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Under The Microscope

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY -- OPTIONS FOR NEW ZEALAND, by Dai Redshaw and Keith Dawber; Otago University Press, 1996; 111 pages; $29.95

It seems appropriate to be reading this the week that New Zealand's first wind farm is officially opened. Wind energy is just one of the renewable energy options covered by the authors; others include solar energy, biomass, hydro power, geothermal, tidal and even nuclear. The book is rounded off with sections on energy efficiency in transport and strategies for the future.

Each section covers a surprising amount of detail, packing in a broad overview with detailed case studies, relevant diagrams and sidebars, explanations of the basic physics involved and illustrative photographs. The writing is clear without being too formal and, unlike many books in this sort of field, it does not suffer from being too earnest or preachy. The authors acknowledge where their sympathies lie and where matters of opinion are expressed rather than matters of fact.

Despite the wealth of material, the crisp layout and design succeed in making the book easy to read and you feel that you have absorbed a great deal on finishing it. The authors, a teacher and a university lecturer, see the book as useful for teaching physics in context, but they also say that they hope that "it will be useful for anyone who wishes to consider New Zealand's future energy options". It certainly succeeds at that and would do well to be on the shelves of anyone with an interest in this area.

Vicki Hyde writes for Windpower Monthly, an international wind energy news magazine.