This valuable collection of 75 articles by Alan Pears AM from editions of ReNew clearly demonstrates the absurdities and complexities of Australia’s energy and climate change policies (or lack thereof) over the past 20 years. Given the high political importance of these issues in contemporary Australia, the historic background provided by Pears sometimes makes interesting yet frustrating reading. One interesting example includes the delays and denials by various federal governments over time.

Alan Pears AM is well qualified to write on energy and related issues, given his background as a leading contributor to the development of Australia’s sustainable energy and energy efficiency policies, along with their programs and projects, since the late 1970s. He has also been described as a passionate climate response advocate since the late 1980s, and this series of articles confirm it. His efforts and vision are underpinned by qualifications in mechanical engineering and education, and formative work experience across all sectors of the economy.

Pears has selected energy efficiency as his central theme across the combined 187 pages of individual papers reproduced here; while at the same time he makes sense of the complicated area of policy in general and climate-related policies in particular. In essence, he has provided us with a clear understanding of how Australia has ended up in the current situation we find ourselves today, namely one step forward and two steps back, particularly in regard to climate change and renewable energy. Nevertheless, this is not simply a negative treatise on how we have forsaken opportunities to move ahead but rather to offer arguments on how we could have done things differently, what still can be done, and to note that people are beginning to take control of their energy for themselves. Pears himself says with modesty: ‘I am cautiously optimistic about our future — but I have been naively hopeful in the past, so there are no guarantees that I’m right!’ (p. 6).

Nine major themes are discussed convincingly over this period of writing from 1997 to 2016, albeit all under the umbrella of energy efficiency. These include: urban planning, energy data, energy reform, climate policy, renewable energy, energy policy as a whole, and the need for a sustainable energy future. One example of Pear’s frustrations during these years was the weakness of education on the potential of renewable energy, especially solar cells. Most demonstrations have used a single PV cell to run a small device like a model windmill — really a toy, not an example of a world-changing technology. Inspired by the first Darwin to Adelaide solar car race, Alan calculated the size of the solar panel required to drive an efficient model car at speeds of around 25 km/h, which was comparable with the speed of the radio-controlled cars that were becoming popular.

His writings also illustrate his penchant for lateral thinking in such areas as energy consumption where it can occur as an accidental side effect of unrelated energy policies — for example, banning smoking. Another discussion relates to air conditioners that can now cool a bedroom much more efficiently than ceiling fans and subsequently cause fewer greenhouse gases. Pears also make a strong case for integrating state energy schemes into a single national one.

All topics are discussed objectively and illustrate the changes within this political and economic period. These include: ‘Energy efficiency: and why it is regarded as an invisible and under-valued energy’ (Chapter 11); ‘Building and energy policy and the push for effective regulation’ (Chapter 14); ‘Efficient appliances and the effectiveness of stars, schemes and standards’ (Chapter 16); ‘Energy market reform: a case study of power and delusion’ (Chapter 17); ‘Climate policy: from ‘spoilt child’ of Kyoto to grudging action, then active blocking … and now?’ (Chapter 20); ‘Australian policy on renewables: politics and surprises’ (Chapter 26); ‘Australian energy policy: papers, politics and technology’ (Chapter 29); ‘The big picture: policy and sustainable energy’ (Chapter 33).

Other opinions and claims by Pears are also significant, not only at the time he was writing, but most are still relevant and acceptable today. For example, he concludes that carbon pricing and trading in terms of sustainable energy options must be treated fairly in emission trading schemes, but given the level of prejudice and ignorance that exists, this will not be easy. In another chapter he notes that consumers who save energy or who replace grid power with renewable energy can now save around half as much per unit of electricity as under previous tariffs. Added to this is the declaration that Australia’s fossil fuel and uranium resources are equivalent to less than 13 days’ sun falling on our land mass, and if developed countries do not move towards energy self-sufficiency the pressures on world peace may become unmanageable (2000). Pears predicts there will be a price on greenhouse gas emissions eventually. The question is when and how (2004). It is likely that any emissions trading scheme will be very limited for quite a few years but it is important to get a framework in place and at least start moving on it (2006). He admits that after 30 years he has learned how hard it is to drive change if it is not supported by the powerful vested interests. Nevertheless, it is worth the effort (2008). By 2010, the more recent articles are raising such issues as the need for an inclusive process to work out something that is fair and effective, and why the prime minister needs to ask how progress on key energy issues has been blocked for so long, despite high-level commitment to it. This is the time to act effectively on climate change, to find mechanisms that ensure business leaders think more long term and consider the broader public interest he advocates. But there is a frustration in the latter articles where he bemoans the slow change in taking energy efficiency seriously: ‘This is my 50th column for ReNew. When I looked back to my first column in issue 59, I found that its topic was how energy market reform had been failing to deliver renewables and energy efficiency. We can’t afford to allow my 60th column to yet again raise this issue: it must be fixed’ (p. 137, Issue 109, ‘Sense of urgency required’; 50th column of Renew Magazine). He concludes that if energy efficiency is mentioned, even at all in an Australian climate policy context, it is almost always an afterthought (2010).

The ReNew papers are a wealth of information about not only climate change and energy efficiency, but also how we have perceived these issues over the recent past. Its political implications are examined critically, the proposals for the future advocated persuasively, and an objective explanation presented on how we have arrived at the current unfortunate situation relating to a national energy policy. The information presented, and opinions and arguments delivered here are too numerous to cover in this review, but all are thought provoking and certainly enlightening for the many issues still challenging us today. This is an interesting read, not only for academics and educators, but also for interested citizens and environmentalists as a whole. This ReNew publication was available in electronic form only.