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A Study of Interrelationships
Eleventh Edition
Chapter 8
Energy and Civilization: Patterns of Consumption
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Outline
History of Energy Consumption How Energy is Used Electrical Energy The Economics and Politics of Energy Use Energy Consumption Trends
Within 200 years, daily per capita energy consumption of industrialized nations increased eightfold.
In India, 57% of energy is used for residential purposes. The current pattern of residential and commercial energy use in each region of the world determines what conservation methods will be effective.
Electrical Energy
Electricity is both a way that energy is consumed and a way that it is supplied. Most electrical energy is produced as a result of burning fossil fuels. Because electricity is easily transported and its uses are so varied, electricity is a major world energy source.
Industrialized nations have 20% of the worlds population, but use 60% of the worlds electricity. Per capita use in N. America is 25 times greater than that in less-developed countries.
Most of the differences in gasoline prices among countries are a result of taxes and reflect differences in government policy toward motor vehicle transportation.
When we compare the kinds of automobiles driven, we find a direct relationship between the cost of fuel and fuel efficiency. The average European car driver pays more than twice as much as U.S. and Canadian drivers, and uses 30% less fuel to drive the same distance as a U.S. driver.
During the 1980s, energy costs in N. America and Europe declined, and people became less concerned about energy consumption.
Summary
A direct correlation exists between the amount of energy used and the complexity of civilizations. Fossil-fuel consumption in conjunction with the invention of labor-saving machines resulted in the Industrial Revolution, which led to the development of technology-oriented societies today in the developed world. The invention of the automobile caused major changes in the lifestyles of people that led to greater consumption of energy.
Summary
Because of the high dependence of modern societies on oil as a source of energy, OPEC countries can set the price of oil through collective action. In general, rich countries use large amounts of energy and poor countries use much less. Analysts expect the worldwide demand for energy to increase steadily and the growth in energy usage by those countries becoming industrialized to be greater than that of alreadyindustrialized nations.