News Release

Book offers a viable alternative to fossil fuel

Book Announcement

Wiley

The increasing world population and the declining availability of cheap oil threaten to plunge the world into a global energy crisis. The United States alone represents nearly 60 percent of global oil demands and a particularly cold winter in North America can strongly affect global prices. Concerns over our reliance on oil and gas and the impact of fossil fuels on the environment have escalated significantly in recent years. Stating that "America is addicted to oil," President George Bush announced a new initiative in his February 2, 2006 State of the Union address that would increase funding for clean energy research by 22 percent with the goal of replacing more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by 2025.

Various alternative energies, including nuclear, geothermal, and hydrogen energies, have been explored but none offer both a safe and efficient option that rivals fossil fuel. Introducing a technology that could significantly alleviate our energy problems, "Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy" (Wiley-VCH; March 2006; $29.95; Cloth; 3-527-31275-7; http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-3527312757.html) is a revolutionary new book that illustrates how methanol can be used as a viable alternative to diminishing fossil fuel resources.

Written by George Olah, the renowned Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Alain Goeppert, and G. K. Surya Prakash, "Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy" explores current energy sources (atomic force, oil, natural gas, and hydrogen), alternate energies, the interrelation of fuels and energy, and the extent of non-renewable fossil fuel resources. The authors outline the need for hydrocarbons and their products despite depleting reserves and global warming, and examine the envisioned hydrogen economy and its significant shortcomings. This timely book demonstrates how atmospheric carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide from industrial exhausts can be converted into safe liquid methanol for use as fuel and as a raw material for hydrocarbons.

"Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy" is an insightful and inspiring guide to meeting the world's future energy needs while preserving the environment.

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About the Authors:

George A. Olah, Ph.D., was awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contribution to carbocation chemistry and the 2005 Priestely Medal from the American Chemical Society. Dr. Olah is Distinguished Professor and Director of the Loker Hydrocarbon Institute at the University of Southern California. He has published more than 1,300 scientific papers and authored or edited 15 books. He holds 120 patents.

Alain Goeppert, Ph.D., is Research Associate at the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. His current research focuses on the transformation of methane and CO2 into more valuable products and CO2 capture technologies.

G.K. Surya Prakash, Ph.D., is Professor and Olah Nobel Laureate Chair in Hydrocarbon Chemistry at the University of Southern California. He has authored more than 500 scientific papers and co-authored or edited seven books. He was awarded the 2004 American Chemical Society National Award for Creative Work in Fluorine Chemistry and the 2006 George A. Olah Award in Hydrocarbon or Petroleum Chemistry.

About Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA
Wiley-VCH, founded in 1921, is one of the leading publishers in Germany with an emphasis on science. Founded by German chemical societies and associations, it is renowned for its close relationships to European and today also Asian chemical societies. It is the home of journals like Angewandte Chemie and of many Nobel laureates like Jean-Marie Lehn, Robert Grubbs, Aaron Ciechanover to name but a few. Wiley-VCH is part of the international publishing house John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA. http://www.wiley-vch.de

About John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., provides must-have content and services to customers worldwide. Its core businesses include scientific, technical, and medical journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional and consumer books and subscription services; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley has publishing, marketing, and distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb. Wiley's Internet site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.


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