ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the energy constraint overlay. Population expansions in the past have been directly related to availability of cheap energy and abundant harvests and this continues to be the situation in the world Energy usage worldwide is expected to keep pace with or exceed population growth. The worldwide drive for an increasing standard of living requires a comparable increasing amount of energy—energy usage is a surrogate measure of standard of living. Some energy sources have limited application; the use of the energy of coal to propel aircraft requires a relatively expensive conversion to a form that can be utilized by aircraft engines. Program and portfolio managers of projects that depend upon low-priced energy, as has been the case for the past 100 years or more, will need to recalibrate their thinking and strategies. Coal is expected to be a major source of energy over the next several generations, primarily driven by demand for energy in Asia.
