The Future of Energy: 2020 Edition

The Future of Energy – The bestselling, no-nonsense guide to sustainability, renewable energy, climate change and the energy transition.
The 'Future of Energy' is written to be accessible for anyone interested in learning more about Energy. The book takes the reader through a possible future for energy generation, transportation and utilisation, seeking to make some bold calls on what energy will look like in 2030 and beyond. Concise and comprehensive, the book brings together discussion on energy and thoughts on the range of topics which form the fulcrum of the challenges ahead of us including Climate Change, Hydrogen, Heat, Sustainability and Renewable Energy. Written to spark ideas, discussion and debate the ‘Future of Energy’ engages the reader in the future challenges and opportunities of this hugely exciting and important field.
Background
Energy is a huge field, touching every part of society. Without it we couldn’t cook, heat our homes, make steel, travel or pretty much do anything. Since humans first made fire to warm themselves and cook, energy has been a cornerstone of progression and since the times of Watt and Brunel it is hydrocarbons in the form of coal, oil and gas which have driven us forward; forming the cornerstones of a revolution which has changed every aspect of our daily lives. In 2020 we stand at a crossroads. On the one hand to continue our existing path reliant on hydrocarbons and the resultant impact on the planet. On the other hand, there is an alternative route in which we find another way, utilising hydrocarbons differently – and in lower volumes - and finding energy from ‘alternative’ sources including many that already exist and are rapidly moving from niche to main stream.
There exists a huge range of information on the ‘energy transition’ with competing technologies and theories vying for supremacy. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing there is an easy answer or ‘silver bullet’ to the huge challenges we face. It is substantially more complicated with an inevitable patchwork of future technologies, rather than a single simple solution. There is no perfect answer to the challenges we face but most will in some way shape the way we use energy through the next decade and beyond.
About the author
John Armstrong is an engineer whose career has spanned the extremes of the energy industry – giving him a front-row seat on the energy roller-coaster. He began his career constructing oil refineries before moving to work across fossil and renewable electricity generation. John lives in Bath in the United Kingdom with his wife and two children.
Reviews
Concise while being comprehensive. Thorough but with a bit of a personal perspective that makes it interesting. Realistic about the challenges but with a dose of optimism about what could be done. Well-informed but accessible. David Elmes. Professor of Energy WBS, Sept 2020.
The author takes you on a... journey through a range of environmental scenarios (home heating, air travel, industrial consumption) where energy is the problem but also, potentially, brings a range of solutions. Enough detail to keep the purists happy but also simply written so the amateur won't get lost. Andrew, May 2020
A very good guide to the challenges the energy industry faces today. I will be recommending it to all my team to get up to speed with the industry – incredibly accessible in how the ideas are laid out. Seb, Energy Conference Producer, May 2020
This should be mandatory reading for future undergraduates and graduates as part of our induction process. Darren, Senior Energy Manager, May 2020
The author manages to present a complex topic in an engaging and authoritative way. Andrew, May 2020