Bottled Lightning Superbatteries, Electric Cars, and the New Lithium Economy by Seth Fletcher

Bottled Lightning Superbatteries, Electric Cars, and the New Lithium Economy by Seth Fletcher

This is a history of batteries which make the electric car possible.  Seth Fletcher describes the invention of the battery from its beginnings to modern lithium-ion batteries.  It is about more than cars, because lithium batteries were first used in computers and cell phones before they were used in cars.

The book is very much a pro electric car book focused on the benefits of electric cars.  He enthusiastically describes the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf, and the Tesla Roadster as the hope for our future.  His focus is not on hybrid electric cars, but on cars that are purely run by batteries.

I very much enjoyed reading about the lithium mines in Chile and Bolivia.  The largest lithium reserves are in Bolivia.  Seth Fletcher describes his visits to the mines.

There is an excellent reminder that ultimately lithium ion batteries are about more than cars.  Large power plants are starting to use giant lithium ion batteries as back up power storage.  This will grow with the increased use of wind and solar power.

This book is worth reading if you are interested in alternative energy or automobiles.  It is more of a story about batteries than just cars. 

Daily Thoughts 5/27/2011 (Book Expo America, Bottled Lightning)

Almeida Júnior, Saudade, Nostalgia, 1899

Daily Thoughts 5/27/2011

On the train to work, I have been reading a little more of Bottled Lightning.  The author is describing the history of battery technology.

This morning, I updated the Twitter account and checked the displays to make sure they were in order.  My box of books and audiobooks came in this afternoon from Book Expo America which is always nice.  I also wrote an update on our interlibrary loan and holds procedure.

I read a bit more of Bottled Lightning on the way home.  I like how there is a progression with lithium batteries from cell phones and electronics to cars.  It makes sense that the batteries would be first developed in smaller devices then move to larger devices.


Web Bits

At BEA Librarians Describe Future and Challenges of Ebooks
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890777-264/at_bea_librarians_describe_challenges.html.csp

Ebusiness Is the Buzz at Book Fair

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/books/bookexpo-america-underlines-industry-shifts.html?_r=1&ref=technology

Daily Thoughts 5/26/2011 (Book Expo America, Creators of the Superheroes)

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, La Lecture du rôle, between 1874 and 1876

Daily Thoughts 5/26/2011

I am back to work after Book Expo America.  I had to miss the last day which is a bit of a disappointment, but am glad to be back.  I brought some of the books from the show to be added to our collection.  I also checked the displays, updated the Twitter account, tabulated a few more surveys, and made sure things were in good order.

Two books came in for me to read, Bottled Lightning, Superbatteries Electric Cars and the New Lithium Economy by Seth Fletcher and Moonwalking With Einstein The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer.

On the way home, I finished reading The Creators of the Superheroes by Thomas Andrae.  I especially liked the section on Will Eisner.  Will Eisner from the beginning wanted to create comic books for an adult audience.  He is credited with creating the first graphic novel, A Contract with God, but before that he wrote training manuals in comic book form for the army. This book is truly excellent and is very nicely illustrated.

I also started reading Bottled Lightning on the way home.


Web Bits


Publishers Weekly on Scribd-- Includes daily coverage of Book Expo America.
http://www.scribd.com/PublishersWeekly