Summary
There are enormous reserves of energy in the winds and the tides and in the temperature difference between the upper and lower regions of the oceans. If the energy produced from wind and water were converted into electrical energy, it would satisfy the electricity demands of the entire world many times over. However, this kind of conversion isn't possible—not now or in the future.
Wind and Water, Third Edition describes conventional hydropower, or wind power, and some of the newer technologies (with less certain futures) that are being introduced to harness the power of ocean currents, ocean waves, and the temperature difference between the upper and lower layers of the ocean. This updated edition discusses the strengths and limitations of each technology as well as mathematical models that describe the maximum amount of energy that can be harnessed by such devices. This comprehensive resource also examines how these power producers benefit from government support and the economics of operating these types of generating stations.
About the Author(s)
John Tabak has written on a wide variety of topics including the history of mathematics, the history of American Sign Language, energy and the environment, and the expression of higher mathematics in American Sign Language. He has a Ph.D. in mathematics and years of experience as an interpreter for the deaf.