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The Energy Trap

Why the renewable energy transition can’t work – and what can

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The Energy Trap

By: Richard Lyon
Narrated by: Richard Lyon
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Summary
 One of humanity's greatest modern threats involves an area of life we thought we had mastered: energy. For the last century our energy system has delivered rising prosperity, increased lifespans and largely eliminated famine. Now it is being dismantled - with confidence, with public money and with almost no scrutiny.

In this short, sharp book, Richard Lyon - electrical engineer, petroleum engineer and energy economist - strips the energy debate back to the physics. What he finds is alarming: fossil fuels are running out, the proposed replacements can't do the job and the people in charge don't understand the science well enough to realise, much less pursue solutions.

The consequences could be severe, but they are not yet inevitable. In a series of lucid chapters, The Energy Trap sets out the problem and proposes a way forward - provided we are willing to stop wasting our remaining resources on energy systems that can't work and get on with building one that can.©2026 Richard Lyon (P)2026 Little, Brown Book Group Limited Engineering Natural History
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At long last, a book that pulls together all the strings of the energy conundrum.

For a long time now, I've been sceptical about the changes required as a result of climate policy, but I've constantly been confused by the competing claims of those who advocate renewable energy.

That's not to say that we shouldn't stop burning hydrocarbons to produce electrical energy, but I agree with the author's summation of the hydrocarbon inheritance concept.

Finally, someone has drawn together all the threads, and what's going on just now is worse than I ever thought it would be. Richard has produced a fantastic book, pulling together all the different things that should be considered. Sad to say, it would appear that our politicians have no understanding whatsoever of the subject.This book is a must-read or must-listen-to contribution to the current debate and hopefully will put an end to the lunacy that's currently being perpetrated in the UK.

At long last.

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Science spelt out for a civilisation that urgently needs to understand the energy trap that saw the demise of Rome but is now on an equally imminent but crucially global scale.
Offering a best solution, all governments would be wise to understand these simple scientific truths.

Blunt energy science

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This is a concise explanation of the of the energy problem, addressing issues in a way I have not heard before. Everyone should hear/read this. Having listened I'm going to buy a hard copy and try to share its message

Everyone should hear or read this

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Richard Lyon tells it as it is. We disregard it at our peril.
Everyone should read this before it’s too late

The truth clearly explained

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Great read. Posted on facebook, and others.
I hope world leaders read it.
Its a timely warning for my grandchikdren s sake.

A must listen

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