Journal
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF HISTORY-ANNALES CANADIENNES D HISTOIRE
Volume 53, Issue 3, Pages 395-422Publisher
UNIV TORONTO PRESS INC
DOI: 10.3138/CJH.ACH.53.3.03
Keywords
energy transitions; energy history; coal; oil; natural gas; fossil fuels; steam power; electricity; hydrocarbons; heating; air pollution
Categories
Funding
- Tyrolean Science Fund TWF [UNI-0404-2137]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The article deals with the historical transition from coal to oil and natural gas, commonly referred to as hydrocarbons. This transition occurred throughout the industrialized world between the 1940s and 1970s, yet the causes for the shift from coal to hydrocarbons are only marginally understood. Drawing from recent research on historical energy transitions, we examine the takeover of hydrocarbons in the context of the incumbent coal configurations. Building on previous explanations, we identify two analytical perspectives: (1) the view on the overall energy supply system that diversified when hydrocarbons were introduced, and (2) that on the consumers of energy, who replaced coal with hydrocarbon alternatives. The central argument is that the two perspectives need to be integrated to fully understand why hydrocarbons could replace coal. This monumental change in energy history was no simple shift in fuels, but a complex transition that occurred at (1) the level of energy supply, where hydrocarbons became available as alternatives to coal, and (2) the level of energy consumption, where consumers in the areas of railway and maritime transportation, residential heating, industrial production, and electricity generation actively decided to use hydrocarbon alternatives as substitutions for coal.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available