Warnings of the risks inherent in the impending depletion of domestic petroleum resources and in overdependence on foreign sources has been voiced by several individuals as well as expert committees for some time, not only in the United States but also in other industrialized countries. These few now have been joined by many who have a growing premonition that the era of cheap and abundant energy has come to an end and that the distortions now apparent in national economic affairs and international relations may take many years to bring back into balance. The information in this handbook may help to clarify where we have been, where we are, and where we might possibly be going in our energy economies. - Introduction.

Introduction -- Energy and man -- Fossil and mineral energy resources -- Renewable energy resources -- Energy consumption trends -- Energy consumption projections -- Recovery of fossil fuels -- Nuclear power -- Geothermal energy -- Solar energy -- Energy conversion and storage -- Energy efficiency and conservation -- Energy transport -- Environmental aspects of energy use -- Environmental control of energy -- Energy costs -- Energy futures -- Appendix A : Glossary -- Appendix B : Energy conversion factors.