From wood to coal to oil and gas, the sources of energy on which civilization depends have always changed as technology advances. Now renewables are overtaking fossil fuels, with wind and solar energy becoming cheaper and more competitive every year. Growth in renewable energy will further accelerate as electric vehicles become less expensive than traditional automobiles. Understanding the implications of the energy transition will prepare us for the many changes ahead.

This book is a primer for readers of all levels on the coming energy transition and its global consequences. Bruce Usher provides a concise yet comprehensive explanation for the extraordinary growth in wind and solar energy; the trajectory of the transition from fossil fuels to renewables; and the implications for industries, countries, and the climate. Written in a straightforward style with easy-to-understand visual aids, the book illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of renewable energy based on business fundamentals and analysis of the economic forces that have given renewables a tailwind. Usher dissects the winners and losers, illustrating how governments and businesses with a far-sighted approach will reap long-term benefits while others will trail behind. Alongside the business and finance case for renewable energy, he provides a timely illustration of the threat of catastrophic climate change and the perils of delay. A short and powerful guide to our energy present and future, this book makes it clear that, from both economic and environmental perspectives, there is no time to lose.

"Balanced, articulate, and informative." - Kirkus Reviews

"A short, handy new guide from the Earth Institute cuts through the noise about renewable energy to lay out the facts about this politically charged subject." - State of the Planet | Earth Institute | Columbia University

"[A] superb corrective." - Nature

"Anecdotes and facts packed into the book will surely leave you with the feeling that you have actually learned something new. And it will surely leave you with some new questions to ponder." - Sustainability Times

"Highly recommended for personal, public, academic, and special subject libraries." - Electronic Green Journal

"Usher's clear, precise, and concise prose debunks common misconceptions. . . . Renewable Energy provides a convincing argument to help all of us force the changes in political will needed to accelerate the changeover to renewable energy sources." - Civil Engineering

"A concise yet comprehensive account of the extraordinary growth in wind and solar energy; the trajectory of the transition from fossil fuels to renewables; and the implications for industries, countries, and the climate." - Green Left Weekly