Energy industry
Until recently, fossil fuels were the primary source of energy generation in most parts of the world and are a significant contributor to global warming and pollution.The increasing use of energy since the Industrial Revolution has also brought with it a number of serious problems, some of which, such as global warming, present potentially grave risks to the world.Thus, although primitive man knew the utility of fire to cook food, the invention of devices like gas burners and microwave ovens led to additional ways of how energy can be utilised.All economic activity requires energy resources, whether to manufacture goods, provide transportation, run computers and other machines.This is compounded by the fact that the economics of delivering energy tend to be priced for capacity as opposed to average usage.Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas, known to be responsible, along with methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, for the rapid increase in global warming since the Industrial Revolution.Burning fossil fuels for electricity generation also releases trace metals such as beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, manganese, mercury, nickel, and silver into the environment, which also act as pollutants.The relative benefits of gas compared to coal are influenced by the development of increasingly efficient energy production methods.Some political analysts maintain that the hidden reason for both 1991 and 2003 wars can be traced to strategic control of international energy resources.[16] The limited supplies, uneven distribution, and rising costs of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, create a need to change to more sustainable energy sources in the foreseeable future.Although these are not all the current and possible options for the world to turn to as the oil depletes, the most critical issue is protecting these vital resources from future threats.Coal gasification and liquefaction are recent technologies that are becoming attractive after the realization that oil reserves, at present consumption rates, may be rather short lived.The transportation of energy, whether by tanker, pipeline, or transmission line, poses challenges for scientists and engineers, policy makers, and economists to make it more risk-free and efficient.The advent of peak oil, the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, will likely precipitate another energy crisis.
industriesenergyrefininginfrastructurecountriesfossil fuelpetroleum industriesoil companiespetroleum refinersgas stationscoal industriesnatural gas extractioncoal gaselectrical power industryelectricity generationelectric power distributionnuclear powerrenewable energy industryalternative energysustainable energyhydroelectric powerwind powersolar poweralternative fuelsfirewood20th centuryfossil fuelsbiomassglobal warmingpollutionrenewableEnergy consumptionhuman societyenvironmentindustrialized worldagriculturetransportationwaste collectioninformation technologycommunicationsIndustrial Revolutionenergy resourcespetroleumelectricitygas burnersmicrowave ovensconstructionfabricsprintingtextilesair conditioningcommunicationautomobilesEnergy economicsProductionconsumptionmanufacturecomputersmachinesutilitiesretailenergy marketsEnergy demand managementmanagementtechnologyenergy conservationUnited NationsInternational Standard Industrial ClassificationNorth American Industry Classification SystemU.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionGlobal Industry Classification StandardMorgan StanleyDow Jones Industrial AverageEnvironmental impact of the energy industrysubsidiesincentivesenergy-conservationsmart gridgreenhouse gasesnuclear wasteoil spillagesexternalitiesbusinesscarbon creditspollution creditsenvironment.sulfur dioxidegreenhouse gasmethanenitrous oxidefluorinated gasesice coresrenewable energybiofuelssolar heating and coolingefficient use of energyefficient energynatural gasCombined heat and powerWaste heat recoveryBest available technologyEuropean Commissionenergy efficiencyindustrial societiespoliticsenvironmental issuesIraq WarsstrategicEnergy policyenergy developmentenergy productionlegislationtaxationEnergy securitynational securitynatural resourceshydrogen fuelenzymaticCoal gasification and liquefactionoil reservesUK Energy Research Centrepipelinesgrid cablesEnergy crisis1973 oil crisis1979 oil crisis