Energy Futures

The second edition of this book updates some of the progress in clean energy and climate tech that has been made since the initial publication in 2022 and adds new material that was not available earlier, including information on energy from hydrogen, recent developments in geothermal technology, and progress on carbon dioxide removal. It also discusses changes in international climate policies, including a greater focus on loss and damage in the Global South and some restructuring of carbon offset economics in both North America and Europe. The objective of this book is to help the average, concerned reader better understand the links between fossil fuel, greenhouse gas, and climate change in a clear, explanatory format. It avoids sensationalism and politics, using plain language to explain the details of the science, how the science works, and how we know what we know. The book is referenced throughout with footnotes. It describes the history of fossil fuels, why fossil fuel combustion products are a problem, and what must be done to address the impacts on climate. Details include a number of energy engineering solutions to replace fossil fuels with renewable, clean energy, and information about a technology called geoengineering that can cool the planet and directly remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Many people are pessimistic about the future and prepared to give up on addressing climate change. This book strives to maintain hope that humanity can and must solve this and other environmental problems. The climate crisis was caused by humans, and it can be addressed with human engineering. Responsible discussions by informed readers with their political leaders are a pathway for implementing solutions to climate change.