Best Coal Energy Books of 2025

The book "Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas--Not Less" challenges the common belief that the use of fossil fuels has a negative impact on climate change. The author, Alex Epstein, argues that the benefits of fossil fuels outweigh their side effects and are essential for global human flourishing. He suggests that a combination of using more fossil fuels, better climate mastery, and establishing energy freedom policies is the path to a better future. Epstein's "human flourishing framework" and his unique insights make this book a must-read for those interested in environmental economics.

Superpower is a captivating book that tells the story of Michael Skelly, the man behind the wind energy revolution that could power America's future. Russell Gold's writing is both insightful and thought-provoking, offering an essential look into the nation's evolving relationship with renewable energy. The book illustrates how Skelly's company, Clean Line Energy, envisioned a new power grid that could transport energy from where it's abundant to where it's needed most. Overall, Superpower is a fascinating read that highlights the potential of renewable energy and the importance of investing in a sustainable future.

The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in energy, politics, and economics. Written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Daniel Yergin, this book covers the history of energy and its impact on global events. It explores the new energies that are competing to replace the old ones and sheds light on the rebirth of renewable energies and energy independence. With surprising insights and rich details, The Quest is a comprehensive guide to understanding the essentials of energy in the 21st century. Overall, this book is an encyclopedic masterpiece that is both informative and entertaining.

Hybrid Power: Generation, Storage, and Grids is a comprehensive guide for advanced students, researchers, and industry professionals interested in the basics, technologies, and applications of hybrid energy systems. The book covers various forms and applications of hybrid energy systems, hybrid energy storage, hybrid microgrids, and hybrid off-grid energy systems, as well as simulation and optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems. The author provides valuable insights into the future of energy systems and how technological interventions can create a more inclusive and resilient energy system. Highly recommended for those interested in introducing hybrid energy into existing systems.

The "Hydrogen Economy" book provides a comprehensive overview of the potential use of hydrogen in domestic and industrial settings, as well as its mass production to replace conventional fuels. The book covers different production methods, storage options, and transportation means of hydrogen, along with their costs and energy values. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in hydrogen projects, helping them identify the best alternatives for each stage and overcome potential hurdles. Overall, the book is an essential read for those who want to understand the fundamentals, technology, and economics of the hydrogen economy.

"Energy: A Human History" is a fascinating book that traces the evolution of energy transitions over the past five centuries. The author, Richard Rhodes, takes the reader on a journey from the use of wood to coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewable energy. He explores the challenges that come with each energy source and examines the current energy landscape, including the competition between wind energy and coal and natural gas. Rhodes also addresses the issue of global warming and the world's population growth. Overall, this meticulously researched book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of energy and its impact on our world today.

Carbon Technocracy: Energy Regimes in Modern East Asia by Victor Seow is a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between energy, power, and industrial modernity. Through the history of Fushun, once East Asia's largest coal mine, Seow charts the emergence of the fossil fuel economy and the rise of the modern technocratic state. He highlights the aggressive fossil-fueled development that led to Fushun's ascent and the invasive techniques of labor control that countless workers were subjected to. The book provides urgent lessons as we confront a planetary crisis precipitated by our extravagant consumption of carbon. This is a groundbreaking history that sheds light on the wider world that carbon made.

A Bright Future by Joshua Goldstein and Staffan Qvist is a clear-sighted and compelling book that explains how several countries have replaced fossil fuels with low-carbon energy sources in one to two decades. The book provides a new touchstone in discussions of climate change and could spark a shift in world energy policy that saves the world. The authors show that clean energy quickly replaced fossil fuels in places such as Sweden, France, South Korea, and Ontario, and their people enjoyed prosperity and growing energy use in harmony with the natural environment. This book is a must-read for anyone concerned about climate change.

Fundamentals and Applications of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (SCO2) Based Power Cycles is an authoritative overview of research and technology in the field of SCO2 power cycles. The book covers the technology, properties of SCO2 relevant to power cycles, components, design challenges, and key applications, including waste heat, nuclear power, fossil energy, geothermal, and concentrated solar power. The final section addresses major international research programs. The book highlights the attractive features of SCO2 power cycles, including higher efficiencies than the traditional cycle and a lower capital cost potential. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for engineers and researchers in the energy industry.

No Good Alternative: Volume Two of Carbon Ideologies by William T. Vollmann is an eye-opening and honest book that takes readers on a journey through the consequences of coal mining and oil and natural gas production. Vollmann's extensive research and documentation provide an in-depth look at the impact of human actions on climate change. The author does not lay blame but rather seeks to understand and listen, making this book a valuable resource for anyone interested in the topic. This book is a must-read for those who care about the future of our planet.