Mad like Tesla: underdog inventors and their relentless pursuit of clean energy

Description

Introduction: Cheering the lone runner -- 1: More bang for the buck?: a quicker path to nuclear fusion -- 2: Out of this world: beaming solar power from space -- 3: New spin on energy: turning waste heat into tornado power -- 4: Copying nature's playbook: capturing efficiency through biomimicry -- 5: Not your average pond scum: making fuel refineries out of algae -- 6: Secrecy in Cedar Park: raising the bar on energy storage -- 7: Searching for miracles: changing the world with an open mind -- Conclusion: Reasons to hope.;Overview: A search for the contemporary Nikola Tesla-considered a mad scientist by his society for predicting global warming more than 100 years ago-fuels this analysis of climate issues, which introduces thinkers and inventors who are working to find possible ways out of the energy crisis. From Louis Michaud, a retired refinery engineer who claims we can harness the energy of man-made tornadoes, to a professor and a businessman who are running a company that genetically modifies algae so it can secrete ethanol naturally, these individuals and their unorthodox methods are profiled through first-person interviews, exposing the social, economic, financial, and personal barriers that prevent them from making an impact with their ideas. The existing state of green energy technologies, such as solar, wind, biofuels, smart grid, and energy storage, is also explored, creating a sense of hope against a backdrop of climate dread. Introduction: Cheering the lone runner -- 1: More bang for the buck?: a quicker path to nuclear fusion -- 2: Out of this world: beaming solar power from space -- 3: New spin on energy: turning waste heat into tornado power -- 4: Copying nature's playbook: capturing efficiency through biomimicry -- 5: Not your average pond scum: making fuel refineries out of algae -- 6: Secrecy in Cedar Park: raising the bar on energy storage -- 7: Searching for miracles: changing the world with an open mind -- Conclusion: Reasons to hope.