| dc.description.abstract | In the beginning of the twenty-first century, our society is faced with an energy
challenge: as highly populous, developing countries become more affluent and as
the developed nations continue to increase their energy consumption, the energy
demand in the entire world has reached levels that cannot be sustained in the
future. At the same time, fossil fuels, which are currently providing more than 85%
of the total global energy supply, are limited and, in addition, their widespread use
has significant adverse environmental consequences. The combustion of fossil
fuels produces carbon dioxide, which is one of the causes of global warming as
well as of other environmental effects, such as acid rain; higher ozone concentration
in urban areas; particulates; and aerosols that are detrimental to air quality.
The limited supply of the fossil fuels and their effects on the global environment
indicate the only long-term solution of the energy challenge: a significant increase
in the use of alternative energy sources for the production of electricity as well as
for meeting other energy needs of the industrial and post-industrial human society. | en_US |
