Our Renewable Energy Future

"An invaluable resource to understand that we have the knowledge, tools, and technologies to transform our energy system to realize our climate change goals while assuring security, growth and jobs. It is a must read for all who are serious about leading transformational change for our energy future."

"A huge 'thank you' is in order to Doug Arent, who over his career has been a key architect of the analysis, design, and deployment of clean energy technologies. In Our Renewable Energy Future, he makes an exceptionally important case for the overwhelming benefits and the increasing ease of implementing and profiting from a clean energy economy at levels from households to nations to the globe."

"Doug Arent's story is indeed remarkable: He takes us beyond the despair and gloom of climate change to a world of abundance and possibility. This isn't a fictional story but a way of thinking that combines technology, economics, policy and new ways of creating knowledge itself."

"Doug Arent has actively sought to understand and help to shape the nation's clean energy transition and has been both an on-field player and occupant of a front-row seat for the transformation of technologies from dreams to reality. Our Renewable Energy Future brings a unique vantage point to explain key elements of that transformation in ways accessible to the interested and reasonably informed layperson, with analytic rigor and expert insights based on decades of work. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to know where we've come and where we're going in our renewable energy transition. "

"Doug Arent offers us a remarkable perspective on the (r)evolution of our energy system, now in full swing. A truly inspiring read, leaving us with renewed optimism and excitement that a sustainable and renewable future is now within reach."

"A captivating and well-written history and future of renewable energy. A must-read book for all interested in a visionary view of our common energy future, what would need to be done and how this would be possible."

"Doug Arent is the perfect person to have written such an exceptional book on our renewable energy future. His leadership at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and his prominent role in prestigious think tanks dealing with this subject have enabled him to provide insight well beyond technological developments into policy, economic considerations and even geopolitics. It is a spectacular read!"

"This is the right book at the right time for our collective energy and climate challenges, and Doug is the right person to have pulled it together. It is simultaneously optimistic and realistic and required reading for those of us who want to make the energy system better."

"We are witnessing an historic transition from fossil-fuel-based energy to a new world of renewables, driven by a surge in technology, the demand for energy security and environmental pressure. The shift, while inexorable, can come none too soon: without it, we will be subject to the increasingly dire consequences of global warming, which will only be forestalled with a quick transition. In this comprehensive and masterfully written book, replete with details and examples, Doug Arent presents the history of his field from the perspective of someone who has not only lived through it but helped drive it. It is a valuable read for both the informed policymaker who must understand the history of the sector to effectively shape its future, as well as the lay reader who seeks to be informed about this most fundamental driver of our world: the energy system and its renewable transition."

"With renewable energy capacity globally set to continue its near-exponential growth, there is need for a more holistic understanding of the evolution of clean energy technology and our future energy system. In his new book Our Renewable Energy Future: The Remarkable Story of How Renewable Energy Will Become the Basis for Our Lives, Arent demonstrates his flair for systems thinking by explaining, easily and accessibly, the complex interaction of technology, economics, social dynamics, policy and geopolitics shaping the transition to a clean energy future. A timely book for anyone interested in a world powered by more renewable energy."

"Our Renewable Energy Future is an exceptional book that encapsulates the collaborative evolution of this sector, from Dr. Elliot Berman's Exxon-supported solar cell innovation to today's global industry, including the Internet of Things and Blockchain. It highlights the crucial roles of academia, entrepreneurs, financiers, regulators and policy makers in this organic growth. Balancing intricate technical discussions with real-world experiences, Doug Arent's book provides a compelling analytical framework and rich storytelling. Its insightful policy recommendations make it a must-read guide for policy makers to understand and contribute to a net-zero world. This book is a testament to the power of collective endeavor in realizing the potential of renewable energy, serving as an inspirational blueprint for future advancements."

"Doug Arent is a global leader advancing gigaton solutions to clean energy deployment. He is the consummate collaborator, identifying technologies when they show promise and joining them with market solutions for deployment. His abilities to create action among key players, institutions and new actors is legend. Doug foments creativity and responsiveness. His opinions influence capital, corporations and governments. His book capturing insights and strategies from decades at the center of clean energy and development is a must-read for those who believe that speed and scale matter, and that our planet and people will all be better as a result of our renewable energy future."

"A wealth of thoughtful perspectives and key information on the birth and growth of modern renewable energy from a top player who has seen it all. Our Renewable Energy Future provides critical insights into the coming decades and how renewable energy might finally realize its massive potential to address the climate crisis and advance the economy for people and the planet."

Douglas Arent has conducted research on energy and sustainability for more than 40 years, publishing extensively on topics such as clean energy, renewable energy, power systems, natural gas, and the intersection of science and public policy. Since 2020, Dr Arent has been the Executive Director of Strategic Public–Private Partnerships at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, US At NREL, he spent more than 20 years building and leading the Strategic Energy Analysis team. He previously served as the Deputy Associate Laboratory Director of the Scientific Computing and Energy Analysis Directorate, the Founding Executive Director of the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis, and the Director of the Strategic Energy Analysis Center and the Integrated Applications Center. Additionally, Dr Arent is a Distinguished Fellow of the World Economic Forum and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is a member of the Keystone Energy Board and the Global Advisory Board for the Yale Emerging Climate Leaders Fellowship. Dr Arent is also an External Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Renewable Energy Focus and is on the editorial board of the journals Energy Policy and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Previously, Dr Arent served on the Steering Committee of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences on Social Science and the Alternative Energy Future and on the National Research Council Committee to Advise the US Global Change Research Program. He also served on advisory boards for the Post-Carbon Transition Project at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at Oxford University, UK, and the Energy Academy of Europe, the Netherlands. Dr Arent was the coordinating lead author for the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He has been a member of the Policy Subcommittee of the National Petroleum Council Study on Prudent Development of North America Natural Gas and Oil Resources, the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change (2008–2010), and the Executive Council of the US Association of Energy Economists. Dr Arent has a Doctorate in Physical Analytical Chemistry from Princeton University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Regis University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Harvey Mudd College.

Appendix B provides a re-typeset of a paper the author wrote in 1976 that was the inspiration for his career in renewable energies, energy for sustainable development and sustainability more broadly. Photos and figures have not been reproduced in the book, but a PDF copy of the original document can be viewed in full at the following site: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NH_FU22Y6nGFXWqyeQJitmLTjwRtcs8N/view?pli=1.

Sample Chapter(s)
Introduction