Energy History: The fossil fuel revolution is usually rendered as a tale of historic advances in energy production. In this perspective-changing account,

Energy History: The fossil fuel revolution is usually rendered as a tale of historic advances in energy production. In this perspective-changing account, Christopher F. Jones instead tells a story of advances in energy access—canals, pipelines, and wires that delivered power in unprecedented quantities to cities and factories at a great distance from production sites. He shows that in the American mid-Atlantic region between 1820 and 1930, the construction of elaborate transportation networks for coal, oil, and electricity unlocked remarkable urban and industrial growth along the eastern seaboard. But this new transportation infrastructure did not simply satisfy existing consumer demand—it also whetted an appetite for more abundant and cheaper energy, setting the nation on a path toward fossil fuel dependence.

Today, those who wish to pioneer a more sustainable and egalitarian energy order can learn valuable lessons from this history Published on Jul 2, 2014 by Talks at Google. To order his book from Amazon, click on image or visit your local bookstore.