Energy supplies and future engines for land, sea, and air

• Published in: Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995) Vol. 62; no. 6; pp. 607 - 624
• Main Author: Wilson, David Gordon
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Pittsburgh, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.06.2012; Air & Waste Management Association; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Applied sciences; Conservation of Energy Resources - history; Conservation of Energy Resources - methods; Conservation of Energy Resources - trends; Energy policy; Energy-Generating Resources - history; Environmental protection; Exact sciences and technology; Fees & charges; Forecasting; Fossil fuels; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; History, Ancient; Pollution; Transportation - history; Transportation - methods; Turbines; United States > US; USA; INW, Japan; Warming; Atmospheric condition; Alternative energy; Coal; Fossil fuel; Energy policy; Natural gas; Heavy oil
• ISSN: 1096-2247; 2162-2906
• DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2012.675403

The years 2012 and beyond seem likely to record major changes in energy use and power generation. The Japanese tsunami has resulted in large countries either scaling back or abolishing the future use of nuclear energy. The discovery of what seems like vast amounts of economically deliverable natural gas has many forecasting a rapid switch from coal- to gas-fired generating plants. On the other hand, environmentalists have strong objections to the production of natural gas and of petroleum by hydraulic fracturing from shale, or by extraction of heavy oil. They believe that global warming from the use of fossil fuels is now established beyond question. There has been rapid progress in the development of alternative energy supplies, particularly from on-shore and off-shore wind. Progress toward a viable future energy mix has been slowed by a U.S. energy policy that seems to many to be driven by politics. The author will review the history of power and energy to put all of the above in context and will look at possible future developments. He will propose what he believes to be an idealized energy policy that could result in an optimum system that would be arrived at democratically.