Digitalization uses digital technologies and systems to improve, transform, or create processes, operations, and services. It involves integrating digital tools and technologies, especially computers and
One outstanding feature of historical energy transitions was the change in the cost, power, and efficiency of the energy converters that humans used to perform
More than 4000 hydroelectric dams have been built in the United States since the late 19th century, representing six percent of all-time additions to electric generation capacity from all sources.
Anthropogenic black carbon, or soot, arises from incomplete combustion of organic materials, significantly impacting climate change and public health. It causes global warming, degrades air quality, and leads to various health issues. Major contributors include residential fuel usage and transportation emissions. Reducing black carbon relies on cleaner fuel access and improved combustion technologies.
Energy historian Roger Fouquet’s analysis of historic energy transitions in household heating in England from 1300 to 2000 reveals interesting trends. The shift from wood to coal and later to natural gas resulted in fluctuations in fuel prices. Despite the increase in energy costs, improvements in technology and air quality led to a significant decrease in the price of heating services by 2000.
The global nuclear power industry has experienced significant shifts since its post-WWII expansion, with a sharp decline in new reactor starts from the 1990s onwards. More recently, some countries have sought to replace fossil fuels with nuclear power to address emissions and energy security. However, challenges remain in demonstrating the promised benefits of new reactor designs.
The United States has played a significant role in global oil production, contributing 17% since 1900, with Texas being a major player, accounting for one-third of the nation’s oil production. Technological advancements like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling led to record U.S. oil production in the 2010s, making the country the world’s largest oil producer and a net oil exporter.
Since the 1920s, natural gas-fueled power plants grew gradually. After WWII, advancements in technology and fracking increased US electricity generated by natural gas from 16% in 2000 to 38% in 2021.
Waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in the US burn municipal solid waste to generate electricity, contributing less than one percent of the total. Initially developed due to landfill space scarcity, the renewable classification is disputed due to non-biogenic waste. Few new facilities have been built since the 1990s due to opposition, high costs, and increased focus on recycling and waste reduction.
The commercial extraction of oil began in the 19th century in the US and Russia, initially for kerosene production. The introduction of the internal combustion engine increased oil demand. The Spindletop discovery in 1901 accelerated US oil production. OPEC’s formation in 1960 and market conditions led to price volatility, with consumption rising steadily in the 2000s.