An introduction to energy resources

Energy resources are essential for any society, be it one dependent on subsistence farming or an industrialised country. There are many different sources of energy, some well-known such as coal or petroleum, others less so, such as tides or the heat inside the Earth. Is nuclear power a salvation or a nightmare? This free course, An introduction to energy resources, provides background information to each, so that you can assess them for yourself.

• An introduction to energy resources
• Learning outcomes
• 1 Energy use
• 1 Energy use
• 2 Energy, work, power and efficiency
• 2 Energy, work, power and efficiency
• 2.1 Some basic concepts
• 2.2 Present-day energy use
• 2.3 Global power demand
• 3 Sources of energy from the natural environment
• 3 Sources of energy from the natural environment
• 3.1 Solar radiation
• 3.2 Tides
• 3.3 The Earth's internal heat
• 4 Fossil fuels
• 4 Fossil fuels
• 4.1 Natural stores of carbon
• 4.2 The terrestrial carbon cycle
• 4.3 Photosynthesis, respiration and decay
• 4.4 The marine carbon cycle
• 4.5 Generating carbon — the legacy of volcanoes
• 4.6 The fossil fuel 'bank'
• 5 Nuclear energy
• 5 Nuclear energy
• 6 Concentrating, storing and transporting energy
• 6 Concentrating, storing and transporting energy
• 6.1 Concentrating energy
• 6.2 Storing and transporting energy
• 7 Renewable and non-renewable energy supplies
• 7 Renewable and non-renewable energy supplies
• Conclusion
• 9 Glossary
• 9 Glossary
• Acknowledgements