Power Up An Engineer's Adventures into Sustainable Energy

"A beautiful book full of hope that manages to humanise everything from horsepower to kilowatt hours."
– Anna Ploszajski, materials scientist and author of Handmade

"A highly engaging personal account of changes in our complex energy system to enable a low carbon world."
– Mike Berners-Lee, author of There Is No Planet B

"A journey back into the past, a vision of the future, and an education in energy – a rewarding read."
– Alex O'Brien, author of The Truth Detective

"Absolutely electrifying! A fascinating guided tour behind the scenes of how the energy needed for running all our lives is generated and distributed."
– Professor Lewis Dartnell, author of Being Human: How Our Biology Shaped World History

"Ali's enthusiasm for energy infrastructure electrifies this engaging tour of the people and structures that power our modern world."
– Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century and Adventures in the Anthropocene

"This hugely readable energy odyssey is now part of my climate change crib sheet. It doesn't just answer the question "How does it work?" but also "What are we doing to make it better?""
– Helen Arney, science presenter and comedian

"Easy to read and enjoyable [...] I could likely look to this book to find a story that would help liven up a dull lecture, or even spark discussion outside the classroom. Ali delivers good food for thought throughout [...] takes the reader "behind-the-scenes" [...] Power Up is well worth the time. The collection of stories incites reflection about the place of energy in our lives, and the places we get it from. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the sector"
– The Chemical Engineer

"An engaging and informed account of one of the defining questions of our time: how we source and use energy."
– David Adam, journalist and bestselling author of The Man Who Couldn't Stop

"Covers everything from how we can learn from those working on oil and gas rigs in the transition to offshore wind, to the evolution of solar power and how engineers are working to crack nuclear fusion and so create an abundant and cleaner energy source [...] fascinatingly technical without becoming too academic. Her family's experience of fleeing Iraq offers an engaging backdrop for her tales [...] Power Up provides a stimulating and affable overview of how major feats of engineering can help the world beat the climate crisis."
– New Statesman

"I learned so much from this book about this most important aspect of our lives. "Energy literacy", which the book actively promotes, will be a key tool to tackle climate change."
– Alom Shaha, science teacher and author of Why Don't Things Fall Up?

"In the midst of the climate crisis, I highly recommend this book. It's the perfect place to learn about a very complex industry – one that affects us all – from start to finish. Ali handles a huge and often contentious subject expertly, weaving in personal stories with big questions, making it a warm and educational read."
– Roma Agrawal, author of Nuts and Bolts and Built

"Now even I understand how it all works."
– Henning Wehn, comedian

"This is a powerful and often lyrical book about what it is like to work in the energy sector from someone who lives and breathes it on a daily basis. Fascinating and insightful in equal measure, ultimately it is a book about the humans who are quietly getting on with the job of making our world more sustainable."
– Mark Miodownik, author of Liquid and Stuff Matters