ABSTRACT
Current civilization is based on mankind’s economic and social experience of the organization of life, accumulated over thousands of years, resulting in increasing material consumption but also providing energy and information benefits. Radical alterations in the material base of civilization started at the end of the 18th century industrial revolution (just after the invention of the steam-engine). Since that time, scientific and technical progress has accelerated. To supply energy to power the various technical inventions, a powerful and gradually growing infrastructure leaning upon fossil fuel resources has been created. As it is easily converted into other types of energy, the consumption of electrical energy increases rapidly.
