This is an interesting documentary in which the geologist, Dr. Scott Tinker, explores whether and when society will be able to make the switch from fossil fuel based economies to pollution-free fuels. For each fuel source, Tinker visits some of the world energy production facilities. He also talks to top experts in the Department of Energy, and gives a concise and objective analysis of each resource’s major pros and cons.
Tinker visits a coal mine, a nuclear-power plant, a hydroelectric power plant, the office of the U.S. Undersecretary of Energy, a Gulf of Mexico oil well rig and an energy conference in India, among other locations. Using his interviews he shows the audience how energy is made and used in those places. In this documentary, Dr. Tinker measures energy sources like solar, nuclear, coal, geothermal, wind, biofuels, oil by how many people they can supply if the average person consumes 20,000,000 watt hours in a year. Then, he figures out how many people can be supply with the different source of energy. He also discusses the future fuel consumption of countries like China and India which have the largest populations in the world. When incomes rise, consumption will increase, the demand for energy will grow and pollution is going to reach a higher level.
He also explains that oil produces greenhouse gas emissions, but it is also energy dense because a small amount holds a lot of power. Coal is dirty and very expensive to clean it, but easy to access and use, and there is a lot of it. It also generates about half the electricity used in the United States. However, Tinker explains that coal plants are the nation's top source of carbon dioxide and sulfur emissions. The only alternative
