Delightfully written in a non-technical and accessible style, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers, both with and without scientific backgrounds. It is steady-paced and well grounded, providing much solid information in a coherent and useful way which really makes it possible for the layman to think about the subject matter.

In part 1 of the book, ‘Setting the scene’, Evans adopts a systems approach, looking at the complete energy conversion chain. The important distinction between primary energy sources (fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable energy) and energy carriers (refined petroleum products, natural gas, electricity and hydrogen) is thus clear. He then looks at energy and the environment. His discussion of the global trends includes a thorough validating of the climate modelling tools against long-term historic data, before presenting the range of future scenarios they predict.

Part 2 looks at the global energy demand and supply balance, and here the focus on primary energy sources is very helpful. Wind turbines have become emblems of the discussion about sustainability (a wind turbine photograph, set against the rising sun, graces the cover of the book), but it is chastening to be reminded that, against the 79.6% of world energy usage coming from coal, oil and natural gas, combustible fuel (firewood) still constitutes 10.9%, nuclear 6.8%, hydro 2.2% and the combination of geothermal, solar and wind only supplies 0.5%.

Part 3, which addresses new and sustainable energy sources, begins by looking at clean coal, as well as looking at new sources of oil and gas, and at carbon sequestration, before looking at renewable energy sources. Here, all the usual candidate technologies are described, with helpful explanations of terms such as ‘capacity factor’, which shows that tidal, solar and wind energy are intermittent sources of power; for example solar photovoltaic (PV) produces no electricity at night.

There is some very useful debunking. Solar PV is uneconomic even when used in very promising conditions, in many cases the production of biofuels uses more energy than it creates and one wave energy device, when tried for real, produced 21kW instead of the design estimate of 200kW. The genuine success of wind energy technology and its development into a substantial world industry becomes progressively more outstanding as an achievement to be proud of as the chapter proceeds.

The following chapter, on nuclear power, is an absolute delight. This is not an easy technology to describe and make accessible to the layman, but Evans succeeds in doing so, laying out the history of the different technologies in use around the world, with the technical logic behind them and the logic behind the newer emerging developments. There is also a calm discussion of the two major nuclear accidents that the world has experienced and the lessons that have come from these experiences.

In part 4 he looks towards a sustainable energy balance and focuses on the transportation challenge that accounts for just over a quarter of the global energy demand, 80% resulting from road transport and just under 50% of the total demand being used for personal transport (i.e. by you and me). He looks at the hybrid engine/electric vehicle route showcased by the Toyota Prius and extends the thinking, using more battery storage and mains grid battery charging. Where a conventional vehicle generates 420g of CO₂ per mile, the Prius generates 300g. A mains charged equivalent with a 20-mile battery-alone capability reduces this to 230g CO₂ and one with 60 miles engine-free capability reduces it to 180g, assuming the mains electricity is supplied by combined cycle gas plant. If mains electricity is supplied by wind energy, this reduces overall vehicle CO₂ emissions to about 65g mile⁻¹; a very interesting point to ponder.