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February 2015 Vol. 52 No. 6

The demand for fossil fuels in industrial countries has remained relatively unchanged over the past few years, but speedy industrialization of developing countries has generated a substantial market for them.  In addition, fossil fuels will be needed for transportation and in the industrial and residential/commercial sectors for many years.  This updated edition (1st ed., 2007) begins with a global review of energy consumption and production.  A comprehensive review of available alternative fuel sources from nontraditional feedstocks follows.  Each chapter presents background information and an excellent overview of technologies to produce the fuel.  The book discusses coal gasification; liquid fuel from coal, natural gas, and oil sand; coal slurry fuel; shale gas; and shale oil.  Fuel from biomass is another focus.  The discussion ranges from corn and lignocellulosic ethanol to biodiesel, algae fuel, and thermochemical conversion of biomass.  The inclusion of these topics along with the latest developments in each area is very timely because they are becoming of more interest to both researchers and energy industry professionals.  The last four chapters discuss other fuel sources, namely energy from waste sources, geothermal and nuclear energy, and fuel cells.  A common thread linking all these sources is their continuous availability.

--J. Tavakoli, Lafayette College

Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.