9 Books about the impact and potential of renewable energy and sustainability

This book provides a comprehensive exploration of what the world will look like in a post-fossil fuel era. Heinberg and Fridley carefully assess the potential of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and hydropower, and the structural changes in our economy and lifestyle that these technologies might necessitate. They discuss the opportunities for creating a resilient, efficient, and almost fully renewable energy system, while considering the profound implications for our food and transportation sectors.

In this book, physicist David MacKay delves into the arithmetic of sustainable energy, providing a clear-cut review of the numbers related to renewable sources and their potential for meeting global energy demands. Through an engaging and accessible approach, MacKay sifts through the hype surrounding renewable energy and distills the topic down to the essential, often surprising, numbers. He offers a pragmatic perspective on how much energy we use, how much renewable energy can realistically supply, and what this means for our future.

Rifkin's book explores the idea of the Green New Deal, which seeks to tie together environmental and economic policy. Rifkin describes the key role that renewable energy and infrastructure modernization play in addressing climate change, while also creating new jobs and stimulating economic growth. Through a blend of economic analysis and policy discussion, Rifkin explores how the global shift towards renewable energy can underpin a new era of economic and environmental sustainability.

Jeremy Shere’s "Renewable" chronicles the history of energy production and how the emerging focus on renewable sources will shape our future economies and societies. Shere takes the reader on a tour from early wind power experiments to today’s super-efficient solar panels, revealing the science, the people, and the politics behind the energy technologies that could help save our planet from an energy crisis.

"Power from the Sun" is a comprehensive guide on how to harness solar energy for generating electricity, heating water and space, and powering vehicles. It explains the basic principles of solar energy and photovoltaics, system components, how to plan and install a solar system, and the benefits of solar energy. It's a valuable resource for anyone interested in renewable energy, whether they are just curious about solar power or seriously considering a solar-powered home.

Rhodes, a Pulitzer Prize recipient, provides a sweeping historical narrative of our relationship with energy. This book covers energy transitions throughout human history, from our reliance on wood and animal power, through the coal and oil eras, to the current turn towards renewable energy sources. Rhodes masterfully blends storytelling with in-depth research, providing valuable context for our current energy challenges and potential solutions.

This book provides a comprehensive beginner's guide to understanding and utilizing wind power. It covers a wide range of topics, including how wind energy works, how to measure wind resources, what components you need for a wind power system, and how to tie wind power into the grid. The author, a veteran wind energy expert, provides practical tips, insider information, and general knowledge for anyone interested in exploring this renewable energy source.

Bakke's book gives readers an in-depth view into the complexities of the energy grid. She explores how this system has evolved and how it struggles to adapt to the modern world, particularly the influx of renewable energy sources. Bakke argues that the grid, an engineering triumph of the 20th century, is now under threat from a variety of forces, including the rise of distributed renewable energy and the realities of climate change. The book provides a compelling case for why we need to reimagine the grid for a renewable energy future.

In this book, Lester Brown, a pioneer in global environmentalism, details the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. He presents compelling evidence for how solar, wind, and geothermal power, along with developments in battery storage and electric vehicle technology, are driving a major transition to a global economy powered by renewable energy. Brown explores the environmental and economic implications of this transition, highlighting its potential to stabilize climate, create jobs, and boost global economic growth.