NARFI Book Donation to MSU-Northern Library
Although many of us have come to depend on the Internet as the main source for answering questions we have about the world, there still is nothing like a good book to provide those special insights and gems of ideas that you just don't get in the confines of a website.
A trip to your local library is still special. Like Lewis and Clark you can be amazed by new discoveries at every turn along the stacks of books with strange titles and tempting covers. If you are fortunate enough to have access to a college or university library, you can spend days in exciting adventure.
To pique the interest and attention of anyone living along the Hi-Line of Northcentral Montana, NARFI recently donated some exciting new books to the Montana State U-Northern Vande Bogart Library.
On August 11, 2004, a carefully chosen set of current publications on renewable energy -- wind, solar, hydrogen, biofuels -- was presented to Cynthia Harrison, Director of the MSU-N library by Timlynn Babitsky, Director of the North American Rural Futures Institute (NARFI).
"This is really exciting," noted Ms Harrison. "There is rising interest in renewable energy among our students and the community members who use the library. But all our books in the topic area are nearly 30 years old. I asked Timlynn to help me choose more up-to-date resources and received this most generous gift from NARFI instead."
"Because of its extremely rural location MSU-N can take a leadership role in exploring the issues and technologies that will sustain rural places," noted Babitsky. "But without the most current resources on those issues and technologies, students and faculty have a more difficult time distinguishing real potential from media hype. The books and CD that we gave to the library should help update their collection."
NARFI's Alternative Energy Bookshelf at MSU-Northern
Below is the list of new books and other resources that have been presented to the MSU-N library. Library access is not limited to MSU-N students. Anyone can have access to the library's full resources. For those who live a great distance from Havre, the inter-library loan system makes books available to folks anywhere served by the system.
Wind Energy in America: A History by Robert W. Righter (1996, ISBN: 0806128127)
This excellent book details the history of efforts to capture the power of wind for electricity, from the first European windmills to California's wind farms of the late 20th-century. Inventors and technical innovations as well as the politics of the power industry are examined. In particular, individual and small-business contributions to wind energy development are covered. This makes for a very special accounting of events that is not found in most other resources. The author concludes that an individual, decentralized power system is a reasonable alternative for rural America.
Wind Energy Explained: Theory, Design and Application by J. F. Manwell, J. G. McGowan, A. L. Rogers (2002, ISBN: 0-471-49972-2)
This book provides a thorough introduction to wind energy. The comprehensive coverage – from wind turbine control and operation to system design and public policy – will appeal to engineering students from a variety of backgrounds. If you are new to the field of renewable energy you will find this book to be a valuable introduction to an emerging energy source.
Wind Energy Basics: A Guide to Small and Micro Wind Systems by Paul Gipe and Karen Perez (1999, ISBN: 1890132071)
An informative and easy-to-understand guide to small and micro wind systems for the energy generation. Provides detailed information on planning, purchasing, siting, and installing a wind system, and the integration of wind power with solar photovoltaics for more cost-effective and reliable off-the-grid applications. Explains net metering and intertie possibilities, describing how homeowners and businesses in many states can now sell their excess electricity back to the utility company.
Power with Nature: Solar and Wind Energy Demystified by Rex A. Ewing (2003, ISBN: 0965809854)
Practical, hands-on information about grid-connected and off-grid systems, plus sections on solar, wind and micro-hydro power. The author also explains batteries, inverters, charge controllers and other components of a renewable energy system. The book also covers passive solar techniques, solar hot water heating, and options for pumping water.
Tomorrow's Energy: Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and the Prospects for a Cleaner Planet by Peter Hoffmann (2001, ISBN 0-262-08295-0)
This book thoroughly details the history of hydrogen projects worldwide from experimental fuel cell vehicles produced by the major auto makers to research into the use of hydrogen as airplane fuel; the application of hydrogen in utilities in Germany and China; and a few experimental hydrogen-powered houses in the United States. The pros and cons of the hydrogen debate are frankly covered, including safety issues, economics, and the difficulty in moving our national energy policy away from fossil fuels. This is a must read book for hydrogen fuel cell enthusiasts.
From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel by Joshua Tickell, Kaia Roman (Editor), and Kaia Tickell, 3rd edition (2000, ISBN: 0970722702)
Strange as it sounds, vegetable oil is an alternative fuel! This is the first and only book that details all aspects of running diesel engines on vegetable oil. Includes information on biodiesel, the diesel fuel substitute made from new or used vegetable as well as information on running any diesel engine on straight vegetable oil (SVO). This book is packed with history, information, instructions, photos, diagrams and resources. This book will open your eyes to a whole new world of possibilities.
21st Century Complete Guide to Biofuels and Bioenergy: Department of Energy Alternative Fuel Research, Agriculture Department Biofuel Research, Biomass, Biopower, Biodiesel, Ethanol, Methanol, Plant Material Products, Landfill Methane, Crop Residues (CD-ROM) by the U.S. Government (2003, ISBN: 1592482791)
This CD-ROM has over 19,000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software - allowing direct viewing on Windows and Apple Macintosh systems. Reader software is included on the CD. Vast archives of important public domain government information that might otherwise remain inaccessible are available for instant review. This book-on-a-disc is an invaluable reference and educational tool. There is no other reference in the biofuel/bioenergy domain that is as fast, convenient, comprehensive, and portable.
Futuring: The Exploration of the Future by Edward Cornish (2004, ISBN: 0930242572)
This is an excellent resource for anyone thinking about the future and how to plan for it. It covers what we can know about the future and what we can
