The electric power grid touches all of us in many ways and is fundamental in enabling society's very existence. Today, the grid is also undergoing a multi-trillion-dollar transformation in scope and scale that dwarfs the industrial revolution, driven by the urgency to address climate change and to meet the needs of an evolving world. The Energy Switch takes the reader on a broad tour to meet some of the individuals, companies, and technologies engaged in that effort. It tells their stories in an engaging way, while making highly complex topics accessible and understandable to the reader."
–Jigar Shah, founder and CEO of SunEdison, and co-founder and President of Generate Capital
“Peter Kelly-Detwiler is a master storyteller. This accessible read captures the story of his personal quest to understand the bigger picture of what is happening for energy in the U.S. and beyond. In particular, The Energy Switch reveals the rapid pace of technological, economic, and policy changes for the energy storage industry, and the enabling capabilities of energy storage to accelerate this power grid transition. As Kelly-Detwiler says in his introduction, ‘the race is on.’”
—Kelly Speakes-Backman, former CEO, Energy Storage Association
“A lively and entertaining tour of the personalities, technologies, and challenges that will shape our clean electric future.”
–Peter Fox-Penner, director of Boston University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and author of Power After Carbon
“Our country’s complex energy system is rapidly becoming cleaner, smarter, and nimbler. Kelly-Detwiler brings his considerable experience to this book, deftly balancing the major forces at work with individual accounts of people on the ground making and consuming electricity.” – Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association
"A thorough and accessible well-researched narrative. Kelly-Detwiler weaves insightful interviews with top energy professionals into a book worth reading. It lays out our current and future potential for the production and delivery of clean electricity and illustrates the promise of competitive innovation to get us to a zero-carbon future.”
– John Wellinghoff, Former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and CEO of GridPolicy, Inc.
“As a skilled industry veteran, Kelly-Detwiler has a real knack for unpacking and explaining the many complex issues associated with the radical transformation of the electric industry.” —Gordon van Welie, CEO of ISO – New England, Independent System (Grid) Operator
"Kelly-Detwiler does a masterful job explaining the energy system and the drastic transition that is underway. Energy – and electricity in particular – is the foundation for our quality of life and therefore anyone and everyone would benefit from reading The Energy Switch to gain an understanding of the opportunities and challenges that face our society as we go through the transition."
—Julia Hamm, President & CEO, Smart Electric Power Alliance
“Kelly-Detwiler does a masterful job of explaining how we generate, distribute, and use electrical power, as well as the creative and powerful forces behind it. Not only that, but he provides a preview of changes to come and the people making them happen. Now is the time to rethink about our relationship to the utilities we take for granted and instead of being passive consumers, we can become educated consumers, local providers, and perhaps even help improve the environment at the same time – just by choosing how we interact with the grid. This book is a must-read for those interested in understanding how we power our world both now and in the future.”
— Les Johnson, physicistand co-author of Graphene: The Superstrong, Superthin, and Superversatile Material that Will Revolutionize the World
