The Future of Energy

The FUTURES Series

by Richard Black

How will the world produce more, cleaner energy? Climate communications expert Richard Black sets out a vision for the future which could benefit us all.

Coal, oil and gas provide four-fifths of the energy that powers our modern world. But continuing to burn them will mean wrecking the only planet we have. Is there a way out?

In The Future of Energy, journalist and analyst Richard Black argues that there is, and that the transition to a clean energy world is already underway. He shows that with just five key technologies we can replace the burning of fossil fuels almost entirely, as quickly as society decides.

Doing so will do much more than halt climate change. The transition will bring cheaper energy, cleaner air, and more jobs. It will remove some of the factors behind oppression, injustice, and conflict. And it is supported by an overwhelming majority of the world’s population. This may not be the story of energy that you hear most about from politicians, business leaders and journalists, but it is the one that matters.


‘For a fluent and fast-paced explanation of the clean energy future that’s within our grasp, look no further. Richard Black presents the main keys in a simple and accessible language and analyses the opportunities of an energy system transformation that is already unstoppable.' - David Shukman, former BBC Science Editor and Visiting Professor in Practice, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics

‘An articulate mapping of the energy transition that we are witnessing and need to turbocharge up to exponential rates, and why this is entirely possible.' - Christiana Figueres, co-author of The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis

'The Future of Energy is a masterful lesson on the present, past, and future state of the global energy landscape. Richard Black presents the main keys in a simple and accessible language and analyses the opportunities of an energy system transformation that is already unstoppable.' - Teresa Ribera, Third Deputy Prime Minister of Spain and Minister for the Ecological Transition

An essential guide to the defining revolution of our time as we progress from the fossil-fuel-dominated era. With his engaging, personable style, Black debunks myths and tropes about renewables, and charts a simple clear path forward – including practical policy recommendations that governments would do well to heed.' Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval

‘There's trillions of dollars to be made building the future energy system. Richard Black does a remarkable job bringing clarity to many divisive debates, laying out plainly what's worth backing and what's worth ignoring.' Akshat Rathi, author of Climate Capitalism: Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions

‘A tour de force replete with reasons to be optimistic about the potential to cut emissions by providing energy from clean sources and using it more intelligently – improving energy security and creating economic opportunity along the way. This is balanced by a wonderfully witty account of the reasons to be worried that this might not happen… Every aspiring policymaker should read this book.’ Professor Rob Gross, Director, UK Energy Research Centre

‘Many of the conflict flashpoints around the world today, in the Middle East and elsewhere, can be traced back to our insatiable thirst for oil and gas. Richard Black does an excellent job of laying out this unfortunate history and makes a convincing case that a world running on clean energy is likely to be a more peaceful world.’ Brigadier General Stephen Cheney, US Marine Corps (Ret), President Emeritus of the American Security Project

‘Richard Black does an excellent job of capturing the moment we are in, why this is happening and what it means, and showing that a virtually fossil fuel-free world, with its myriad advantages, is ours for the taking.’ Professor Daniel Kammen, University of California at Berkeley, former Science Envoy, US Department of State

‘Richard paints a picture of an energy future that is not only exciting, but one that is now inevitable. In this pithy, entertaining and informative book, Richard explains the main technologies that will get us there and dispels the myths propagated by those who want to hold back progress.’ Simon Holmes à Court, Convenor of Climate 200, author of The Big Teal



Richard Black spent 15 years as a science and environment correspondent for the BBC, largely for World Service radio, before setting up the Energy & amp; Climate Intelligence Unit. He now lives in Berlin and works for the global clean energy thinktank Ember, which tells the story of the energy transition through data and analysis. He is the author of Denied:The Rise and Fall of Climate Contrarianism and is an Honorary Research Fellow at Imperial College London.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2024

Reviews

[Rosie Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Future of Energy is a non-fiction book that considers the world move to clean energy.

Author Richard Black knows his subject; he is the founder of an Energy & Climate Intelligence unit and he works for the global clean-energy think tank, Ember.

In this compact book, Black clearly lays out a no-nonsense argument for clean energy in a five pronged approach: wind turbines and solar panels, electricity storage, electric vehicles, heat pumps and using hydrogen.

He talks about the infrastructure needed to made clean energy more available and how many countries around the world are already making positive inroads into implementing them.

I learnt a lot from this book, especially where some of my misconceptions have stemmed from. I like the thought of no longer needing fossil fuels and creating my own energy supplies. We already have some solar panels and I can see the argument to increase this number, while maybe looking into a heat pump to replace the gas boiler and when I need to change my gas hob, I’ll be looking at electric alternatives.

[John Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great short read on the history of fossil fuels and the future we could and should have for a clean energy system globally.

Reasons for clean energy: energy security, falling bills, decarbonization, economic wellbeing, and sovereignty

Five key elements of the future of energy:
Renewable generation (wind and solar)
Electricity storage (batteries, hydroelectric pumps)
Electric vehicles
Heat pumps
Hydrogen (electrolysis, not fossil powered)

[Calvin Nesbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise but insightful overview of the energy transition that is currently taking place. At points politically pessimistic with more of a focus on interesting technical details of technology adoption.

[Alec Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a pocket rocket - 150 pages of efficient discourse. Accessible and digestible.

[Adam Fetian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this book and I was hoping that it would provide some fresh and interesting perspective on developing clean energy to combat climate change.

While I agree with the authors basic thesis and, in the abstract, the principles by which he supports that argument. I found myself wanting for credibility.

As I annotated The Future of Energy during my read, hardly 2 pages went by where I did not note a straw-man argument, a composition or division fallacy, or where the author raised a question that contrarians point to as proof of failure that just went unaddressed. If addressed at all, the later was rhetorically hand waived away by unsupported argument or the equivalent of “just take my word for it.”

While I think the author was probably correct in many many of these statements the lack of explained support for the assumptions made me question the credibility of the argument.

3 stars because I loved the intent and energy.

[Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading this for the second time as preparation for an event tomorrow. Really refreshing to read an optimistic view on the energy transition rooted in fact. Unfortunately slightly dated already (written in 2023) as US climate policy has significantly changed in the past year. However, there is still truth in the fact that moving to renewables is both possible and probable. In fact, it's an inevitability that the oil and gas industry are striving to disguise.

[Yi Jie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Black’s The Future of Energy is a refreshingly optimistic and concise exploration of the global transition to clean energy, offering a stark contrast to the pervasive doom-and-gloom narratives surrounding climate change. As a former BBC environment correspondent and director at Ember, Black delivers a data-driven yet engaging 150-page account that is both accessible and enthralling. Unlike books that dwell on humanity’s squandering of natural resources, Black focuses on the inevitability of a clean energy future, driven by economics and technological advancements rather than solely climate imperatives. His apolitical, evidence-based approach, backed by robust data, makes the book a compelling read for anyone seeking a clear-eyed perspective on the energy revolution.

Black succinctly traces the modern history of fossil fuels, offering a well-reasoned prediction of oil’s decline that reads like the analysis of an astute investor. He argues that the shift to clean energy is already underway, with technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, electricity storage (batteries and pumped hydro), electric vehicles, and green hydrogen forming a five-pronged foundation capable of replacing fossil fuels almost entirely. He highlights the exponential adoption of these technologies in countries like China, India, and parts of South America, with Germany demonstrating the feasibility of a 100% clean energy transition. Meanwhile, nations like Japan remain tethered to fossil fuel narratives, slowing progress.

The book excels in outlining the benefits of clean energy—cheaper energy costs, cleaner air, job creation, and enhanced energy security—while candidly addressing limitations, such as intermittency and infrastructure challenges. Black proposes four flexibility solutions to ensure reliability: flexible demand, battery storage, smart grids, and flexible supply. He also critiques the fossil fuel industry’s obstructionist tactics, from misinformation to lobbying, which hinder adoption. Yet, he remains pragmatic, acknowledging economic disruptions and job losses in fossil fuel sectors while advocating for just transition policies.

Black’s two policy recommendations for governments—set a clear direction and remove barriers—are practical and actionable, emphasizing the need for infrastructure investment to make clean energy widely available. He showcases global progress, with many countries making significant inroads, and underscores China’s role as an “electrostate” leading in wind, solar, and EV production. Despite the upbeat tone, Black is realistic about obstacles, noting that the speed of the transition depends on societal and political will, as powerful fossil fuel interests and geopolitical rivalries (e.g., U.S.-China competition) risk diverting focus from our shared place in the “tree of life.”

The Future of Energy is a standout for its clarity, brevity, and hopeful pragmatism. Black avoids dry technicality, making complex topics approachable without sacrificing depth. While occasional assertions may lack full substantiation, the book effectively debunks myths about renewables and counters contrarian arguments, particularly on nuclear power’s high costs. For readers weary of apocalyptic climate narratives, this book offers a fact-based, uplifting vision of a cleaner, more equitable future, provided humanity acts with urgency and coordination.

Rating: Highly Recommended for anyone interested in energy, climate, or global progress.

Posted on my blog. Livonary.wordpress.com

[Brandon Pytel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Black’s Future of Energy is also an introduction to the clean energy landscape — what works now and what will work in the future, grounded in a good amount of anecdotes, statistics, history, and commentary. It is not only informative; it is truly a delight to read, written by a man with a journalist background and it shows.

Essentially, Black argues that the future clean energy system is made up of five key elements: renewable generation, electricity storage, electric vehicles, heat pump, and hydrogen.

With this, we can not only get about three-fourths of the way to solving our climate problem (Black acknowledges that land use and agriculture will not be solved by clean energy) — we can also create jobs, reduce corruption, make every country independent in energy, and reduce the exploitation of disadvantaged minorities.

Put another way, the five reasons for clean energy are energy security, falling bills, decarbonization, economic wellbeing and sovereignty. This transition is, as he puts it, the Occam’s razor of our times.

What about nuclear and hydrogen and geothermal? They will be needed for the tricky industries to decarbonize, like steel or cement, but because they don’t follow Wright’s Law of exponential growth, which argues that production at volume brings the unit cost down, and a lower cost means more demand, which increases production volume, and drives prices down even further (we see this with solar and wind energy).

“The combination of a new desirable mass-produced product and a free competitive market leads to an exponential growth in sales accompanied by a symbiotic fall in the cost.”

Along the way, Black addresses naysayers and fossil fuel propaganda, such as the purity argument, like the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn't blow all the time, as well as the There's no point in doing anything if China doesn’t, or there’s no way to decarbonize aviation, we’ll run out of rare minerals, etc., etc.

The problem is that fossil fuel companies and the politicians they support will not go quietly. And most are talking expansion, while none have a credible plan to transition to clean energy.

“They are companies with vast resources deployed in PR and lobbying, a sense of entitlement grounded in decades of special treatment, and utterly unused to operating in an environment of genuine competition.”

The trump card is that such a transition to clean energy is desirable, feasible, and achievable. All of th3 fossil fuel industry’s propaganda and its solutions in carbon capture and storage will be more expensive than the sensible alternative — and will also perpetuate society’s dependence on fossil fuel and “keep alive endlessly oscillating prices and energy blackmail.”


He describes the history of energy policy, which recently has been about delivering energy securely and reliably, reducing emissions by curbing fossil fuel use, and doing both of these things affordably. And even more recently it’s been about creating jobs and economic growth in the process.

But the one thing we can do now is accelerate the transition to clean energy by pressuring governments and reducing red tape for permitting clean energy projects: “The number one priority, bar none, is to persuade governments to facilitate the building of clean energy systems as quickly as possible, by whatever means are appropriate for each national government.”

Black is optimistic about this transition for all the reasons above but ultimately because the clean energy transition is rooted in self interest AND good of humanity, which is an absolute winning combination.

[Amy Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Black’s The Future of Energy is interested in challenges and possibilities. His subject is the development of a clean energy system that can eliminate the need to burn fossil fuels almost completely and without compromising anyone’s way of life. Black is an expert in his topic, having worked first for the BBC before setting up the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit and, more recently, working for the clean energy think-tank Ember.

His balanced introduction to the complex – and often divisive – field of energy transition is infused with his insight and passion but, crucially, is embedded within data and analysis whilst being illustrated with accessible and wide-ranging examples. Black is realistic about the seriousness of the challenges facing his particular field but, rather than be downcast, offers up several reasons to be optimistic about the future by showcasing the potential for energy transition that is efficient, economical, and intelligent. His proposed five-pronged approach busts several myths about clean energy whilst demonstrating the need for joined-up thinking to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to support global clean energy transition.

NB: This review is an extract from a piece on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... which was part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Deebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive despite its short length, this is a fantastic exploration of the Net Zero transition. Black does a great job of balancing the dark reality (particularly concerning the fossil fuel lobby) with an optimistic vision. Rather than feeling ideological, as some would undoubtedly label this, Black manages to make this feel more like the logical thing to do than the necessary thing to do, although both apply. The five pronged approach is well-explained and backed up by comprehensive evidence throughout. Highly recommended.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacking in so many areas. 2024 is not that long ago and not a single note on the rising energy demand from AI and the electrification that he is so keen on supporting? Like yes EVs are better than ICE cars, but it's going to require so much more energy. Also, turning a seemingly blind eye to the absurd human rights abuses in mining for critical minerals because it's present in other supply chains? Just wrong. An energy transition needs to be a just transition. Very UK centric and just so lacking in pragmatism.

[Tyler Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Black presents an argument for renewable energy that is as hopeful as it is pragmatic—arguing that a clean energy transition is “necessary, desirable, and feasible.” The technology is ready to support it (and will continue to get better); what matters now is how fast we choose to let it happen. This was a quick, easy read that spelled out some difficult concepts and muddy histories in very digestible ways. Highly recommend.

[Tom Orridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and hopeful read. Found the author would in some places criticise climate contrarians for using a certain argument against the energy transition, then use the same argument against their principles in the same breath. But still, convinced me of how the values of the energy transition go well beyond just climate crisis, and inspired me to improve my own energy independence.

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this because tired of certain approaches from the left to this subject (in short: we're all fucked! unless we do this one weird instant world revolution trick!) and let's say I found it technologically convincing and economically not so much.

[Lachlan Kroemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend for anyone who has any queries with the future of clean energy or fossil fuels. It lays out the key technologies we need to invest in and how they can be implemented. Also made me hate governments 8/10

[Mike Degen · Rating 3 out of 5]

a lil quick review tbh

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reason for optimism the planet will be ok because capitalism 😂

[Emily Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

Optimistic about the world's clean energy transition.

[Lettie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, would recommend

[Leo Borders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will from here on out be attaching my personal and professional identity to this book.