Overview of the Energy situation
What’s the big deal about energy?
Outline
•	Energy is absolutely essential to modern life.
•	Our current energy needs are almost exclusively met using fossil fuels.
•	Fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource, and their use adversely affects the environment.
•	Decisions for our future need to be made now.
Energy in Modern Life
•	Growth proportional to energy consumption.
•	See chart 1.
•	Each person in US has 150 horsepower available.
•	Average rate of energy consumption is 15 h.p.
•	Not only we, but all nations want to increase their access to energy.
•	World Population to reach 10 Billion or more by 2050. See chart 2.
Current Energy supply
•	Current Energy demand in US is largely met with fossil fuels: 
•	44% OIL; 22% COAL; 23% NATURAL GAS
•	We can not meet our current demand with domestic production. (See chart 3.)
Fossil fuels so far are irreplaceable
•	Cheap (gasoline is less than bottled water)
•	Obtainable
•	Dense form of energy
•	Versatile and easy to use
•	Profitable for the energy companies.
Alternatives? Hah!
•	Nuclear Fission (electricity at no cost?)
•	See chart 4. (What happened in 1978?)
•	Hydroelectric
•	Renewable energy (Wind, solar, geothermal, biomass (wood, corn ethanol), etc.)
•	Energy pipe dreams (Nuclear fusion, Cold Fusion)
Environmental Consequences
•	Fossil fuels represent a concentration of energy AND natural elements, such as Carbon, Sulfur and even Uranium.
•	Particulate Pollution
•	Ozone formation in the Troposphere
•	Acid Rain in Northeast US and Europe, China, too.
•	Changing the balance (CO2 and Global warming).
Fossil fuels will run out in …
•	Non-renewable means:
The rate of formation (thousands of years or more) is much slower than the rate of consumption (10’s to 100’s of years).
•	Therefore, the supply is finite. See charts. 
The future will be… 
•	STAR TREK
•	New technology and new fuels equals boundless future and endless frontier.

•	MAD MAX
•	Growling, primitive people haggling over the last few drops of fuel.