Includes bibliographical references and index

Part 1: 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 2: 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 3: The electric age. Alternating currents ; The nuclear cycle ; Breaking the bargain ; The urgency of fuel choice -- Part 4: 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 5: New energies. Rebirth of renewables ; Science experiment ; Alchemy of shining light ; Mystery of wind ; The fifth fuel -- efficiency ; Closing the conservation gap -- Part 6: Road to the future. Carbohydrate man ; Internal fire ; The great electric car experiment -- Conclusion: "A great revolution."

This sequel to The Prize provides a narrative of global energy, the principal engine of geopolitical and economic change. Energy authority Yergin tells the inside stories of the oil market, 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 shows how the drama of oil will continue to shape our world, and takes on the tough questions: will we run out of oil, and are China and the United States destined to conflict over oil? He also reveals the surprising and turbulent history of nuclear, coal, electricity, and natural gas, and investigates the "rebirth of renewables", biofuels, wind, and solar energy. He further offers an original history of how the issue of climate change went from concerning a handful of scientists to one of the overarching issues of our times.--From publisher description