Top 7 Non-fiction Clean Energy Books

1. Bend to Baja: A Biodiesel Powered Surfing and Climbing Road Trip

by Scott Hulet, Geoff Mcfetridge, and Jeff Johnson

Here’s what you get when you combine epic waves, old surf buddies, and new friends along the rugged Pacific Coast. Traveling in a pickup truck converted to run on alternative fuel, Bend to Baja records the surfing, climbing, and camping of this group of buds as they encounter unforgettable characters, new challenges, and the thrill of the unexpected. 224 pages.

2. Forward Drive: The Race to Build "Clean" Cars for the Future

by Jim Motavalli

Motavalli finds the future of the alternative fuel vehicle to hold more promise than ever before. Read about the history of alternative vehicles, the impact of gasoline cars, the pioneers who already utilize alternative power, and the political and financial forces under which everything operates, and more. 304 pages.

3. An Inconvenient Truth

While our climate crisis may appear to be happening slowly, it is actually happening very quickly—and has become a true planetary emergency. As Al Gore writes, inconvenient truths do not go away just because they are not seen. A compelling 328 pages.

4. The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies

The end of cheap oil is near: Apparently within the next few years, global production of oil will peak. It’s the beginning of a new era, as different from the industrial era as the latter was from medieval times. Here’s a book that places it all in historical context including social, personal, community, national and global ramifications—and then gives actionable recommendations. 288 pages.

5. Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble

With global problems such as population control, emerging water shortages, eroding soil, and global warming, the future can indeed seem dire. Brown’s expert answers offer a detailed survival strategy for the civilization of the future. 352 pages.

6. Got Sun? Go Solar

Here’s a non-technical reference and guide for homeowners who want to learn how to pull the plug on the standard utility grid. Among a plethora of resources, learn whether a photovoltaic panel installation makes sense geographically and financially, plus which states offer rebates or incentive. 160 pages.

7. Solar Revolution

This book outlines the most probable course the transition to solar technology and sustainable energy practices will take. Due to developments in the photovoltaic (PV) industry over the last ten years, electricity generation from PV cells has become a feasible, cost-effective energy solution. The uplifting conclusion: this solar revolution will be as transformative as the last century's revolutions in information and communication technologies. 248 pages.