Energy

For the past century, the generation and use of energy has been an essential factor in the advancement of most all aspects of human life. The use of energy has been at the root of all human operations since before the Industrial Revolution, but throughout history and into the modern age, the energy sources which humanity has relied upon have changed drastically. From the goal of easily accessible and inexpensive energies to concerns on the state of the environment, the mindset of society has had a direct influence on the evolution of energy and its technologies up to modern day. In this chapter, we will discuss the evolution of energy technologies from fossil fuels to non-carbon emitting technologies, as well as the future of energy in bio- and hydrogen fuels, with the goal of tracing the history of human energy to and through modern day.

Early advancement in power generation is rooted in fossil fuel technologies which include coal and natural gas. Since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels have propelled our society into the 21st century. However, technology in non-carbon emitting power generation, including solar, wind, and nuclear, threatens the dominance of fossil fuel technologies in a carbon-restricted future. These technologies have different origins and implications and will play an important impact on the climate and its future. Further, new and currently developing forms of energy like biofuel and hydrogen fuel provide the opportunity for energy sources more suitable for environmental protection than existing non-carbon emitting power, but such energy sources must continue to undergo development in order to be feasible for human consumption.