The world is transitioning from energy to power, a change that is setting human civilization on a new course for the future. Power Shift is the first book to describe this fundamental change in the human relationship with energy.
For two hundred years human society has mined caches of fossil energy to build and run our mechanized civilization. Now we have reached the limits of fossil fuels because of their unintended consequences–climate change and ocean acidification. Our next step is not to dig up a new energy source, but instead to tap into the vast dynamic power sources that flow all around us, sources that derive their power from the Sun. Unlike fossil fuels, the Sun is a permanent source of clean power that will never run out.
Power Shift’s breakthrough insight is that human civilization has embarked on a great transformation from static fossil energy to dynamic solar power, altering the basic relationship between humans and energy. This shift is so fundamental that it defines a new historical epoch, and looms as large as the discovery of fire, the development of agriculture, and the exploitation of fossil fuels. Today few are aware that this new epoch has already begun.
Written for a general audience, Power Shift explains this insight by retelling the story of humans in terms of energy. It shows how energy defined our species and supported our expansive takeover of Planet Earth. It clearly outlines our current energy dilemma, and the way forward.
If you live a modern energy-enabled lifestyle, then you are a player in this drama, and you have choices to make. The energy decisions we make today will decide the fate of many generations to come. This book raises the level of energy debate to match this historic significance.
Power Shift will enlarge your view of the world through the lens of energy. From that new vantage point, you will see hope for the future.
