This sequel to "The Prize" provides a narrative of global energy, the principal engine of geopolitical and economic change. The author, an energy authority, continues the riveting story in this account of the quest for the energy the world needs, and the power and riches that come with it. He proves that energy is truly the engine of global political and economic change, as well as central to the battle over climate change. It is a story that spans the energies on which our civilization has been built and the new energies that are competing to replace them. From the jammed streets of Beijing to the shores of the Caspian Sea, from the conflicts in the Mideast to Capitol Hill and Silicon Valley, he takes us inside the decisions and choices that are shaping our future. The drama of oil, the struggle for access to it, the battle for control, the insecurity of supply, the consequences of its use, its impact on the global economy, and the geopolitics that dominate it continue to profoundly affect our world. Yergin tells the inside stories of the oil market and the surge in prices, the rise of the "petrostate", the race to control the resources of the former Soviet empire, and the massive corporate mergers that transformed the oil landscape. He takes on the toughest questions-will we run out of oil, and are China and the United States destined to conflict over oil? Ho will a turbulent Middle East affect the future of oil supply? He also reveals the surprising and turbulent history of nuclear, coal, electricity, and natural gas, and how each fits into the larger marketplace. He brings climate change into unique perspective by offering an unprecedented history of how the field of climate study went from the concern of a handful of nineteenth-century scientists worried about a new Ice Age into one of the most significant issues of our time. He leads us through the rebirth of renewable energies, biofuels and wind, as well as solar energy, which venture capitalists are betting will be "the next big thing" for meeting the needs of a growing world economy. Finally, he demonstrates how all of these facets are powering the return of the electric car, which some are betting for be necessary for a growing global economy. This book presents an extraordinary range of characters and a panorama of dramatic stories that illustrate the principles that will shape a robust and flexible energy security system for the decades to come. Energy is humbling in its scope, but our future requires that we understand this global quest that is truly reshaping our world.

Includes maps of: Unconventionals - the New Geography of Oil and Gas; OPEC and the IEA - the Balancing Act; Choke Points for World Oil; [Persian] Gulf [and Vicinity]; North Field and South Pars - Qatar and Iran's Offshore Gas Field; Europe's Solar Potential; North America's Solar Potential; Global Onshore Wind Resources; United States Wind Belt.

Part I. The New World of Oil. Russia returns -- The Caspian derby -- Across the Caspian -- "Supermajors" -- The petro-state -- Aggregate disruption -- War in Iraq -- The demand shock -- China's rise -- China in the fast lane / Part II. Securing the Supply. Is the world running out of oil? -- Unconventional -- The security of energy -- Shifting sands in the Persian Gulf -- Gas on water -- The natural gas revolution / Part III. The Electric Age. Alternating currents -- The nuclear cycle -- Breaking the bargain -- Fuel choice / Part IV. Climate and Carbon. Glacial change -- The age of discovery -- The road to Rio -- Making a market -- On the global agenda -- In search of consensus / Part IV. New Energies. Rebirth of renewables -- Science experiment -- Alchemy of shining light -- Mystery of wind -- The fifth fuel, efficiency -- Closing the conservation gap / Part VI. Road to the Future. Carbohydrate man -- Internal fire -- The great electric car experiment / Conclusion: "A great revolution."