Environmental impacts of energy

This paper extensively concentrates on energy and environmental impacts only. Energy utilization and its major environmental impacts are discussed from the standpoint of sustainable development, including anticipated patterns of future energy use and subsequent environmental issues. Renewable energy technologies and efficient energy utilization are identified as the most effective potential solutions to current environmental issues, along with some practical examples. Several aspects relating to energy utilization, renewable energy, energy efficiency, environment and sustainable development are examined from both current and future perspectives. It may be concluded that the conclusions and recommendations presented here will be: beneficial to energy scientists and engineers, and energy policy makers. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.