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We rarely think about the energy systems that prop up our existence. With hot water, lighting and digital entertainment all available at the flick of a switch, it's easy to underestimate the vast global network that makes these things possible.
Growing up in Iraq, Yasmin Ali regularly experienced power cuts – ironic for a country rich in oil and sunshine. Now as an engineer working in energy, Yasmin has a deep appreciation for what these resources mean for our lives. In Power Up she takes us on a journey across the globe to reveal the bigger picture, from solar farms shimmering in the desert to power stations hidden deep in the mountains. We discover where we get energy from, how it is moved and used around the world – and why we need to understand the whole system if we want to transition towards a clean, green future.
Power Up is a definitive picture of the intricate world that humanity has built, and a rallying cry to face the challenges of climate change using the power at our fingertips.
Yasmin Ali is a chemical engineer, dedicated to developing renewable energy projects. Having worked in coal and gas-fired power stations, oil and gas, district heating systems, and energy innovation, Yasmin transitioned away from fossil fuels into more sustainable energy systems over the course of her career. She has given over a hundred talks about engineering and energy, written for the BBC and Metro, featured in TV and radio programmes and completed a British Science Association Media Fellowship with the BBC's Science Unit. In recognition of her public engagement work, Yasmin has been awarded and shortlisted for multiple industry awards, including the 2020 Women's Engineering Society's top 50 female engineers in sustainability.
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"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
"A beautiful book full of hope that manages to humanise everything from horsepower to kilowatt hours."
– Anna Ploszajski, materials scientist and author of Handmade
"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?
"Now even I understand how it all works."
– Henning Wehn, comedian
"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
