This book provides a historical background for the world’s current energy problems, describing how the Industrial Revolution has led us to the impending end of the Age of Fossil Fuels, and describes possible solutions for averting a global crisis.

World Energy Crisis: A Reference Handbook provides a thorough investigation of a controversial topic: our current global energy situation, and what actions should be taken to prevent a crippling fuel-supply catastrophe in the future.

The book presents a historical background for current energy problems that discusses the supply and consumption of various forms of energy at different periods of history, covering the evolution of energy use in civilization beginning with human muscle power, the successive eras of mechanized industry and transportation, and our current dependence on fossil fuels. The author explains geopolitical factors regarding energy; details controversial new ways of extending the fossil fuel supply, including the exploitation of tar sands and oil shale as well as new technologies like hydraulic fracturing; and examines the various environmental concerns that are integral to extracting energy from natural resources-and the results of consuming them.

A bibliographic chapter devoted to print and electronic resources on the topic useful to readers interested in continuing their research on world energy issues

Profiles of individuals and organizations with special interests in the world energy crisis

20 tables providing relevant data, such as a list of the years various countries hit peak oil (the maximum amount of oil produced in a single year)

Primary documents relating to the world energy crisis