DOCSLIB.ORG

A Visual Exploration of Energy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Visual Exploration of Energy Title.pdf 1 2014-11-10 8:09 PM POWER UP! A VISUAL EXPLORATION OF ENERGY C M Y CM MY CY CMY K SHAKER PALEJA ART BY GLENDA TSE annick press toronto + new york + vancouver Copyright.pdf 1 2014-11-10 7:33 PM © 2015 Shaker Paleja (text) © 2015 Glenda Tse (illustrations) Edited by Pam Robertson Copyedited by Catherine Marjoribanks Proofread by Linda Pruessen Additional research and writing by Paula Ayer Designed by Glenda Tse Annick Press Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical—without the prior written permission of the publisher. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) for our publishing activities. an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario Cataloging in Publication C Paleja, S. N. (Shaker Natvar), author M Power up! : a visual exploration of energy / Shaker Paleja ; art by Glenda Tse. Y Includes bibliographical references and index. CM Issued in print and electronic formats. MY ISBN 978-1-55451-726-8 (pbk.).—ISBN 978-1-55451-727-5 (bound).— CY ISBN 978-1-55451-728-2 (html).—ISBN 978-1-55451-729-9 (pdf) CMY K 1. Power resources—Juvenile literature. I. Tse, Glenda, 1991–, illustrator II. Title. TJ163.23.P35 2015 J333.79 C2014-906627-9 C2014-906628-7 Distributed in Canada by: Published in the U.S.A. by Annick Press (U.S.) Ltd. Firefly Books Ltd. Distributed in the U.S.A. by: 50 Staples Avenue, Unit 1 Firefly Books (U.S.) Inc. Richmond Hill, ON P.O. Box 1338 Ellicott Station L4B 0A7 Buffalo, NY 14205 Printed in China Visit us at: www.annickpress.com Visit Shaker Paleja at: shakerpaleja.com Visit Glenda Tse at: glendatse.com Also available in e-book format. Please visit www.annickpress.com/ebooks.html for more details. Or scan TOC.pdf 2 2014-11-10 7:33 PM © 2015 Shaker Paleja (text) © 2015 Glenda Tse (illustrations) Edited by Pam Robertson Copyedited by Catherine Marjoribanks TABLE OF CONTENTS Proofread by Linda Pruessen Additional research and writing by Paula Ayer Designed by Glenda Tse All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical—without the prior written permission of the publisher. What Is Energy? 1 Where Does Energy Come From? 3 We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Government Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy 5 of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) for our publishing activities. Electricity 7 A Short History of Energy 9 Energy Today 11 Emissions 13 Climate Effects 15 Cataloging in Publication Paleja, S. N. (Shaker Natvar), author C Power up! : a visual exploration of energy / Shaker Paleja ; art by Glenda Tse. M NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY Y Includes bibliographical references and index. Oil 17 CM Issued in print and electronic formats. Natural Gas 19 ISBN 978-1-55451-726-8 (pbk.).—ISBN 978-1-55451-727-5 (bound).— MY Coal 21 ISBN 978-1-55451-728-2 (html).—ISBN 978-1-55451-729-9 (pdf) CY Nuclear 23 Unconventional Oil Sources 25 CMY 1. Power resources—Juvenile literature. I. Tse, Glenda, 1991–, illustrator II. Title. K TJ163.23.P35 2015 J333.79 C2014-906627-9 RENEWABLE ENERGY Distributed in Canada by: Solar 29 Firefly Books Ltd. Wind 31 50 Staples Avenue, Unit 1 Hydro 33 Richmond Hill, ON Geothermal 35 L4B 0A7 Biomass and Biofuels 37 Printed in China THE FUTURE OF ENERGY Visit us at: www.annickpress.com New Energy Sources 39 Visit Shaker Paleja at: shakerpaleja.com Global Demand 43 Visit Glenda Tse at: glendatse.com Energy at Home 45 Energy Efficiency 47 Also available in e-book format. Please visit How Can You Save Energy? 49 www.annickpress.com/ebooks.html for more details. Or scan Energy Terms and Selected Sources 51 Index 52 1.pdf 1 2014-11-10 8:45 PM WHAT IS ENERGY THE WORD “ENERGY” CAN MEAN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. Your body needs energy to get out Energy lights up your house INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY of bed, walk, and even think. and makes things work. C M 1 Y CM MY CY CMY The food you eat for K breakfast gives you energy. The bus that takes you to school needs There’s energy in sunlight energy from fuel to make it go. and in the motion of wind and water. 1 ENERGY IS THE ABILITY TO DO WORK. 2.pdf 1 2014-11-10 6:28 PM Energy can’t be created or destroyed, but it can be transferred from one place or thing to another, or changed from one form to another. Your body does this every time it breaks down food into energy you can use. Plants absorb energy Your system breaks down from the sun and food molecules to release convert it into energy, which you use chemical energy, any time you move. which is stored in the Any object that moves plant’s molecules. has kinetic energy, the energy of motion. C SOLAR ENERGY CHEMICAL ENERGY KINETIC ENERGY M Y CM MY WHAT DO WE USE ENERGY FOR? *US, 2012 CY CMY Energy comes from many sources. We use it—in all its different K forms—to make our lives easier and better. BUSINESS: heating, cooling, and lighting for buildings where people work 19% INDUSTRY: energy for making, 31% extracting, and refining things—like metals, wood, plastics, and glass TRANSPORTATION: fuel for vehicles of all kinds 22% HOMES: heating, cooling, and lighting for buildings 28% where people live INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY 2 3.pdf 1 2014-11-10 6:28 PM WHERE DOES ENERGY COME FROM SOLAR WIND NUCLEAR The sun produces a Wind comes from heat Nuclear energy comes huge amount of light and pressure changes from the power of atoms— and heat energy, only that occur when the sun tiny pieces of matter. When some of which warms the surface of the an atom of uranium is split, eventually hits the earth. earth. Rotating machines massive amounts of energy Solar panels or cells called turbines can are released. This energy help us grab the sun’s convert the kinetic can be used to generate energy to use for energy of the wind’s electricity. heating, or to convert motion into electricity. into electricity. GEOTHERMAL Geothermal energy doesn’t come from the sun. Instead, it comes from heat and steam deep within the C earth. Geothermal energy M can heat buildings or be Y converted into electricity. CM MY CY CMY K ELECTRICITY Electricity is called a BIOMASS HYDRO “secondary” energy source. Biomass can be wood, The sun’s heat creates That’s because it has to be grass, manure, corn, or the cycle of evaporation generated from a even food scraps—all things and rain that makes “primary” energy source— that once absorbed the water flow. The movement like moving water, the sun’s sun’s energy to grow. It can of water through spinning rays, wind, nuclear power, be burned to produce heat turbines creates or fossil fuels—before being and generate electricity, or hydroelectricity. carried into houses and turned into a liquid (biofuel) (“Hydro” means water, buildings to provide light 3 that can power vehicles. in Greek.) and power. 4.pdf 1 2014-11-10 6:32 PM The energy we use to make cars and buses go, light our houses, and power our devices comes from different places and things. But if you look back far enough, you’ll see that most of it originally came from the power of the sun. 1 2 C M 3 Y CM MY CY CMY K OIL COAL NATURAL GAS 1 Most of the energy that powers our vehicles and supplies our electricity comes from fossil fuels. Millions of years ago, even before dinosaurs, these fuels were living things—ancient plants and animals fed by energy from the sun’s rays. 2 When these living things died, they were buried under layers of mud, sand, and rock. Heat, pressure, and bacteria helped them decompose. The sun’s energy, stored inside them, became more and more concentrated. 3 Eventually, they were converted into oil (a thick black liquid, also called petroleum), coal (a black rock), and natural gas (a clear gas). INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY 4 5.pdf 1 2014-11-10 8:24 PM RENEWABLE ENERGY You can’t use up things like sun, wind, and water, because they’re naturally replenished, or renewable. Different SOLAR WIND HYDRO BIOMASS GEOTHERMAL technologies can convert these natural types of energy into 28.3 MILLION forms we can use. PEOPLE WORLDWIDE USE HYDROPOWER 1.5 MILLION US HOMES ARE POWERED BY BIOMASS COUNTRIES USE 24 GEOTHERMAL POWER C M Y 1 hour of sunlight (if we could capture it all) CM could power the world for 1 year MY CY CMY 300 homes can be powered by 1 wind turbine K IS NUCLEAR ENERGY RENEWABLE? DEPENDS WHO YOU ASK! Yes. With better technology to find new sources of uranium and get it out of the ground, we’ll have enough to last for the rest of time. 5 6.pdf 2 2014-11-10 6:33 PM NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY Fossil fuels take millions of years to form from ancient plant matter under the surface of the earth.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • History of Energy
    CONCISE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HISTORY OF ENERGY Editor C. CLEVELAND Boston University, Boston, MA, USA ELSEVIER Amsterdam—Boston—Heidelberg—London—New York—Oxford Paris—San Diego—San Francisco—Singapore—Sydney—Tokyo CONTENTS Editor's Preface vii Alphabetical List of Articles ix c Coal Industry, History of Jaak J K Daemen 1 Coal Mining in Appalachia, History of Geoffrey L Buckley 17 Conservation Measures for Energy, History of John H Gibbons, Holly L Gwin 27 Conservation of Energy Concept, History of Elizabeth Garber 36 E Early Industrial World, Energy Flow in Richard D Periman 45 Economic Thought, History of Energy in Paul Christensen 53 Ecosystems and Energy: History and Overview Charles AS Hall 65 Electricity Use, History of David E Nye 77 Energy in the History and Philosophy of Science Robert P Crease 90 Environmental Change and Energy 1 G Simmons 94 F Fire: A Socioecological and Historical Survey Johan Goudsblom 105 G Geographic Thought, History of Energy in Barry D Solomon, Martin J pasqualetti 117 H Hydrogen, History of Seth Dunn 127 Hydropower, History and Technology of John S Gulliver, Roger E A Arndt 138 M Manufactured Gas, History of Joel A Tarr 153 N Natural Gas, History of Christopher J Castaneda 163 Nuclear Power, History of Robert J Duffy 175 Contents O Oil Crises, Historical Perspective Mamdouh G Salameh 189 Oil Industry, History of August W Giebelhaus 203 OPEC Market Behavior, 1973-2003 A F Alhajji 215 OPEC, History of Fadhil J Chalabi 228 P Prices of Energy, History of Peter Berck, Michael J Roberts 241 Q Sociopolitical Collapse, Energy and Joseph A Tainter 251 Solar Energy, History of John Perlin 265 T Thermodynamic Sciences, History of Keith Hutchison 281 Transitions in Energy Use Arnulf Grübler 287 w War and Energy Vaclav Smil 301 Wind Energy, History of Martin Pasqualetti, Robert Righter, Paul Gipe 309 Wood Energy, History of John Perlin 323 World History and Energy Vaclav Smil 331 List of Contributors 343 Subject Index 345 vi.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 1: Energy Challenges September 2015 1 Energy Challenges
    QUADRENNIAL TECHNOLOGY REVIEW AN ASSESSMENT OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES Chapter 1: Energy Challenges September 2015 1 Energy Challenges Energy is the Engine of the U.S. Economy Quadrennial Technology Review 1 1 Energy Challenges 1.1 Introduction The United States’ energy system, vast in size and increasingly complex, is the engine of the economy. The national energy enterprise has served us well, driving unprecedented economic growth and prosperity and supporting our national security. The U.S. energy system is entering a period of unprecedented change; new technologies, new requirements, and new vulnerabilities are transforming the system. The challenge is to transition to energy systems and technologies that simultaneously address the nation’s most fundamental needs—energy security, economic competitiveness, and environmental responsibility—while providing better energy services. Emerging advanced energy technologies can do much to address these challenges, but further improvements in cost and performance are important.1 Carefully targeted research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) are essential to achieving these improvements and enabling us to meet our nation’s energy objectives. This report, the 2015 Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR 2015), examines science and technology RDD&D opportunities across the entire U.S. energy system. It focuses primarily on technologies with commercialization potential in the mid-term and beyond. It frames various tradeoffs that all energy technologies must balance, across such dimensions as diversity and security of supply, cost, environmental impacts, reliability, land use, and materials use. Finally, it provides data and analysis on RDD&D pathways to assist decision makers as they set priorities, subject to budget constraints, to develop more secure, affordable, and sustainable energy services.
    [Show full text]
  • Pathways to Sustainable Energy Accelerating Energy Transition in the UNECE Region
    UNEC E Pathways to Sustainable Energy Accelerating Energy Transition in the UNECE Region Energy underpins economic development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and has a critical role to play in climate change mitigation. The recognition of the role that energy plays in modern society is highly signicant, however, there remains an important disconnection between agreed energy and climate targets and the Pathways to Sustainable Energy • Accelerating Transition in the UNECE Region approaches in place today to achieve them. Only international cooperation and innovation can deliver the accelerated and more ambitious strategies. Policies will be needed to ll the persistent gaps to achieve the 2030 Agenda. If the gaps are not addressed urgently, progressively more drastic and expensive measures will be required to avoid extreme and potentially unrecoverable social impacts as countries try to cope with climate change. This report uniquely focuses on sustainable energy in the UNECE region up to 2050 as regional economic cooperation is an important factor in achieving sustainable energy. Arriving at a state of attaining sustainable energy is a complex social, political, economic and technological challenge. The UNECE countries have not agreed on how collectively they will achieve energy for sustainable development. Given the role of the UNECE to promote economic cooperation it is important to explore the implications of dierent sustainable energy pathways and for countries to work together on developing and deploying policies and measures. Pathways to Sustainable Energy Accelerating Energy Transition in the UNECE Region 67UNECE Energy Series UNIT Palais des Nations CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland E Telephone: +41(0)22 917 12 34 D E-mail: [email protected] N A Website: www.unece.org TION S UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE Pathways to Sustainable Energy - Accelerating Energy Transition in the UNECE Region ECE ENERGY SERIES No.
    [Show full text]
  • A Global Survey of Building Energy Efficiency Policies in Cities
    Urban Efficiency: A Global Survey of Building Energy Efficiency Policies in Cities Contents Foreword from C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Foreword from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Executive Summary 1. A macro view of city-level policies 2. Objectives and methodology 3. Policy maps and global trends 3.1 Overview 3.2 Global trends illustrated by policy maps 3.2.1 Building energy codes 3.2.2 Reporting and benchmarking of energy performance data 3.2.3 Mandatory auditing and retro-commissioning 3.2.4 Emissions trading schemes 3.2.5 Green building rating and energy performance labelling 3.2.6 Financial incentives 3.2.7 Non-financial incentives 3.2.8 Awareness raising programmes 3.2.9 Promoting green leases 3.2.10 Voluntary leadership programmes 3.2.11 Government leadership 3.2.12 Other 4. Experiences from frontrunner cities 4.1 Overview 4.2 Case studies 4.2.1 Hong Kong 4.2.2 Houston 4.2.3 Melbourne 4.2.4 New York City 4.2.5 Philadelphia 4.2.6 San Francisco 4.2.7 Seattle 4.2.8 Singapore 4.2.9 Sydney 4.2.10 Tokyo 4.3 Analysis 4.3.1 Key characteristics 4.3.2 Inputs during design and implementation phase 4.3.3 Results and impacts 4.3.4 Success factors 4.3.5 Key challenges 4.3.6 Future perspectives 5. Conclusions Acknowledgements Appendices 1. List of web-based databases including information on energy efficiency policies and/or action worldwide 2. Policy map - City-led programmes 3. Questionnaire sent to cities for case studies 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Examining the History of Texas Energy Efficiency Programs
    Examining the History of Texas Energy Efficiency Programs The Effect of Changes in the EERS Goal Authors: Rob Bevill, Policy Manager Brennan Howell, State and Local Policy Manager June 2017 www.EEPartnership.org Page 2 About the South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER) SPEER is a regional non-profit organization dedicated to increasing and accelerating the adoption of energy efficient products, technologies, and services in Texas and Oklahoma. Much of SPEER’s work focuses on finding the best market-based approaches to increase energy efficiency and overcoming persistent market barriers. The views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of all of SPEER’s members, funders, or supporters. For more information about SPEER, please visit: www.eepartnership.org Copyright Notice Copyright © 2016, The South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, modified, rewritten, or distributed, electronically or by any other means, without the express written consent of the South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource. www.EEPartnership.org Page 3 I. THE GOAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY: AN OVERVIEW In 1999, the Texas Legislature took on the task of restructuring the state’s electricity sector and as part of that process established a Goal for Energy Efficiency,1 the first energy efficiency resource standard (EERS) in the country. Generation, retail sales and customer relations were unbundled from the traditional Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs). The transmission and distribution portion of the previously vertically integrated utilities were the only market segment that continued to be regulated, so they were assigned the responsibility of administering the energy efficiency programs needed to meet the EERS.2 While there was not yet an appetite among many industry stakeholders to reduce the total demand for electricity, the Legislature compromised by adopting a goal to reduce the rate of growth.
    [Show full text]
  • E History of Energy the Sun the Sun Was the First Energy Source
    e History of Energy The Sun The sun was the first energy source. It provided light and heat to the first humans. During the day, the people searched for food. They had no home. When it began to get dark, they looked for shelter. Once the sun went down, the world was dark and cold. The moon and stars gave the only light. People huddled together for warmth. Fire Once in a while, lightning started fires. Early humans saw the fire and were afraid. They saw the animals run in fear. But one day they didn’t run away. Maybe they felt the heat on a cold day. Maybe they noticed they could see at night with the fire. No one knows how it happened. One brave person carried a burning branch to a cave. People put wood on the fire to keep it going. The fire kept them warm. It gave them light. It kept dangerous animals away. For the first time, people had a home. They no longer slept wherever they were at the end of the day. The hunters came home at night to their fire and safety. The children and the elders made sure the fire did not go out. These early cave dwellers didn’t know how to start a fire. If the fire went out, they had to wait until lightning struck again. Keeping the fire going was a very important job. They had the first energy source they could control. Later, they learned how to start fires. They rubbed pieces of flint together to make sparks.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 1 a Brief History of Energy Consumption
    CHAPTER 1 A BRIEF HISTORY OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION We all make decisions about energy. We decide how much electricity we will use to heat or cool our homes. We decide how far we will go every day and the mode of transportation we will use. Those of us in democra- cies choose leaders who create budgets that can support new energy initiatives or maintain a military capable of defending energy supply lines. Each of these decisions and many others impacts the global consumption of energy and the demand for available natural resources. The purpose of this book is to give you the information you need to help you make in- formed decisions. The choices we make today will affect generations to come. What kind of future do we want to prepare for them? What kind of future is possible? We can make the best decisions by being aware of our options and the consequences of our choices. In this book, we consider the loca- tion, quantity and accessibility of energy sources. We discuss ways to distribute available energy, and examine how our choices will affect the economy, society, and the environment. Our understanding of each of these issues will help us on our journey to energy independence. We be- gin by defining energy and reviewing our history of energy consumption. 1.1 WHAT IS ENERGY ? Energy is the ability to do work. It can be classified as stored (potential) energy, and working (kinetic) energy. Potential energy is the ability to produce motion, and kinetic energy is the energy of motion.
    [Show full text]
  • Foundations of Energy
    Foundations of Energy PEIMS Code: N1300263 Abbreviation: FOUNDEN Grade Level(s): 9-12 Award of Credit: 1.0 Approved Innovative Course • Districts must have local board approval to implement innovative courses. • In accordance with Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §74.27, school districts must provide instruction in all essential knowledge and skills identified in this innovative course. • Innovative courses may only satisfy elective credit toward graduation requirements. • Please refer to TAC §74.13 for guidance on endorsements. Course Description: Foundations of Energy provides students with the fundamentals of Texas energy resources from conventional, unconventional, and renewable sources. Students develop knowledge and skills regarding career and educational opportunities in the production, transmission, and use of energy in Texas, including import and export markets for energy. Essential Knowledge and Skills: (a) General Requirements This course is recommended for students in Grades 9-12. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of the course. (b) Introduction. (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and success in current or emerging energy professions. (2) The Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster focuses on the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources, including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources. (3) In Foundations of Energy, students will conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific practices during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Various systems will be described in terms of energy.
    [Show full text]
  • Blares the CIA's Radio War with Saddam
    MT Reviews the Drake R8B and Trunk Tracking PRO -2050 U.S. $3.95 Vol. 17, No. 5 May 1998 :an. 56.25 Prin-ed in he : nited States 1 -. MI+I'//. nitoring }bur Iirsonn( Comrmuicaúons Sourer 8 Inside the House of the Also: Blares The CIA's Radio War with Saddam 5-2-01490 13 3UIHS3H3 3AI210 yONVW 69 V21IOS r SVWOHl IIZ/OáS 6ó/10/£0 Ilianllilllinnllllnalnlnluitlll 450 1I9I0-£*3.E:.*3-30cx*****3 ,,c,,xv,-3.HHx xx**-X-* II l liv 74354 8 www.americanradiohistory.com Innovative Got Opto? Products for a Modern Now is the time to get it! Planet l Xplorer R11 Xp/aier Receivers $199 Apiorer Test Receiver: TEST RECEIVER hile on the job or uuuuJa4,, J just having fun, take along an 00 Optoelectronics product and 000 * .R111 experience an entire world of 1111111113111111 wireless communications. R11 Test Receiver: If you need to calibrate a radio OS456/535 Optolinx oscillator or just find frequen- cies around town, you will always be prepared with an roc ö.oQó--.=: Optoelectronics product. 0S456 / 0S535: - Experience the performance of Test Receivers, Frequency r)ntniIriv lntnrfane. Counters, and Computer Scout 3000A+ Control interfaces as so many professional technicians and M1 hobbyist 349 Counters Cub $199' alike have relied 149 upon to get the job done. Scout Frequency Recorder IL Factory Direct Order Cub, M1, 3000APlus: Line 800.327.5912 _! T-UPTIPIIAw ! \VI r %..aI#ei NE V 5821 14th Avenue Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33334vlY. Telephone 954.771.2050 Fax 954.771.2052 EMail [email protected] Visa, MasterCard, C.O.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy Transitions in the United States Since 1780 (Figures 14 and 15)
    Energies 2014, 7, 7955-7993; doi:10.3390/en7127955 OPEN ACCESS energies ISSN 1996-1073 www.mdpi.com/journal/energies Article U.S. Energy Transitions 1780–2010 Peter A. O’Connor * and Cutler J. Cleveland Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-703-400-3464. External Editor: David I. Stern Received: 15 July 2014; in revised form: 4 November 2014 / Accepted: 5 November 2014 / Published: 27 November 2014 Abstract: Economic and social factors compel large-scale changes in energy systems. An ongoing transition in the United States is driven by environmental concerns, changing patterns of energy end-use, constraints on petroleum supply. Analysis of prior transitions shows that energy intensity in the U.S. from 1820 to 2010 features a declining trend when traditional energy is included, in contrast to the “inverted U-curve” seen when only commercial energy is considered. This analysis quantifies use of human and animal muscle power, wind and water power, biomass, harvested ice, fossil fuels, and nuclear power, with some consumption series extending back to 1780. The analysis reaffirms the importance of innovation in energy conversion technologies in energy transitions. An increase in energy intensity in the early 20th century is explained by diminishing returns to pre-electric manufacturing systems, which produced a transformation in manufacturing. In comparison to similar studies for other countries, the U.S. has generally higher energy intensity. Keywords: energy transitions; economic history; energy intensity 1.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Energy
    Essentials of Energy 4-7-05 History Technologies Units Resources History of energy use Human Animal Simple machines amplify animal power Lever-inclined plane: pyramid Wheel Fire/ wood: cook, fire pottery, metallurgy More sophisticated technologies: Windmills Water wheels 19th century Steam (factories, pumps, engines[railroad] and space heat in buildings)--- ------------Æ now generate electricity via coal, heat buildings Direct water------------Æ hydropower Transformed into 19th century 20th century Manufacturing Steam, direct water, wind Electricity Transportation Animal, steam, water, wind Internal/external combustion Space/building heat Open fire (wood), steam Steam (gas), electricity, (coal, wood) forced air (direct burn) Communication Transportation+electricity Electricity plus some (telegraph) transportation (mail) Lighting Candles, kerosene, whale Electricity oil, gas, fireplace Cooking Wood Electricity, gas Today’s dominant technologies Internal combustion engine Diesel Gasoline (Otto) Electricity Steam/Coal: 50%+ Gas Turbine 20% Hydro >10% Nuclear 20% (Note: NO OIL) Almost all require heat: the burning of something, mainly fossil fuels Exceptions: hydropower, nuclear—but nuclear is still heat All of our main energy technologies have serious environmental consequences: Air pollution: health problems, acid rain, etc. CO2 production: climate change Waste disposal: health hazards River alterations: ecosystem disruption, downstream users affected Can they be controlled? Must they be replaced? Can they be replaced? Examples and equivalencies of electricity generation technologies: Bonneville Dam= Columbia Generating Station (formerly WNP2)= Centralia Coal Plant= about 1,000 mw capacity= power for Seattle= 8,760,000,000 kwh in a year Units Joules--ÆKwhÆ BTUs British thermal unit n. (Abbr. BTU or Btu) 1. The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water from 60° to 61°F at a constant pressure of one atmosphere.
    [Show full text]
  • A Selected Timeline of US Energy
    A Selected Timeline of U.S. Energy This history of energy in the United States is deeply interwoven with technology, economics, political policies, consumer concerns, and worldwide events. Sources of energy both compete with, and complement, each other depending on the prevailing circumstances. This is a brief outline of key dates and events marking America’s development of various sources of energy. Use this as a guide. More comprehensive histories are available for each of these categories. Coal 1673–74: The first record of coal in the United States was shown on a map prepared by Louis Joliet. The map notes charbon de terra (coal of the earth) along the Illinois River in northern Illinois. 1701: Coal was discovered near Richmond, Virginia. 1736: The location of several “cole mines” were recorded on a map. The mines were located along the upper Potomac River, near what is now the border of Maryland and West Virginia. 1748: The first commercial U.S. coal production began near Richmond, Virginia. 1750s: Coal was reported in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and what is now the state of West Virginia. 1758: The first commercial coal shipment in the United States was recorded. 1762: Pennsylvania’s anthracite deposits were found. Coal was used to manufacture shot, shell, and other military materials. 1769: James Watt patented the modern-day steam engine. Coal was used to produce steam for early steam engines. 1800s: Coal became the principal fuel used by steam-powered trains (locomotives). As the railroads branched into the coal fields, they became a vital link between mines and markets.
    [Show full text]