Our energy future starts from actual energy limits

Abstract

Since the discovery of fire, the history of human evolution reflects the history of mankind’s ability to control and transform energy. Steam engine gave rise to the industrial revolution and fossil fuels entered and shaped our development: diffused and cheap energy allowed to replace human labor, and activities, impossible until that time, became common. Nowadays more than 80% of the global primary energy consumption comes from fossil fuels, but this energy system has limitations: green house gases and polluting emissions are generated by the fossil fuels combustion. Moreover fossil fuels are limited energy resources and sooner or later they will run out. It is thus important to start shaping and building a new energy system and this is what this school is about.