Best Energy Policy Books of 2026

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.

The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future is an eye-opening book that sheds light on America's electrical grid, its history, current flaws, and how it needs to be transformed for our energy future. Author Gretchen Bakke, a cultural anthropologist, presents a compelling case for reimagining the grid according to twenty-first-century values to accommodate new energy sources such as solar, wind, and other alternatives. Bakke's engaging writing style, combined with her in-depth research, makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of America's energy infrastructure and its potential role in a cleaner, brighter future.

Electrify: An Optimist’s Playbook for Our Clean Energy Future is a detailed blueprint for fighting climate change while creating millions of new jobs and a healthier environment. Saul Griffith's plan is simple and feasible: electrify everything. He explains what it takes to transform our infrastructure, update our grid, and adapt our households to make this possible. Griffith's plan relies on thousands of little inventions and cost reductions, and it doesn't require big, not-yet-invented innovations. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in energy policy and climate change solutions.

A Question of Power by Robert Bryce is a compelling read that examines the history of electricity and its impact on the world. Bryce takes readers on a journey through different countries, highlighting the importance of reliable electricity for successful electrification. He also debunks the notion that renewable energy can solely meet our energy needs and argues that nuclear energy must play a more significant role. The book provides a unique perspective on the role of electricity in addressing issues like inequality, women's rights, and climate change. Overall, it is an eye-opening and informative book that is well worth a read.

The Absent Superpower: The Shale Revolution and a World Without America, the sophomore book of New York Times Bestselling Author of The End of the World is Just the Beginning, Peter Zeihan, is a well-crafted page-turner that lays out the compelling reasons why America's role in the world has changed. Zeihan maps out the impact of America's good fortune for the rest of the world, making this book a must-read for those interested in national and international security books. The unique perspective that Zeihan offers, combined with his vivid account of the impact of America's energy independence, make this book an essential read for anyone interested in geopolitics.

The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy by Michael Lewis is a New York Times bestseller that explores the botched presidential transition of the Trump administration, revealing the consequences when leaders lack knowledge and understanding of how the government works. The book delves into the critical services the government manages to ensure our safety and well-being. Lewis highlights the importance of federal workers' intellectual curiosity, dedication, foresight, and sense of mission to make the government work. The Fifth Risk is a thought-provoking and timely read that sheds light on the current state of American politics.

A Bright Future: How Some Countries Have Solved Climate Change and the Rest Can Follow is a groundbreaking book that offers a practical and proven way to cut greenhouse gas emissions and avoid catastrophic climate change. Authors Joshua Goldstein and Staffan Qvist present a clear and compelling case for how several countries have rapidly replaced fossil fuels with low-carbon energy sources, and how others can follow suit. The book is well-written, beautifully illustrated, and footnoted with extensive technical references. It is a must-read for anyone interested in climate change and could spark a shift in world energy policy that saves the world.

Shorting the Grid by Meredith Angwin is a must-read for those who want to understand the hidden fragility of our electric grid. Angwin provides a clear and succinct explanation of the most important network and highlights the vulnerabilities that insiders know but the customers don't. The book sheds light on the closed meetings, arcane auction rules, and five-minute planning horizons that contribute to the grid's fragility. Shorting the Grid offers actions to support the grid that supports us all. Overall, this book is an eye-opening exposé of our grid's vulnerabilities and a call for greater attention to grid governance.

Revolutionary Power: An Activist's Guide to the Energy Transition by Shalanda Baker is a timely and important book that explores the intersection of race, access to energy, and climate change. The author argues that people of color, poor people, and indigenous people must be involved in creating a new energy system to upend the unequal power dynamics of the current system. The book provides a step-by-step analysis of key energy policy areas that are ripe for intervention, and tells the inspiring stories of those who are working towards a more just system. Overall, this book is a well-considered manifesto for equity in the distribution of power that highlights the opportunity we have to transform society through a deeper transformation of the energy system.