Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1.1 ENERGY SUPPLY: ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS
1.1.1
Introduction: The Importance of Energy Supply
In the past two centuries, since the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s that was initiated
by the invention of the steam turbine, the world has undergone a drastic change due to
the steeply increased contribution of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) to modern
societies
energy supply (McKay, 2009). Though the Chinese society already used
coal for energy supply in approximately 1000
BC
and the Romans prior to
AD
400
(World-Coal-Institute, 2005), the first written references indicating its use are from
about the thirteenth century and beyond (Hubbert, 1949). These hydrocarbon fuels
so far have been considered essential, as they are comparatively cheap and convenient
energy carriers used for heating, cooking, lighting, and mechanical as well as electric
power production and have been widely used as transportation fuels and feedstocks
for the manufacture of bulk and fine chemicals as well as other materials with a wide
range of applications. Rapid global population growth, expansion of economies, and
higher standards have caused an enormous increase in worldwide energy consump-
tion, which was partly made possible by the supply of cheap fossil fuels.
'
1.1.2 Development of Global Energy Demand
Figure 1.1 shows a scenario toward the year 2030 presented by the oil company BP
concerning population growth in relation to developments in total primary energy
utilization and gross domestic product (GDP). The figure shows that global energy
Population
Energy
GDP
Billion
Billion toe
18
Trillion, $2010 PPP
180
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
15
150
120
12
90
9
Rest of
the world
6
60
India
China
3
30
0
0
1970
1990
2010
2030
1970
1990
2010
2030
1970
1990
2010
2030
FIGURE 1.1
Prospected global growth rates in population, energy demand, and GDP; 1 toe =
4.1868.10
4
MJ. (Source: Adapted from BP, see tinyurl.com/7hlmqxn.)
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