The Dilemmas of Energy: Essential energy services and potentially fatal risks

[摘要] During their evolution, humans have made three energy transitions, each marked by the adoption of new ways of procuring energy with attendant changes in lifestyle. Modern civilization arose in the Third Energy Transition, and its major sources of energy come from coal, oil, gas, uranium, and hydropower. Unfortunately, despite its incalculable benefits, the Third Transition can't provide sustainable energy services for the indefinite future. Climate change is the most serious problem. Criteria and standards for each of the currently available, nine primary energy sources indicate the potential feasibility of replacing most or all uses of coal, oil, gas, and uranium with hydropower, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal. This is the Fourth Energy Transition, promotion of which is strongly supported by considerations of sustainability.

[发布机构] Evergreen State College, 236 Cambridge Avenue, Kensington; CA; 94708, United States^1

[效力级别] 地球科学 [学科分类] 环境科学（综合）

[关键词] Energy services;Energy transitions;Modern civilization;Potentially fatal;Primary energy source;Sources of energy;Sustainable energy