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People have always found ways to harness energy, such as using animals to do work or inventing machines to tap the power of wind or water. The industrialization of the modern world starting in the eighteenth century was accompanied by the widespread use of such fossil fuels as coal, oil, and natural gas. Significant use and management of energy resulted in one of the most profound social changes i…
In 1977 President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, described the energy problem of the time as one that could only be "effectively addressed by a Government that accepts responsibility for dealing with it comprehensively and by a public that understands its seriousness and is ready to make necessary sacrifices." When Republican Ronald Reagan took over the presidency, however, he downplayed …
The total domestic energy production of the United States—the amount of fossil fuels and other forms of energy that was mined, pumped, or otherwise originated in the United States—has more than doubled since 1949, rising from 31.7 quadrillion Btu (British thermal units) in 1949 to 70.5 quadrillion Btu in 2003. (See Table 1.1 and Figure 1.3.) One quadrillion Btu equals the energy prod…
After 1958 the United States consumed more energy than it produced (see Figure 1.1) but made up the difference by importing energy. Imports (mainly oil) grew rapidly from 1953 through 1973 as the U.S. economy grew with the use of inexpensive oil. In 1973 net imports of petroleum reached almost 13 quadrillion Btu. Although the Arab oil embargo of 1973–74—coupled with increased oil pri…
Production prices are the value of fuel produced. The combined production prices of fossil fuels (crude oil, natural gas, and coal) slowly declined from 1949 through 1972. (See Figure 1.8 and Table 1.3.) These prices then increased dramatically from 1973 through 1981, and fell through 1998. To indicate how marked this decline in fossil fuel prices was, the composite value of all fossil fuel prices…
Energy use can be classified into four main "end-use" sectors: residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation. Historically, industry has been the largest energy-consuming sector of the economy, followed by the transportation, residential, and commercial sectors, in that order. In 2003 industry used about 33 quadrillion Btu, compared to approximately 27 quadrillion Btu in th…
World production of primary energy rose from 215 quadrillion Btu in 1970 to 405 quadrillion Btu in 2002. (See Table 1.4.) The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy stated in its 2004 report Annual Energy Review 2003 that the world's total output of primary energy increased by 88% from 1970 to 2002. In 2002 fossil fuels were the most heavily produced fuel, …
The EIA forecasts energy supply, demand, and prices every year in its Annual Energy Outlook, which is used by decision makers in the public and private sectors. The FIGURE 1.11
EIA's latest projections, through 2025, are based on current U.S. laws, regulations, and economic conditions. Total energy consumption in the United States is projected to increase from 97.7 to 136.5 quadrillion…
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