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Environmental implications of expanded coal utilization
Environment International, Vol. 10, pp. 577-578, 1984
0160-4120/84 $3.00 + .00 Copyright © 1985 Pergamon Press Ltd.
Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
BOOK REVIEW
Energy Risk Assessment (1982) H. Inhaber. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York. Environmental Implications of Expanded Coal Utilization (1982) The Beijer Institute, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Pergamon Press, New York (US $55) Renewable Sources of Energy and the Environment. E. EI-Hinnawi and A. K. Biswas, eds. Tycooly International Publishers, Dublin The Nuclear Apple and the Solar Energy, Alternatives in World Energy (1981) Michel Grenon, Pergamon Press, New York (US $15.75) Residential Solid Fuels, Environmental Impacts and Solutions (1982) J. A. Cooper and D. Malek, eds. Pregon Graduate Center, Beaverton, OR (US
$80) Renewable Energy, (1981) Bent Sorensen, Academic Press, London (US $48) There is no shortage of books dealing with energy. Undoubtedly the books reviewed here constitute a sample of a large number of books dealing with energy. The origin of Inhaber's book is a report prepared while the author was associated with the Canadian Atomic Energy Control Board. Inhaber deserves the credit to have systematically used both the fuel cycle and the material cycle in evaluating human health risks of various energy production techniques. It is not surprising that, after the appearance of the report and a subsequent article in Science in February of 1979, they were hotly contested. The book contains the revised and updated version of the Canadian report along with documentation of correspondence with various opponents and proponents of his view and with editors of several journals. Inhaber uses the approach recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) to relate mortality and morbidity to specific occupations. Using this technique, including the man-
power requirements for various materials, he is able to calculate the risk of the material cycle for various energy systems. In his original report, Inhaber assigned a relatively high risk to solar power, not because of the risk associated with it but because solar power requires supplementary energy supply. He chose coal, which according to his calculations poses the highest risk. In his book he does not assume a supplementary energy system. Inhaber's book has been advertised as a controversial book. Numerous letters and other documents provide ample justification for the advertiser's claim. Despite a large number of tables and mathematical calculations, Inhaber's book is entertaining and highlights the controversy between nuclear and solar advocates. The book on coal by the Swedish Academy of Sciences was written subsequent to a workshop held in Moscow in the fall of 1980. In contrast to Inhaber's book, the Swedish Academy of Sciences includes ecological and other environmental systems associated with coal use. The nine chapters of the book treat topics ranging from energy supply to potential health and environmental effects. The complex topics are written with striking clarity. The example of Chapter 5 on "Application of the Exposure Commitment Model to Coal Utilization Emission Problems" may illustrate the approach. The authors describe the linear nonthreshold model of effects, contrast it with stochastic models (those having a threshold) and indicate the usefulness of each in assessing health risk. They calculate human health risk from various compounds emitted from coal power plants using the linear nonthreshold approach and draw conclusions with the necessary caution. This book is an authoritative compendium on environmental aspects of coal utilization. It is obligatory reading for workers in the field of energy and environment. Renewable Sources o f Energy and the Environment is edited by Essam EI-Hinnawi and Asit Biswas, both editors of Environment International. It is a thoughtful description of geothermal, solar, wind, hydroelectric, 577
578 and biomass energy systems, along with a discussion of energy storage. The book relies on the United Nations Environmental Programme and other authoritative organizations as sources of information. The authors believe in renewable sources of energy and provide balanced and convincing evidence for its usefulness, particularly in less developed countries. The book by Grenon is a translation of the French version of the book by E1-Hinnawi and Biswas. It is a frank discussion of future energy requirements and potential options to meet them. The author personifies the proverbial French charm. In a section titled "Sciensationalism and Energy," he writes, "Energy today is a bit like Parkinson's coffee pot, like hypocrisy for Moli~re's 'Don Juan,' energy has now become the fashionable word." He provides an explanation for Parkinson's coffee pot. According to Parkinson, at board meetings million-dollar decisions are made in minutes, but a decision to buy a new coffee pot may take hours of discussion. The book systematically discusses coal, nuclear, and solar energy systems and pleads for sane decisions. The author refers to the nonproliferation treaty and its requirement for exchange of information and technology between nations having the technology and those that do not. Grenon also discusses the potential of solar energy. After having given the actual data, he draws the logical conclusion that the research and development in this field must continue. Grenon's book is informative and passionate. It is also fun to read. Residential Solid Fuels resulted from a symposium
Bookreviews organized by John Cooper in Oregon. It represents the proceedings of the symposium, containing technical papers as they were submitted. Although the book contains a great deal of information, the reader must work his or her way through extraneous materials to reach it. Somewhat more careful editing would have reduced the size of the book to less than one-half of the 1271 pages of the published book. Despite this shortcoming, it is probably the most comprehensive compendium on wood as an energy source and its health and environmental effects, and it is a unique source of information on this topic. SCrensen has been one of the most active advocates of renewable energy, notably wind energy. His book provides methodologies for those who would like to design or optimize renewable energy systems. It is a book that will not be out of date for some time to come. The book includes physical and engineering principles for energy from solar radiation, wind, oceans, biomass, and others. It also discusses energy transport and storage, and energy supply systems. These chapters are written with thoroughness and authority. The last chapter of the book deals with the socioeconomic assessment of energy supply systems, a field obviously outside of the immediate area of interest of the author. SCrensen's book is an authoritative description of the subject and is highly recommended. A. Alan Moghissi Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20460
0160-4120/84 $3.00 + .00 Copyright © 1985 Pergamon Press Ltd.
Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
BOOK REVIEW
Energy Risk Assessment (1982) H. Inhaber. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York. Environmental Implications of Expanded Coal Utilization (1982) The Beijer Institute, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Pergamon Press, New York (US $55) Renewable Sources of Energy and the Environment. E. EI-Hinnawi and A. K. Biswas, eds. Tycooly International Publishers, Dublin The Nuclear Apple and the Solar Energy, Alternatives in World Energy (1981) Michel Grenon, Pergamon Press, New York (US $15.75) Residential Solid Fuels, Environmental Impacts and Solutions (1982) J. A. Cooper and D. Malek, eds. Pregon Graduate Center, Beaverton, OR (US
$80) Renewable Energy, (1981) Bent Sorensen, Academic Press, London (US $48) There is no shortage of books dealing with energy. Undoubtedly the books reviewed here constitute a sample of a large number of books dealing with energy. The origin of Inhaber's book is a report prepared while the author was associated with the Canadian Atomic Energy Control Board. Inhaber deserves the credit to have systematically used both the fuel cycle and the material cycle in evaluating human health risks of various energy production techniques. It is not surprising that, after the appearance of the report and a subsequent article in Science in February of 1979, they were hotly contested. The book contains the revised and updated version of the Canadian report along with documentation of correspondence with various opponents and proponents of his view and with editors of several journals. Inhaber uses the approach recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) to relate mortality and morbidity to specific occupations. Using this technique, including the man-
power requirements for various materials, he is able to calculate the risk of the material cycle for various energy systems. In his original report, Inhaber assigned a relatively high risk to solar power, not because of the risk associated with it but because solar power requires supplementary energy supply. He chose coal, which according to his calculations poses the highest risk. In his book he does not assume a supplementary energy system. Inhaber's book has been advertised as a controversial book. Numerous letters and other documents provide ample justification for the advertiser's claim. Despite a large number of tables and mathematical calculations, Inhaber's book is entertaining and highlights the controversy between nuclear and solar advocates. The book on coal by the Swedish Academy of Sciences was written subsequent to a workshop held in Moscow in the fall of 1980. In contrast to Inhaber's book, the Swedish Academy of Sciences includes ecological and other environmental systems associated with coal use. The nine chapters of the book treat topics ranging from energy supply to potential health and environmental effects. The complex topics are written with striking clarity. The example of Chapter 5 on "Application of the Exposure Commitment Model to Coal Utilization Emission Problems" may illustrate the approach. The authors describe the linear nonthreshold model of effects, contrast it with stochastic models (those having a threshold) and indicate the usefulness of each in assessing health risk. They calculate human health risk from various compounds emitted from coal power plants using the linear nonthreshold approach and draw conclusions with the necessary caution. This book is an authoritative compendium on environmental aspects of coal utilization. It is obligatory reading for workers in the field of energy and environment. Renewable Sources o f Energy and the Environment is edited by Essam EI-Hinnawi and Asit Biswas, both editors of Environment International. It is a thoughtful description of geothermal, solar, wind, hydroelectric, 577
578 and biomass energy systems, along with a discussion of energy storage. The book relies on the United Nations Environmental Programme and other authoritative organizations as sources of information. The authors believe in renewable sources of energy and provide balanced and convincing evidence for its usefulness, particularly in less developed countries. The book by Grenon is a translation of the French version of the book by E1-Hinnawi and Biswas. It is a frank discussion of future energy requirements and potential options to meet them. The author personifies the proverbial French charm. In a section titled "Sciensationalism and Energy," he writes, "Energy today is a bit like Parkinson's coffee pot, like hypocrisy for Moli~re's 'Don Juan,' energy has now become the fashionable word." He provides an explanation for Parkinson's coffee pot. According to Parkinson, at board meetings million-dollar decisions are made in minutes, but a decision to buy a new coffee pot may take hours of discussion. The book systematically discusses coal, nuclear, and solar energy systems and pleads for sane decisions. The author refers to the nonproliferation treaty and its requirement for exchange of information and technology between nations having the technology and those that do not. Grenon also discusses the potential of solar energy. After having given the actual data, he draws the logical conclusion that the research and development in this field must continue. Grenon's book is informative and passionate. It is also fun to read. Residential Solid Fuels resulted from a symposium
Bookreviews organized by John Cooper in Oregon. It represents the proceedings of the symposium, containing technical papers as they were submitted. Although the book contains a great deal of information, the reader must work his or her way through extraneous materials to reach it. Somewhat more careful editing would have reduced the size of the book to less than one-half of the 1271 pages of the published book. Despite this shortcoming, it is probably the most comprehensive compendium on wood as an energy source and its health and environmental effects, and it is a unique source of information on this topic. SCrensen has been one of the most active advocates of renewable energy, notably wind energy. His book provides methodologies for those who would like to design or optimize renewable energy systems. It is a book that will not be out of date for some time to come. The book includes physical and engineering principles for energy from solar radiation, wind, oceans, biomass, and others. It also discusses energy transport and storage, and energy supply systems. These chapters are written with thoroughness and authority. The last chapter of the book deals with the socioeconomic assessment of energy supply systems, a field obviously outside of the immediate area of interest of the author. SCrensen's book is an authoritative description of the subject and is highly recommended. A. Alan Moghissi Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20460