This article reconstructs the history of electric power uses in the US from 1900 to 1998 from a number of different sources of data. The uses are grouped into functional categories, viz. lighting, electrolysis, high temperature heat (electric furnace applications), low temperature heat (space...

Energy intensity measures, defined as the ratio of energy use to gross domestic product of a country, are widely used to study the productivity of energy use in an economy. Unlike conventional primary and/or final energy intensities, useful work intensity (useful work/gross domestic product)...

The authors argue that thermodynamics offers a means of accounting for both resource inputs and waste outputs in a systematic and uniform way. The new feature of the present work is to extend the applications of exergy analysis to resource and waste accounting and to present the results in an...

This paper explores two linked theses related to the role energy in economic development, and potential sources of increased energy efficiency for continued growth with reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first thesis is that, while reduced GHG emissions are essential for long-term...