The Grid
The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future
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The Grid
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Narrated by:
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Emily Caudwell
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Written by:
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Gretchen Bakke
About this listen
The grid is an accident of history and of culture, in no way intrinsic to how we produce, deliver and consume electrical power. Yet this is the system the United States ended up with, a jerry-built structure now so rickety and near collapse that a strong wind or a hot day can bring it to a grinding halt.
The grid is now under threat from a new source: renewable and variable energy, which puts stress on its logics as much as its components.
In an entertaining, perceptive and deeply researched fashion, cultural anthropologist Gretchen Bakke uses the history of an increasingly outdated infrastructure to show how the United States has gone from seemingly infinite technological prowess to a land of structural instability. She brings humor and a bright eye to contemporary solutions and to the often surprising ways in which these succeed or fail. And the consequences of failure are significant.
Our national electrical grid grew during an era when monopoly, centralisation and standardisation meant strength. Yet as we've increasingly become a nation that caters to local needs, and as a plethora of new renewable energy sources comes online, our massive system is dangerously out of step.
Charting the history of our electrical grid, Bakke helps us see what we all take for granted, shows it as central to our culture and identity as a people and reveals it to be the linchpin in our aspirations for a clean-energy future.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
©2016 Gretchen Bakke (P)2016 Audible, LtdWhat listeners say about The Grid
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David Corbeil
- 2022-10-24
This book was written for utility corp people ready for change
Clear, sound, accessible read for understanding the challenges ahead to reach a world where virtual power plant saves us all
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mehdi Rifai
- 2022-04-06
Very good introduction to the industry
I just started a job in the utilities industry, and honestly having read most of this book before I started was a great help - I immediately recognized a lot of terms and a lot of the challenges facing my company, and was able to hold more intelligent conversations because of them. I only wish that Gretchen would write an edition every five years with updates. Maybe it's too narrow a field for such constant updates, but honestly it's such a great resource, and so much has changed since the end of 2015.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Taras T.
- 2019-11-14
Good but not excellent
Gretchen gives an excellent overview and history of the US electricity grid. Her bias towards renewables (unreliables) and CO2 induced climate change taints this book though.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hussein Ramírez
- 2022-12-15
Very good to understand the whole GRID system
Is good but a little outdated, doesn't;t talk much on particular companies or newer technologies.
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