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1 Energy Security and Sustainability: An Overview
The concept of energy security is of recent origin and has emerged due to high
demand for commercial energy consumed for manufacturing goods, providing
various services, and for human comfort. Human quest for excellence in knowledge
combined with hard work, innovation, perseverance, and dedication has changed the
global energy landscape from carbohydrate (wood-based) to hydrocarbon (coal, oil,
and gas) economy. Unfortunately, the side effects of hydrocarbon economy have led
to many catastrophic phenomena, including ozone hole, pollution of terrestrial and
aquatic systems, ocean acidification, and global warming. The industrial revolution
that has withstood the test of time so far with external energy derived from nonbiological sources has failed the test of sustainability. Wood dominated the socioeconomic development in Europe until the 1500s and was the most important material
for building construction, ships, for cooking and heating, as well as for purification of
various metals. Rampant and excess extraction of wood eventually led to the disappearance of natural forests in early 1700s. Disappearance of wood was succeeded by
emergence of coal in England. Coal was initially obtained through surface mining
to avoid risking human lives due to flooding of underground mines. The desire
for more coal culminated in invention of steam engine by Thomas Newcomen that
saved Britain from energy crisis. By 1800, Britain switched over from carbohydrate
to hydrocarbon economy. Hydrocarbon economy has been meticulously controlled
by a few nations who have vast resources of coal and oil. These conglomerates have
manipulated international price to their advantage frequently threatening the energy
security of the world. To counter these forces, many countries, started working on
alternative sources of energy such as nuclear (fission in particular), solar, wind,
geothermal, and biofuel. In recent years, the climate change disasters have struck
humanity with impunity and the scientific community is united in its opinion to stop
the use of coal and oil in near future. As the fourth industrial revolution progresses,
the world will witness emergence of renewable energy from different sources—and
eventually bid farewell to hydrocarbon economy.
1.1 Understanding Various Terms and Conversion Factors
Before embarking on the contents of this chapter, it will be useful for many, if not
most, readers to understand the various terms and units of measurement adopted by
different countries/institutions/authors.
There are six most common units of energy used at global level (Foresti et al.
2010):
1 Energy Security and Sustainability: An Overview
The concept of energy security is of recent origin and has emerged due to high
demand for commercial energy consumed for manufacturing goods, providing
various services, and for human comfort. Human quest for excellence in knowledge
combined with hard work, innovation, perseverance, and dedication has changed the
global energy landscape from carbohydrate (wood-based) to hydrocarbon (coal, oil,
and gas) economy. Unfortunately, the side effects of hydrocarbon economy have led
to many catastrophic phenomena, including ozone hole, pollution of terrestrial and
aquatic systems, ocean acidification, and global warming. The industrial revolution
that has withstood the test of time so far with external energy derived from nonbiological sources has failed the test of sustainability. Wood dominated the socioeconomic development in Europe until the 1500s and was the most important material
for building construction, ships, for cooking and heating, as well as for purification of
various metals. Rampant and excess extraction of wood eventually led to the disappearance of natural forests in early 1700s. Disappearance of wood was succeeded by
emergence of coal in England. Coal was initially obtained through surface mining
to avoid risking human lives due to flooding of underground mines. The desire
for more coal culminated in invention of steam engine by Thomas Newcomen that
saved Britain from energy crisis. By 1800, Britain switched over from carbohydrate
to hydrocarbon economy. Hydrocarbon economy has been meticulously controlled
by a few nations who have vast resources of coal and oil. These conglomerates have
manipulated international price to their advantage frequently threatening the energy
security of the world. To counter these forces, many countries, started working on
alternative sources of energy such as nuclear (fission in particular), solar, wind,
geothermal, and biofuel. In recent years, the climate change disasters have struck
humanity with impunity and the scientific community is united in its opinion to stop
the use of coal and oil in near future. As the fourth industrial revolution progresses,
the world will witness emergence of renewable energy from different sources—and
eventually bid farewell to hydrocarbon economy.
1.1 Understanding Various Terms and Conversion Factors
Before embarking on the contents of this chapter, it will be useful for many, if not
most, readers to understand the various terms and units of measurement adopted by
different countries/institutions/authors.
There are six most common units of energy used at global level (Foresti et al.
2010):