Energy and Society – At a Tipping Point -- Historical Perspective on Energy (4000 BCE to 2000 CE) -- Energy in the 21st Century – Projections from 2000 Are Totally Wrong! -- Understanding the Disruptions in Energy -- The Next 20 Years in Energy – Journey into the Unknown -- Accelerating Commercialization of Innovations in Energy -- Aligning the Forces of Economics and Decarbonization -- Beyond 2040 – Getting to Energy Utopia! -- Epilogue – Next Steps.

Access to energy is essential for our daily lives, economic growth, environment, and sustainability. However, our use of fossil fuels has contributed to global climate change, which poses a significant threat to society and life on this planet. Yet, it has been challenging to reconcile the perceived conflict between economics and climate change, which has created deep divisions in our society. ENERGY 2040: Aligning Innovation, Economics, and Decarbonization provides a holistic and comprehensive analysis of the ongoing energy transition and its underlying causes. It presents a viable path to meet the energy, economic, and climate goals by weaving together science, technology, economics, policy, entrepreneurship, and geopolitics. The book presents a captivating narrative that brings together a range of topics, including new and disruptive technologies with steep learning rates, the challenges of the future power grid, the democratization of energy, and reducing the timeline from science to impact at scale. It also explores the complex role of scientific research, disruptive deep tech, entrepreneurship, and policy in accelerating this energy transformation. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the future of energy. Whether you're a scientist, energy-industry practitioner, policymaker, investor, student, or concerned citizen, this book offers critical insights into the complex and evolving world of energy, innovation, decarbonization, and climate change. Highlights the disruptive technologies that are accelerating the energy transition; Offers a critical examination of the challenges posed by the power-grid transformation; Shows how aligning economic and climate goals can create a viable path to sustainability.