ENERGY RESOURCES

Energy is the mode of life. It is essential for most human activities in modern society, and is the prime engine for economic growth and technological development. As an index of civilization, it generally correlates with standard of living. Nearly 95 percent of all commercial energy produced in today's world is by fossil fuels. About 39 percent is coming from petroleum; next are coal, with 32 percent, and natural gas, with 24 percent. Nuclear power provides only about 2.5 percent of commercial energy worldwide. The supplies of petroleum and natural gas are running low, although these were not used in large quantities until the beginning of the 20th Century. Coal supplies may last several more centuries at current rates of uses. But it seems that the fossil fuel age is likely to be a rather short episode in the long history of mankind. The environmental damage caused by the burning of fossil fuels may necessitate cutting back on our use of these energy sources.