I appreciate that, because of David's untimely death, the book is now out of date; and I am surprised that no one else has taken on the batten of updating it. But the real value of the book is in its methodology; its absolute reliance on numbers and calculations rather than on handwaving and adjectives. And, as engineers, we are all capable of doing that rather than invoking weird conspiracy theories and political correctness. __________________________________________ David C Brown 43 Bings Road Whaley Bridge High Peak Phone: 01663 733236 Derbyshire eMail: dcb.home@gmail.com SK23 7ND web: www.bings-knowle.co.uk/dcb *Sent from my etch-a-sketch* On Thu, 21 Mar 2019 at 07:51, RussellMc wrote: > On Thu, 21 Mar 2019 at 13:11, David C Brown wrote: > > > I have found the book "Sustainable Energy without the hot air" by the > late > > David McKay to be the most useful quantitative analysis of the real > > potential of of the various forms of energy production. Whilst it is a > > little out of date and UK-centric it is worth reading the chapter on > solar > > power > > > > > Extremely well done. > > *RECOMMENDED* > > *Free* and *genuinely legitimate* PDF version of whole book here (from > author) - 383 pages > > http://www.inference.org.uk/sustainable/book/tex/sewtha.pdf > > His energy assumptions can largely stand (or not) on their own merit. > However, this was published in 2008 and solar PV panel prices have utterl= y > plummeted since then - so arguments re cost effectiveness will have chang= ed > immensely. > > Also his UK wide "solar farm" is based on a 10% efficiency assumption whi= ch > was bearable at the time but very wrong now. > A figure in the 15% - 20%+ range is more realistic now deep-ending where > you measure it. > > > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .