A bunch of book options in this post Three ways of thinking about the history of energy. I’ve pasted the book recommendation paragraphs relating to each of the three ways but you need to read the whole article to fully understand the differences between “transitions”, “long and slow change” and “power and politics”. Since I can’t imagine reading all of these, I’ll find some good reviews and paste snapshots of each book in the comments (with the help of perplexity.ai.
" The energy transition framework is exhaustively covered by Vaclav Smil’s Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects (2010). Another classic is EA Wrigley’s Energy and the English Industrial Revolution (2010). A shorter analytical piece is Roger Fouquet’s ‘Historical energy transitions: speed, prices and system transformation’, 2016, which shows that past energy transitions are very protracted affairs. The idea of ‘waves of innovation’ goes back to the work of Neo-Schumpeterian economists like Chris Freeman and Carlotta Perez. Perez’s Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages (2003) is comprehensive. The most interesting version of the Schumpeterian model is Mariana Mazzucato’s The Entrepreneurial State (2013) which completely debunks many popular myths about how innovation works. If you are hoping energy will be revolutionized by a technology like the iPhone, Mazzucato’s explains why even the iPhone is a product of the state. For a giggle read The Hydrogen Economy (2002) by Jeremy Rifkin, which shows how it can be foolish to extrapolate from history and argue that another ‘industrial revolution’ is coming."
His second framework is long and slow change " Jean Baptiste Fressoz’s More and More and More: An All-Consuming History of Energy (2024) is a lucid debunking of the notion that the past is made up of energy transitions. David Edgerton’s The Shock of the Old: Technology and Global History since 1900 (2006) is a very different way of thinking about technology and the persistence of the old. Roger Foquet, ‘Divergences in Long Run Trends in the Prices of Energy and Energy Services’ (2011) contains very cool analysis of the long run trends in energy prices and the price of energy services since 1300."
Finally we have the power and politics framing, " There are some wonderful books on the political economy of energy. The best history of the modern system is Dieter Helm’s Energy, the State and the Market (2002). Robert Millward’s Private and Public Enterprise in Europe: Energy, Telecommunication s and Transport, 1830-1990 (2005) covers the history of networked energy from the earliest days right through to modern times with incredible depth on both the politics and technology. Thomas Hughes Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930 (1983) is a classic. Hughes conceptualizes energy as a ‘socio technical system’ and explains how over the early 20th century regional electricity systems developed an internal logic that drove expansion. For anyone trying to understand whether we are amid a new ‘clean tech’ revolution, Hughes idea that systems only evolve when innovation is focused on the ‘reverse salients’ will be of interest. Andreas Malm’s Fossil Capital (2016) is a stunning rethinking of the industrial revolution. Sandeep Vaheesan Democracy in Power: A history of Electrification in the United States (2024) is the best book on US electricity history in recent years. Vaheesan recounts the extraordinary story of how rural America was electrified by cooperatives and the federal government. Martin Chick’s Electricity and Energy Policy in Britain, France and the United States (2007) has some wonderful chapters on how the French pioneered marginal pricing in the 1950s, which debunks the notion prices, markets and private ownership are an indivisible trio."
Jean-Baptiste Fressoz’s More and More and More: An All-Consuming History of Energy challenges the conventional understanding of humanity’s relationship with energy as a progressive transition from one source to another123. Fressoz argues that, contrary to the belief that we replace old energy sources with new ones, we actually accumulate each major energy source, with each feeding off the others124. The book uses examples ranging from the whaling and candle-making industries to the present day to illustrate how humanity has consistently consumed all forms of energy in ever-increasing amounts1. Key points and arguments:
- Critique of Energy Transition Narrative The book challenges the idea that the industrial era has seen a series of energy transitions, arguing instead that each new phase of energy use has become entangled with the previous one23.
- Energy Symbiosis Fressoz highlights how different energy sources are interconnected, with each supporting the others25. For example, forests were used to support coal mines, and fossil fuels are central to creating many new products12.
- Increasing Consumption The book highlights that the world now burns more wood, coal, and carbon than ever before12.
- Origin of “Energy Transition” Fressoz reveals that the concept of “transition” was initially promoted by energy companies as a way to delay meaningful change124.
- Call to Action The book compels readers to understand the modern world’s voracious energy consumption and the significant challenges that lie ahead12. Fressoz advocates for reducing the use of materials and energy8.
In conclusion, Fressoz’s book provides a materialist reading of energy dynamics, highlighting the magnitude of the task of decarbonization. He argues that a deep understanding of the interconnections between energy sources and a profound modification of the economic system are necessary for climate change mitigation
Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects by Vaclav Smil examines the history of energy transitions and modern society’s dependence on fossil fuels, while also considering the possibilities of moving to a non-fossil fuel world[2][4]. Smil argues that energy transitions are fundamental to the evolution of human societies, driving and driven by technical, economic, and social changes[2][4][6].
Key points and arguments:
- Historical Context Examining past energy transitions reveals that they are typically slow processes, spanning decades or more[3][5]. For example, it took coal decades to overtake biomass as the primary fuel source[3]. Similarly, oil took 50 years to reach 10% of the market share after its commercial production in the 1860s[3].
- Complexities of Transition Smil makes it clear that transitioning to a non-fossil fuel world will not be easy and cannot be accomplished within short timeframes[2][4]. The inertia of existing energy infrastructures and the capital investment needed for new systems means fossil fuels will remain significant for decades[5].
- Scale of the Challenge The demand for non-fossil fuels to displace coal and hydrocarbons is substantially greater than the demand for fossil fuels during the shift from biomass to coal and hydrocarbons[5].
- Decarbonization Decarbonization includes relatively easy energy transitions, as well as carbon substitutions for which commercial non-carbon alternatives are lacking[1]. Moderate reductions of global carbon combustion are difficult because of the enormous dependence on fossil fuels and the increasing energy needs of much of humanity[1].
- Need for Reduced Consumption Smil suggests that affluent nations should take steps to reduce fossil fuel consumption through conservation and increased energy efficiency[5].
- Global Energy Use The book surveys modern energy systems, explains patterns of energy transitions, analyzes changing energy use in leading economies, and discusses shifts from fossil fuels to renewable conversions[4][8].
Citations:
[1] https://www.funcas.es/wp-content/uploads/Migracion/Articulos/FUNCAS_PE/009art03.pdf
[2] Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects | Environment & Society Portal
[3] Energy Transitions | GEOG/EME 432: Energy Policy
[4] https://www.environmentandsociety.org/printpdf/7397
[5] Book review - Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects - resilience
[6] 404 Not Found
[7] Book Summary: “Energy Transitions” by Vaclav Smil – The Ratchet of Technology, a site by Michael Magoon
[8] Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects - Vaclav Smil - Google Books
E.A. Wrigley’s Energy and the English Industrial Revolution (2010) examines the British Industrial Revolution, emphasizing the pivotal role of energy in transforming the productive power of societies[3][5]. Wrigley argues that the shift to a mineral-based energy economy, particularly the exploitation of coal, was crucial for breaking the constraints of the pre-industrial organic economy, which relied on limited energy sources from plants and animals[2][3].
Key points and arguments:
- Organic vs. Mineral-Based Economies Pre-industrial economies were limited by their dependence on plant photosynthesis for heat and mechanical energy, which constrained economic growth[4]. The Industrial Revolution marked a shift to mineral energy, primarily coal, which allowed for a massive increase in energy usage and output[3][4].
- Breaking the Land Constraint The increasing use of coal facilitated investment in more efficient land transport and canal construction, with a large proportion of canal traffic consisting of coal[3]. This transition to a mineral-based energy source broke the land constraint that had previously prevented indefinite growth in organic economies[6].
- Increased Productivity The industrial revolution vastly increased individual productivity, delivering whole populations from poverty[1][5].
- The Central Question Wrigley focuses on why the period of rapid growth did not end quickly, answering that the exploitation of coal provided an escape route from the constraints of an organic economy, but also brought novel dangers[1][2].
- Positive Feedback The key change that defines the industrial revolution was the replacement of negative by positive feedback within the growth process, particularly the gradual elimination of the fixed supply of land as a constraint[3].
Citations:
[1] Energy and the English Industrial Revolution - E. A. Wrigley - Google Books
[2] https://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/66937/frontmatter/9780521766937_frontmatter.pdf
[3] Book Summary: “Energy and the English Industrial Revolution” by E. A. Wrigley – The Ratchet of Technology, a site by Michael Magoon
[4] Energy and the English Industrial Revolution - PubMed
[5] https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/energy-and-the-english-industrial-revolution/A18E48989B4A915D0E77A29D57D85763
[6] https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/pdf/10.3366/brw.2012.0064
[7] https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2011.0568
[8] https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3366/brw.2012.0064
Carlota Perez’s Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages examines the relationship between technological advancements and financial capital, asserting that technological revolutions lead to paradigm shifts, “New Economies,” and the recurrence of financial bubbles and crises[1][3][4]. Perez identifies five technological revolutions over the past two centuries: the industrial revolution, the age of steam and railways, the age of steel and electricity, the age of mass production and automobiles, and the age of information and telecommunications[1][2][3].
Key Concepts:
- Five Technological Revolutions Each revolution brings new technologies, industries, and infrastructure[2][5].
- Production Capital vs. Financial Capital The book distinguishes between production capital, which involves industries and infrastructure that implement new technologies, and financial capital, which funds early-stage innovation[2]. An imbalance between the two can result in speculative bubbles[2][5].
- Four Phases of Each Cycle Each technological revolution undergoes four phases:
- Irruption: Intense funding of innovation and the emergence of new technologies and infrastructure[2].
- Frenzy: Increased speculation and financialization, leading to a disconnect between financial and production capital and the inflation of asset bubbles[2].
- Synergy: Growing inequality and political unrest, with acknowledgment of the need for financial regulation[2]. Asset bubbles may burst, but the link between financial and production capital is repaired[2].
- Maturity: Market saturation, adaptation to new technologies, and decreasing investment opportunities in the sector, with idle financial capital moving to new sectors[2].
Perez argues that financial cycles are coupled with these technological revolutions and that understanding the relationship between technological advances and financial capital is essential for managing change in the world economy[2][3][5]. The key is to shift financial systems away from rewarding purely financial capital towards promoting infrastructure and the deployment of technology[5].
Citations:
[1] Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbl – Red Flag Books
[2] Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital - Wikipedia
[3] Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital
[4] Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and ... - Carlota Perez - Google Books
[5] Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital - P2P Foundation
[6] Product - Wheelers for Schools
[7] Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital Book Summary by Carlota Perez
[8] Publications ⁘ Carlota Perez
[9] Technological Revolutions & Financial Capital - My Notes
Mariana Mazzucato’s The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths (2013) argues that state-funded investments in innovation and technology, rather than the free market, are the primary drivers of America’s economic success[3]. Mazzucato challenges the conventional wisdom that the private sector is the main source of innovation, while the state simply addresses market failures[1]. She contends that the state often acts as the key risk-taker and innovator, investing in groundbreaking technologies that are too risky or capital-intensive for private companies[1].
Key Arguments:
- Reframing the State’s Role The book aims to change the perception of the government from a bureaucratic obstacle to a leading risk-taker in innovation investments[3].
- Historical Evidence Mazzucato provides examples of state investments that led to commercially successful technologies like the Internet, GPS, touch-screen displays, and smartphone components[1].
- Beyond Market Failures The state’s role extends beyond fixing market failures to actively shaping and creating markets through high-risk investments[1].
- The “Valley of Death” Government intervention is crucial to help technologies transition from research and development to commercialization, bridging the “Valley of Death”[1].
- Challenging “Impatient Capital” Mazzucato describes venture capital as “impatient capital” that seeks quick returns, while the state can provide “patient capital” for long-term, high-risk projects[1].
- Socializing both Risks and Rewards Mazzucato advocates for a more equitable distribution of the returns from public investments, ensuring taxpayers benefit from the innovations they fund[1]. She suggests the state should receive direct returns from successful innovations it has funded, allowing it to reinvest in future projects[1].
Mazzucato’s work has sparked discussions among economists and social scientists about the state’s role in technological innovation[3]. She argues that understanding the reality of the state’s role is crucial for other countries wanting to emulate the US model[3].
Citations:
[1] The Entrepreneurial State | Summary, Quotes, FAQ, Audio
[2] https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2020/09/economics-agitator-mariana-mazzucato
[3] The Entrepreneurial State - Wikipedia
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPvG_fGPvQo
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADRW05OhWpc
[6] Five minutes with Mariana Mazzucato: "We have socialised the risk of innovation but privatised the rewards" | British Politics and Policy at LSE
[7] The Entrepreneurial State
[8] Policy Theme Innovation
In The Hydrogen Economy (2002), Jeremy Rifkin envisions a future where hydrogen plays a key role in transforming the global energy landscape[3]. Rifkin argues that the two major issues facing the next generation of business leaders are climate change and skyrocketing energy prices[2]. He postulates that harnessing renewable energy through hydrogen is key to our future because its supply is infinite and it produces no CO2 emissions[2].
Key Concepts:
- Hydrogen as a “forever fuel” Unlike oil, hydrogen is the most common element in the universe, making it a virtually inexhaustible resource[4].
- Decentralization of Power Rifkin envisions a system of interlinked energy grids shared in an open-source fashion, allowing for a widespread decentralization of power in the energy sector[2].
- Hydrogen Production Electricity can be used in a process called electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be stored and used in a fuel cell to generate electricity for power, heat, and light[6].
- Overcoming Cost Barriers For photovoltaic and geothermal energy to be viable for hydrogen production, the costs will need to decrease to compete with the natural gas steam-reforming process[6].
- Democratization of Society The revolution brought about by the hydrogen economy will lead to a democratization of society and give a whole new meaning to the word globalization[4].
- Technological advancements Over 1,000 companies are racing to develop hydrogen technologies, with commercial fuel-cells powered by hydrogen now being introduced for home, office, and industrial use[6]. Major automakers have invested billions in developing hydrogen vehicles, with mass-produced vehicles expected to be on the road soon[6].
Rifkin challenges current MBA students to take a leadership role in positively reshaping the global energy infrastructure[2]. He emphasizes that hydrogen-based technology and business models alone are not enough and that the world will need to come together collaboratively[2].
Citations:
[1] https://digitallibrary.un.org/nanna/record/618299/files/Hydrogen_Economy.pdf?withWatermark=0&withMetadata=0&version=1®isterDownload=1
[2] Rifkin Challenges Smith MBAs to Tackle Energy Crisis | Smith School
[3] https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/the-hydrogen-economy-en
[4] https://www.americanscientist.org/article/fueling-the-future
[5] The Hydrogen Economy: The Creation of the Worldwide Energy Web and the Redistribution of Power on Earth | Wiley
[6] https://www.theglobalist.com/the-dawn-of-the-hydrogen-economy/
[7] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237154378_Book_review_The_hydrogen_economy_The_creation_of_the_worldwide_energy_web_and_the_redistribution_of_power_on_earth
[8] Jeremy Rifkin talks about The Hydrogen Economy - Atomic Insights
David Edgerton’s The Shock of the Old: Technology and Global History since 1900 challenges conventional views of technology by focusing on how technologies are actually used by everyday people, rather than just on invention and innovation[1][3][4]. Edgerton argues that many technologies considered “old” remain vitally important, and that focusing solely on the “new” leads to a misunderstanding of technology’s role in society[3][6].
Key points:
- Focus on Use, Not Just Innovation: The book emphasizes the importance of studying the use of technology, connecting directly with the world we know, as opposed to focusing solely on invention or development[3][5]. Technologies are chosen, adapted, and developed, rather than simply appearing and imposing themselves[5].
- Reassessing Significance: The Shock of the Old encourages a reassessment of the importance of older technologies like corrugated iron and sewing machines, while rethinking the emphasis placed on new inventions[6]. Corrugated iron, for example, is presented as a hugely important, truly global technology due to its cheapness, ease of use, and long life[4].
- Challenging Technological Determinism: Edgerton challenges the idea that technology progresses in a linear fashion and that new technologies inevitably lead to societal change[3][6]. The book debunks notions about the implications of the “information age” and questions the assumption that we live in a world of ever-increasing change[4][6].
- Global Perspective: Edgerton aims to provide a global history of technology, rather than a Eurocentric one, by considering the “poor world” and how technologies are used differently in different contexts[2][7].
- Old and New Coexisting: The book highlights the coexistence of old and new technologies, such as letters and emails, horses and airplanes[3][6]. Steam power, for instance, was relatively more important in 1900 than in 1800[2].
- War and Technology: The book explores the role of technology in warfare, noting how both old and new technologies of killing have interacted throughout the 20th century[3].
Citations:
[1] The Shock of the Old: Technology and Global History since 1900 by David Edgerton | Goodreads
[2] https://wtf.tw/ref/edgerton.pdf
[3] The Shock of the Old
[4] The Shock of the Old: Technology and Global History Since 1900 - David Edgerton - Google Books
[5] The Shock of the Old, by David Edgerton | The Independent | The Independent
[6] The Shock Of The Old - Profile Books
[7] https://profilebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/wpallimport/files/PDFs/9781788163088_preview.pdf
[8] https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-shock-of-the-old-9780195322835
Robert Millward’s Private and Public Enterprise in Europe: Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, 1830–1990 provides a comparative history of the economic organization of energy, telecommunications, and transport in Europe[2][4][7][8]. The book examines the patterns of regulation and public ownership that have characterized infrastructure and public utilities, explaining them through economic, technological, and strategic factors, rather than socio-ideological aspects[2].
Key Themes and Periods:
- 1830-1914: Private enterprise dominated the early growth of networks due to fragmented or weak municipal governments[2]. Municipal or state involvement was motivated by desires to expedite rights of way, control monopolies, secure reliable supply, and fiscal constraints[2]. Telegraph services were soon fully nationalized due to the critical and strategic interests of governments in controlling information for civil and military purposes[2].
- 1914-1945: A tendency toward a more common pattern emerged with stronger state intervention in infrastructure, motivated by system integration into national networks, increasing government involvement in railroads, and increasing state presence in key strategic natural resources like coal and oil[2].
- 1945-1990: This period saw the maximum expansion of state ownership, even in countries previously less affected, with a focus on coal, oil, and airlines[2]. State ownership and economic planning characterized the economic policy of recovery and reconstruction[2]. The book evaluates the performance of state enterprises, considering “non-economic” aims assigned to them by governments, using measures of x-efficiency such as output per employee/hour or total factor productivity[2].
- Privatization and Deregulation: The moves towards privatization and deregulation in recent decades were prompted by the vanishing rationale of state enterprise, as technological change downgraded the issue of natural monopolies and state enterprises failed to break even due to unfunded non-economic objectives[2]. The less visible mode of state intervention, arm’s length regulation, has been increasingly replacing ownership[2].
Citations:
[1] https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/private-and-public-enterprise-in-europe/FCAD61D2A2D44B5784EE88EE81AB3833
[2] Private and Public Enterprises in Europe: Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, 1830-1990 – EH.net
[3] Description: Private and public enterprise in Europe :
[4] http://www.worldcat.org/title/private-and-public-enterprise-in-europe-energy-telecommunications-and-transport-1830-1990/oclc/638855027
[5] https://assets.cambridge.org/97805218/35244/frontmatter/9780521835244_frontmatter.pdf
[6] Private and Public Enterprise in Europe: Energy, Telecommunications and ... - Robert Millward - Google Books
[7] https://www.thenile.com.au/books/robert-millward/private-and-public-enterprise-in-europe/9780521835244
[8] https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/9910008392402121
Thomas P. Hughes’s Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930 offers a comparative history of the evolution of modern electric power systems[3]. The book investigates the development of electrical systems in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany[1]. Hughes frames his study using a systems approach, incorporating the lives of leading figures and the institutions created alongside the growth of electrical systems while also addressing technical, legal, political, administrative, and economic aspects[1].
Key Concepts and Themes:
- Systems Approach Hughes links the system concept with the control concept, noting that interconnected components of technical systems are often centrally controlled, and system boundaries extend as far as control is extended[1]. Systems are organized hierarchically, with smaller systems responding to the control of larger systems[1].
- Dynamic Concepts Hughes uses “reverse salient” to describe difficulties arising during technological development that must be resolved by innovation[1]. He uses “momentum” to describe the point when a technology’s advance occurs inertially after experiencing a great impulse[1].
- Systems Development Phases Hughes divides the development of electrical energy systems into five phases: driven by inventors/entrepreneurs, technology transfer, system growth (solving critical problems), substantial momentum (shaped by power company managers), and promotion of financiers and consulting engineers[1].
- Regional Technological Style The character of electrical power systems is shaped by the location and character of rivers, lakes, seas, mineral deposits, soil, vegetation, elevations, transportation, industry, and demography[1].
- Key Figures The book dedicates a good portion to important characters in the history of electrical power systems between 1880 and 1930, with the main one being Edison[1].
- Multiple Issues Electric power systems development involves addressing technical, political, economic, and legal issues[1].
Citations:
[1] https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/IJESJP/article/download/15692/10243
[2] https://www.jstor.org/stable/3104214
[3] Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930 - Thomas Parke Hughes - Google Books
[4] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.221.4611.640
[5] Hughes, Thomas P., "Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930" (Book Review) - ProQuest
[6] https://nissenbaum.tech.cornell.edu/papers/Networksofpower.pdf
[7] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/030631284014002012?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.1
[8] View of THOMAS P. HUGHES-Networks of Power: Electrification in We stem Society, 1880-1930.
Andreas Malm’s Fossil Capital: The Rise of Steam Power and the Roots of Global Warming (2016) examines the historical transition to fossil fuel power in early 19th century England to understand the relationship between fossil fuels and capitalism and why capitalism is still overwhelmingly wedded to fossil fuel consumption[1][6][8]. Malm argues that the climate crisis is an outcome of capitalist social relations, not just generalized human activity[7]. He directs explanatory blame for the climate crisis away from consumers and toward capitalists[1].
Key points and arguments:
- Revisiting the Rise of Steam Power Malm examines the industrial transition from water power to coal-based steam power, arguing that capital’s preference for “stock” energy like coal is relevant today[1]. The shift to the coal-powered steam engine from waterpower in Britain’s textile industry is where Malm situates the origins of climate change[2].
- Capitalism and the Fossil Economy Malm defines the fossil economy as an economy of self-sustaining growth predicated on the growing consumption of fossil fuels, which generates a sustained growth in emission in carbon dioxide[5].
- Class Struggle Capitalists favored steam power, not because of efficiency or coal’s cheapness, but because it allowed them to break workers’ power[7]. Malm argues that the defeat of the British working class movement was a key moment in the emergence of fossil fuels as the “general lever for surplus value production”[6].
- Critique of Contemporary Climate Activism Malm argues the climate movement focuses too much on the consumer and needs to more urgently train its sights upon the capitalist producers[4]. He makes the case that the current economic system will not transition away from stock power unless forced to do so[4].
- China as the Chimney of the World To understand the “fossil economy” we cannot only focus on the geographies of fossil fuel extraction, but also how fossil fuel commodities become the inputs to massive infrastructures of industrial production, transportation, and consumption[1].
- The Rising Fossil Composition of Capital Malm has transposed Marx’s argument on the organic composition of capital (the ratio of dead to living labor, increasing over time and producing a falling rate of profit) into a rising fossil composition of capital[6].
- Political Control Over Production The core problem is capital’s political control over production itself–a set of property relations wherein individual capitalists control the “means of production” toward a single-minded goal of “accumulation for accumulation’s sake”[1].
Citations:
[1] https://antipodeonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/book-review_huber-on-malm.pdf
[2] Climate Change | International Socialist Review
[3] Book Review: Fossil Capital: The Rise of Steam Power and the Roots of Global Warming by Andreas Malm | LSE Review of Books
[4] Energy Humanities | Forum on Fossil Capital Part 3: Malm’s Fossil Capital and Green Social Movements
[5] ‘Fossil Capital: The Rise of Steam-Power and the Roots of Global Warming’ reviewed by Jasper Finkeldey – Marx & Philosophy Society
[6] Some comments on Andreas Malm’s ‘Fossil Capital’ | Climate & Capitalism
[7] Energy Humanities | Introducing a Forum on Fossil Capital: Exploring Fossil Capital and the Path to a Post-Carbon Economy
[8] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09644016.2020.1718873
Sandeep Vaheesan’s Democracy in Power: A History of Electrification in the United States (2024) examines the history of US electrification, focusing on the struggle between private and public interests in the power sector and how this history can inform a path toward decarbonization[1][3]. The book traces the rise of publicly governed utilities in the 20th century and argues that government initiatives, like President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, played a crucial role in expanding public ownership and establishing rural electric cooperatives[1][3].
Key points and arguments:
- Early Domination by Financial Interests: Until the 1930s, private financial entities largely controlled electrical power in the United States[1][3].
- The New Deal’s Impact: President Roosevelt’s New Deal restructured the industry through initiatives such as the Tennessee Valley Authority and the promotion of rural electric cooperatives[1][3]. The Rural Electrification Administration (REA), created in 1935, provided loans for the construction of electrical distribution systems in isolated rural areas[2][6].
- Public vs. Private Resistance: The path to public accountability in the power sector faced bureaucratic challenges and strong opposition from private interests[1][3]. Private utilities were initially reluctant to work with the REA due to unfavorable loan terms[2].
- The Role of Cooperatives: When private utilities were hesitant, the REA turned to cooperatives to provide electricity to rural areas[2]. These cooperatives purchased power wholesale and distributed it using their own transmission lines[6].
- Support for Rural Consumers: The REA extended credit to wire rural homes and fund the purchase of electrical appliances, ensuring there would be a demand for electricity and enabling the co-ops to take advantage of economies of scale[2].
- Blueprint for Decarbonization: Vaheesan offers a detailed analysis of the evolution of the power sector, providing a blueprint for a publicly led and managed transition to decarbonization[1][3].
- Historical Context: By 1924, 50% of US households had electricity, and by 1949, 90% were connected[6]. This diffusion occurred over a period that included the Great Depression and World War II[6].
Vaheesan’s book highlights the historical struggles between public and private interests in the US electricity system and suggests that democratizing the power sector is essential for building a decarbonized future[1].
Citations:
[1] Democracy in Power: A History of Electrification in the United States, Vaheesan
[2] Electrifying Rural America | Richmond Fed
[3] Democracy in Power: A History of Electrification in the United States - Sandeep Vaheesan - Google Books
[4] https://www.eia.gov/kids/history-of-energy/timelines/electricity.php
[5] Democracy in Power, eBook by Sandeep Vaheesan | A History of Electrification in the United States | 9780226836393 | Booktopia
[6] How the history of electrification in the United States can help The World Bank’s ambitious plan to electrify Africa - Christensen Institute
[7] https://www.dymocks.com.au/democracy-in-power-by-sandeep-vaheesan-9780226836386
[8] The history of energy in the United States | National Grid Group
Martin Chick’s Electricity and Energy Policy in Britain, France and the United States since 1945 compares the development of electricity and energy policy in these three countries, blending economic theory with historical evidence[3][7]. The book examines the political factors affecting the implementation of theory, covering topics such as nationalization and privatization, regulation, deregulation and liberalization, and marginal cost pricing[3]. It also addresses the OPEC oil price hikes of the 1970s, threats to national energy security, electricity blackouts, and the efforts of the European Commission to promote competition[3].
Key aspects explored in the book:
- Energy Pricing: The book analyzes energy pricing, highlighting that France, in contrast to the U.S. and Britain, adopted rational economic analysis and marginal-cost principles in its energy policy after WWII[1].
- Restructuring: Chick discusses the introduction of unregulated competition in wholesale electricity markets in Britain and the United States, the privatization of the industry in Britain, and the resistance to both privatization and market competition in France[1].
- Policy Implementation: The book explores how past decisions conditioned policy choices, especially regarding privatization and deregulation[3]. It also emphasizes how historical context affects current debates on energy policy[3].
- Electricity Prices: A comparison of policies impacting energy-intensive industries reveals that the UK has a base electricity price for energy-intensive industries within the range of other EU Member States, higher than France and Germany, but lower than Italy and Denmark[2].
- Low-Carbon Electricity: France has a very low-carbon electricity mix due to its large nuclear fleet[6]. To maintain electricity security and a low-carbon footprint, France is investing in efficiency, new nuclear power plants, and renewable energy[6].
- Energy Demand: While total energy demand is set to fall in each country, the demand for electricity will increase as industrial processes, heat generation and transport become more and more electrified[4].
Citations:
[1] Electricity and Energy Policy in Britain, France and the United States since 1945 – EH.net
[2] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a78eece40f0b62b22cbdf2c/12-527-international-policies-impacting-energy-intensive-industries.pdf
[3] Electricity and Energy Policy in Britain, France and the United States since 1945
[4] How energy systems and policies of Germany and France compare | Clean Energy Wire
[5] Electricity and Energy Policy in Britain, France and the United States since 1945 by Martin Chick | Goodreads
[6] France - Countries & Regions - IEA
[7] https://find.slv.vic.gov.au/discovery/fulldisplay/alma9915922273607636/61SLV_INST:SLV
[8] Comparing energy transition policy in Europe and the US