og planter foretager sig. Selv at trække vejret.
Efter at have forklaret, hvad energi er, gennemgår Smil dens former. Den findes på kemisk form i kulhydrater, kul, olie, ja faktisk i alt organisk stof i verden. Disse kemiske energiformer kan forvandles til varme. F.eks. når kulhydrater giver kroppen energi til at holde sig på 37 grader. Eller når man sætter ild til olie, og det bliver til varm luft eller vanddamp. Energien kan også laves om til bevægelsesenergi. Du bruger kulhydrater til at bevæge dig, og vanddampen kan sætte en propel eller turbine i bevægelse. Den kan endda laves til elektricitet, som kommer ud i dine ledninger.
Til sidst i bogen forklarer Smil, hvordan energi understøtter alt, vi foretager os, men at energiforbruget også er det, der udleder drivhusgasser og gør planeten varmere. Vi kan nedbringe drivhusgasserne på to måder: Ved at fjerne gasser eller ved at udlede færre af dem. Gasserne kan fjernes af planter, der laver fotosyntese. Det er imidlertid svært at skrue op for planternes aktivitet, og det tager lang tid at plante en masse nye. Derfor bør vi fokusere på at udlede færre.
Vi kan udlede færre ved at skrue ned for energiforbruget. Men eftersom energi understøtter alt, hvad vi foretager os, kan vi ikke leve uden den. Og nej, du gør ikke nogen forskel ved at flyve mindre. Det er ikke realistisk, at menneskeligt energiforbrug ændrer sig så voldsomt, som det kræves for at standse global opvarmning.
I stedet bør vi bruge lige så meget energi som i dag, men fra mere miljøvenlige kilder end kul og olie og gas. Vaclav Smil peger på atomkraft som mulig løsning. Frankrig er det mest klimavenlige land i Europa, fordi de har så mange atomkraftværker. Vindkraft er også interessant, men kun når vinden blæser
Til gengæld er det en bog, der mangedobler din viden om et emne, du ikke kendte noget til på forhånd. Forfatteren Vaclav Smil fortæller, at energi er ”evnen til at udføre arbejde”, hvorefter han definerer arbejde som hver evig eneste handling, mennesker, dyr og planter foretager sig. Selv at trække vejret.
Efter at have forklaret, hvad energi er, gennemgår Smil dens former. Den findes på kemisk form i kulhydrater, kul, olie, ja faktisk i alt organisk stof i verden. Disse kemiske energiformer kan forvandles til varme. F.eks. når kulhydrater giver kroppen energi til at holde sig på 37 grader. Eller når man sætter ild til olie, og det bliver til varm luft eller vanddamp. Energien kan også laves om til bevægelsesenergi. Du bruger kulhydrater til at bevæge dig, og vanddampen kan sætte en propel eller turbine i bevægelse. Den kan endda laves til elektricitet, som kommer ud i dine ledninger.
Til sidst i bogen forklarer Smil, hvordan energi understøtter alt, vi foretager os, men at energiforbruget også er det, der udleder drivhusgasser og gør planeten varmere. Vi kan nedbringe drivhusgasserne på to måder: Ved at fjerne gasser eller ved at udlede færre af dem. Gasserne kan fjernes af planter, der laver fotosyntese. Det er imidlertid svært at skrue op for planternes aktivitet, og det tager lang tid at plante en masse nye. Derfor bør vi fokusere på at udlede færre.
Vi kan udlede færre ved at skrue ned for energiforbruget. Men eftersom energi understøtter alt, hvad vi foretager os, kan vi ikke leve uden den. Og nej, du gør ikke nogen forskel ved at flyve mindre. Det er ikke realistisk, at menneskeligt energiforbrug ændrer sig så voldsomt, som det kræves for at standse global opvarmning.
I stedet bør vi bruge lige så meget energi som i dag, men fra mere miljøvenlige kilder end kul og olie og gas. Vaclav Smil peger på atomkraft som mulig løsning. Frankrig er det mest klimavenlige land i Europa, fordi de har så mange atomkraftværker. Vindkraft er også interessant, men kun når vinden blæser
August 9, 2021
No matter if you are seeking to understand historical deforestation and the human footprint in pre-modern times or just want to delve into renewable energies... this is the perfect starting point.
Smil starts with a quick intuitive refresher in high-school physics, presenting some history, delves into international standardized units, magnitudes, etc. Most importantly he explains in a very non-technical way the difference between force (application of 1Newton can accelerate a mass of 1kg by one 1meter per second), energy (1Joule equals 1Newton acting over a distance of 1meter), and power (i.e. energy flow: 1Watt equals 1Joule per second).
After an important chapter on energy in the biosphere (absorbed solar radiation provides 3 indispensable energy services: 1) heats continents and oceans [and re-radiation of these surfaces keeps everything in constant motion], 2) evaporates water and distributes it across the globe, 3) energizes photosynthesis) we also learn about basic human biology, energy needs (e.g. the Basal Metabolic Rate which describes the amount of power needed to maintain our bodies without any movement - which to many of us is familiar from nutritional tables translated into kilocalories), and the basic nutrients we need to ingest and their respective energy densities.
All this serves as a nice basis to then delve into animals, tools, and machines and their respective power contributions. Smil illustrates nicely how prime movers and their efficiencies improved over time. He also understands well that these advances massively changed the structure and dynamics of modern societies. The abundance of energy made it possible to raise average food availability far above subsistence needs for the first time in human history and thus was a necessary condition for the increasing live expectancies and human prosperity that we observe over the last roughly two centuries across the globe.
Smil starts with a quick intuitive refresher in high-school physics, presenting some history, delves into international standardized units, magnitudes, etc. Most importantly he explains in a very non-technical way the difference between force (application of 1Newton can accelerate a mass of 1kg by one 1meter per second), energy (1Joule equals 1Newton acting over a distance of 1meter), and power (i.e. energy flow: 1Watt equals 1Joule per second).
After an important chapter on energy in the biosphere (absorbed solar radiation provides 3 indispensable energy services: 1) heats continents and oceans [and re-radiation of these surfaces keeps everything in constant motion], 2) evaporates water and distributes it across the globe, 3) energizes photosynthesis) we also learn about basic human biology, energy needs (e.g. the Basal Metabolic Rate which describes the amount of power needed to maintain our bodies without any movement - which to many of us is familiar from nutritional tables translated into kilocalories), and the basic nutrients we need to ingest and their respective energy densities.
All this serves as a nice basis to then delve into animals, tools, and machines and their respective power contributions. Smil illustrates nicely how prime movers and their efficiencies improved over time. He also understands well that these advances massively changed the structure and dynamics of modern societies. The abundance of energy made it possible to raise average food availability far above subsistence needs for the first time in human history and thus was a necessary condition for the increasing live expectancies and human prosperity that we observe over the last roughly two centuries across the globe.
July 4, 2020
If you are interested in understanding the basic concept of energy, it is a useful book. Even though still there are several technical terms in the book, it is still quite easy to understand. It does not talk about the energy such as fossil fuel or renewable energy source only but also explain about photosynthesis in term of energy provider for the human race all this time. And the best part of the book is you can understand the history of energy since the very early human being on earth. what is the first method we use to harness energy? what is the invention leads to the higher efficiency of energy consumption? where is the industrial revolution happens and what is its significance?
The drawbacks of the book mostly because the presented data about the energy trending do not represent the real condition anymore since it is written around 16 years ago. A lot of progress has been made during that period of time. The solar panel is way cheaper. renewable energy share in overall electricity production also significantly increases.
To conclude, its like reading a history book rather than an engineering journal.
The drawbacks of the book mostly because the presented data about the energy trending do not represent the real condition anymore since it is written around 16 years ago. A lot of progress has been made during that period of time. The solar panel is way cheaper. renewable energy share in overall electricity production also significantly increases.
To conclude, its like reading a history book rather than an engineering journal.
February 9, 2021
The content became dense at times especially in the first two chapters where the author jumped around frequently to different topics. Overall though, he gave a good history of energy and a good account of near-future trends; how the sun provides all energy first to plants and then up the food chain, how humans used to be limited to subsidence due to primitive tools and low energy usage, how the limitations were erased with the advent of fossil fuels that allowed humans to utilize increasingly sophisticated and energy-intensive tools and innovations as well as grow an abundance of food, and how renewable energy will need to be increasingly used to prevent rapid global warming. I like the optimistic tone the author ends with; even though it's not guaranteed, humans are very innovative and it's likely inventions will be created to transform society into one that does not rely on fossil fuels.
June 26, 2019
...but mostly in the context in humanity and its application. Don't expect to hear a treatise regarding the big bang, energy mass equivalency, or any of the deep relevant questions. He simply cant answer them.
But if you're curious this is like the book "energy and civilization" but in a lighter form.
Lots of stuff on materials, energy conversions from atp to combustion engines. I mean dont get me wrong. This is really some GOOD stuff. BUT, dont read this expecting to have your theoretical physics questions answered.
Recommended for :
- Those thinking about energy in its application in human civilization from the bottom up.
- Those interested in nutrition
- Those interested in policy related to energy
- historians
But if you're curious this is like the book "energy and civilization" but in a lighter form.
Lots of stuff on materials, energy conversions from atp to combustion engines. I mean dont get me wrong. This is really some GOOD stuff. BUT, dont read this expecting to have your theoretical physics questions answered.
Recommended for :
- Those thinking about energy in its application in human civilization from the bottom up.
- Those interested in nutrition
- Those interested in policy related to energy
- historians
December 17, 2019
Mathematicians/physicists will enjoy this book. Energy talks about physical rather than the social sciences: how energy works, how our production and use might evolve, and how this affects climate change. I had a random intuition recently that the next great leap in physics will come from the realm of thermodynamics. This is a first principles introduction to what energy is, its history, and how it fuels our planet and our bodies. It's not for everyone (it reads like a textbook), but if you're interested in climate stuff, it might enlighten. I loved it, and almost wish I read it sooner to help understand climate conversations better.
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