Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Source: BP, Statistical Review of World Energy 2013, Historical data workbook
Note the difference. Solar and wind produce a combined 1 percent of the energy we use, whereas
fossil fuel energy—coal, oil, and natural gas—produces 86 percent, more than five times all other sources
combined. That 86 percent is only 7 percent less than 1980's 93 percent. But the total is what matters
most—note that our total fossil fuel use is now far, far greater.
Other sources of energy, particularly nuc-
lear and hydro, have been supplements, not replacements for fossil fuels.
And note that in many ways people have been discouraged from using fossil fuels. For the last thirty
years, governments around the world—particularly European governments like Germany, Spain, and Den-
mark—have goneoutoftheir waytopromote non-fossilformsofenergy,suchassolar,wind,andbiofuels.
Nevertheless, fossil fuels have remained the energy source of choice.
Why? Or to put it in reverse, why is so much energy
not
made from alternatives?
THE HAZELNUT ENERGY PROBLEM
The simple answer is: because it'sareally,really,really hardchallenge toproduce cheap, plentiful, reliable
energy for billions of people—and the fossil fuel industry is the only one, by a mile, that's figured out a
solution. (Although there's one source of energy that may well outcompete fossil fuels in three to five dec-
ades—stay tuned.)
